The Swiss Evangelical Alliance published a 78-page report on the ethics of artificial intelligence, calling on Christians to “help reduce the misuse of AI” and “set an example in the use of AI by demonstrating how technology can be used responsibly and for the benefit of all.” Seven people worked on the paper, including two theologians, several software engineers and computer science experts, a business consultant, and a futurist. They rejected the idea that Christians should close themselves off to AI, as that would not do anything to mitigate the risks of the developing technology. The group concluded that AI has a lot of potential to do good, if given ethical boundaries and shaped by Christian values such as honesty, integrity, and charity.
France: Cults cause concerns
The French government is warning about the growth of cults after an annual report showed an 111 percent increase of abuse in religious minority groups from 10 years ago. The National Council of Evangelicals in France said it stands with the government in opposing “any behaviour that is contrary to fundamental freedoms and respect” but also asked officials to be aware of “the risk of stigmatization” for religious minorities.
Norway: Medieval documents double-checked for women’s work
Women produced at least 110,000 medieval manuscripts, according to a new analysis of texts that survived in European monasteries and universities. Some of the women wrote their names in the colophons, such as Birgitta Sigfursdóttir, a nun in Norway who asked readers to pray for her. Others just used the feminine form of the Latin word for scribe. The scale of women’s contributions had not previously been studied.
Liberia: Global Methodist leader jailed
Police arrested Global Methodist leader Jerry Kulah for his involvement in a dispute with the United Methodist Church (UMC) over a church building. Kulah helped lead about 20 percent of congregations out of the denomination in a dispute over sexual ethics. The UMC in Liberia has reaffirmed its opposition to same-sex marriage but remains connected to the UMC in the United States.
Kenya: No politicians in pulpits
Anglican Archbishop Jackson Ole Sapit has ordered priests to stop allowing politicians to speak to their congregations. Clergy may acknowledge them if they are present, but nothing more, Sapit said. He made the announcement at the consecration of a bishop in Nairobi, where the governor, the leader of an opposition party, and a former deputy president were all reportedly expecting to speak. Sapit previously forbade priests from announcing the size of politicians’ donations. “What we give to God, we don’t have to tell human beings,” he said. President William Ruto has made his evangelical faith central to his political image.
Ghana: An expensive hole
Plans for an interdenominational national cathedral seem doomed now that Nana Akufo-Addo is no longer president. The country spent $58 million on blueprints and digging a hole in the ground.
China: Closing loophole on religion
The Chinese government has imposed strict new rules on the religious activity of foreigners. Starting May 1, Christians from outside China may only worship at approved venues and even then will need written authorization. Government officials claim this is an issue of national security. The Communist-controlled government has been cracking down on missionaries for years, but now there is “almost a complete prohibition” on missionary work, Bob Fu, founder of Christian nonprofit ChinaAid, told CT. Evangelical leaders in China said they expected ministry to continue regardless. God “laughs at restrictions,” one of them told CT, “and so do we.”
Indonesia: Guilty of condemning Christ’s hair
A social media influencer has been sentenced to nearly three years in prison for a video telling Jesus to cut his hair. Ratu Thalisa, a transgender Muslim woman with hundreds of thousands of followers on TikTok, was critiquing contemporary gender expectations. Multiple Christian groups filed complaints with police, and the court found Thalisa guilty of spreading hate online. The influencer is one of more than 400 people who have been sentenced under a controversial law criminalizing “incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence.” Most of the people sent to prison have been convicted for insulting Islam.
South Korea: Bible finally finished
The Korean Bible Society celebrated the completion of the New Korean Translation after 13 years of work. Thirty-six biblical scholars from a variety of denominations worked to translate its original languages into contemporary language, using modern vocabulary, shorter sentences, and consistent transliteration of proper names.
Argentina: New school for evangelicals
The first evangelical university in Argentina opened in Buenos Aires, founded by Assemblies of God pastor Osvaldo Carnival. The opening ceremony was attended by government officials and political leaders from across the country. The Universidad Evangélica del Cono Sur will offer accredited undergraduate degrees in theology, technology, and media production.
United States: No freeze on ICE in churches
A federal judge refused to block immigration officials from making arrests in churches. Places of worship and education have long been considered unofficial sanctuaries, and both Democratic and Republican administrations have instructed Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to avoid them. President Donald Trump decided to change that in his second term. His administration announced in January that “criminals will no longer be able to hide in America’s schools and churches.” A legal immigrant named Wilson Velásquez was pulled out of a Pentecostal church and deported later that month. Since then, 27 Christian and Jewish groups have sued the government, saying the policy change violates their religious freedom. According to the judge, however, churches are not being specifically targeted.
United States: Guardrails take effect
Fourteen LGBTQ-affirming ministers lost their Church of God (Anderson, Indiana) credentials. The holiness church is anti-creedal and has not historically expelled ministers for theological deviations from traditional teaching. The general assembly adopted a manual with new stipulations about orthodoxy in 2017. General director Jim Lyon said they were “necessary guardrails” and ministers should “defer to the larger Body’s understanding of biblical boundaries defining faith and practice.”
This article appeared in the July/August 2025 issue of Christianity Today as "Evangelicals Say AI Could Be Good, with Ethics".
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