A church in Germany has created some international headlines with an experiment in robotic “blessings”. Below is a video of the creation and how it works. This robot has a touch screen set of buttons where you answer a series of questions like what language, male for female voice, and would you like a printed copy. Once the input is selected the robot raises robotic hands from which light shines forth and then the robot blesses those standing in front of it.

News articles focus on robots replacing the clergy or on how the church feels about using technology in the church. While this robot is not exactly cutting edge and it is just a little bit silly the idea is interesting in this technological world. What if instead of the Terminator and Skynet destroying mankind robots became apologist fuelled by big data to speak life with reasonable answers to a world with questions about Christ and the cross.

Gutenberg invented the printing press and revolutionized the world by allowing the written words of God to be placed into the hands of every person on earth. That technology strengthens the church. What if now an Azure platformed chat bot could provide theologically sound and consistent answers to anyone in the world at any time? Said bot could even direct the questioner to a local church where relationships might be found the way God intends.