Christ the King and AI
Christ the King C
Ballymore
23 November 2025
My friends,
The power and impact of Artificial Intelligence is forming parts of many of our conversations these days. Mostly, it is fear of the unknown. It is a concern about its power to exercise power and control over our lives. Even many of the so – called experts in these developments admit to being at a loss as to consequences for humanity.
Today we celebrate the Feast of Christ the King. It was set as a Feast Day by Pope Pius XI, in 1925, to mark the 16th Anniverasary of the Council of Nicaea, which gave the Church the ‘Nicene’ Creed proclaimed each Sunday. In that proclamation of faith, the person of Jesus, the Christ, the Son of God is the central figure of our Salvation and Redemption; and so, merited the honour and title of Christ the King. Further, that this day of celebration would be the conclusion of the liturgical year; in doing so it reminds us that the Kingship of Christ rules not through might or dominance but through love. And yet today that same spirit of Christ, the Holy Spirit of God, faces a new frontier in the digital world, where influence and power are exercised through algorithms/mathematic formulas.
Yet, we immediately have to admire, respect and accept the development of technology. It has brought extraordinary benefits and improvement to humanity. It is the fruit of God given imagination, intelligence and creativity. We equally can say the potential negative effects of A.I. frighten us if left uncontrolled in the hands of the wrong people – or people who have no moral compass to guide their creative work.
“The computer has no feelings, the people who use them do. Whatever device they use is an instrument of control and influence, both good and bad, depending.
The internet connects us yet divides us. It offers community but also deep loneliness. It gives voice to the marginalised, while sometimes drowning them in distraction. In that fragile balance, we might imagine Christ the King, not as an abstract ruler but as a presence, steady, discerning and deeply human, who moves through the noise to find the forgotten and lonely.” (John Singarayer “Christs quiet reign in our digital age.” UCA News)
“Artificial Intelligence, born of human creativity and curiosity, mirrors both out light and our shadow. It holds immense potential to build, heal and teach but only when guided by empathy.” (ibid)
While we here don’t control the levers of the A.I. world, most of us benefit from and use phones that have gradually become in effect, the remote control of our life. In effect so much of our living and communication is in the control of just two major players. However, we remain the customer, the user and our point of interaction is our phone. So, we do have some choice, we do have some control and our choice and voice, does have impact.
On this Feast of Christ the King, it may seem futuristic to link it to the work of technology and A.I., yet it goes to the core/heart of life which is our relationship with one another. The vocation of all who put their faith in Christ Jesus, is not to dominate creation but redeem it. No doubt, A.I. will advance and develop further. Our prayer and hope is that as it does, dignity and humanity of all will be served.
