Meaning, Intention, and AI — A Conversation with Kyle Oliver
Priest, educator, and digital ministry expert Kyle Oliver joins Peter to explore the possibilities and perils of AI in content creation, Christian formation, and online communication. They reflect on the tension between productivity and presence, and what faithful engagement might look like.
Topics Covered
Topics Covered
- Kyle’s cautious experimentation with generative AI in content creation.
- The struggle for creative control and the limits of “black box” tools.
- What happens when beauty is decoupled from intention in digital art and music.
- AI’s impact on church communications and how to maintain a human voice.
- Concerns about AI-generated content overwhelming social platforms.
- The temptation of superhuman productivity and resisting false intimacy.
- Using AI for feedback, coaching, and spiritual discipline—while staying grounded in community.
- Why Christian formation needs to help people remember they are finite and beloved.
Homework
- Reflect on the balance between productivity and intention in your own use of AI.
- Try using AI to offer feedback on one of your recent creative or teaching efforts—then evaluate what’s helpful and what’s not.
- Ask yourself: Does this tool help me flourish—or tempt me to forget I’m human?
Resources
Creators and Guests
Host
The Rev. Mercedes Clements
With a unique blend of expertise in technology and ministry, Mercedes Clements brings a forward-thinking approach to her work in the Church. Before entering ordained ministry, Mercedes built a successful career in IT management, strategic systems design, and compliance. Now serving as an Episcopal priest, she draws on her technical background to explore innovative ways technology, including AI, can support and enhance ministry. As the co-host of the AI Church Toolkit Podcast, Mercedes combines her passion for faith, systems thinking, and collaboration to equip church leaders with practical tools for navigating the evolving digital landscape while staying rooted in the mission of the Church.
Host
The Rev. Peter Levenstrong
Peter Levenstrong is the Associate Rector at St. Gregory of Nyssa Episcopal Church in San Francisco, a vibrant congregation known for its liturgical creativity, intergenerational worship, and radical hospitality. With a passion for blending ancient traditions with innovative practices, Peter is dedicated to helping church leaders navigate the complexities of ministry in the digital age. As a co-host of the AI Church Toolkit Podcast, Peter believes in the opportunities created by AI to deepen, not replace, human relationships. His other projects include Living Stories Sermons, a participatory preaching model that is all about human connection and communion; yet much of the content is made possible by the use of AI. Grounded in his commitment to community and inclusion, Peter believes that when thoughtfully applied, technology can deepen relationships and expand the Church’s mission in transformative ways.
