Most Pastors Worry AI Could Misinterpret Scripture, Barna Research Finds
As AI enters Bible study, pastors urge Christians to keep biblical discernment at the center.
NEWS
Glorious Grace
9/9/20262 min read
As a growing number of Christians are turning to artificial intelligence for information about faith and Scripture, new research suggests pastors remain cautious about allowing AI to interpret the Bible.
A new study released by Barna Group found that 94 percent of Protestant pastors are concerned that artificial intelligence could misinterpret Scripture. That compares with 83 percent of practicing Christians and 74 percent of U.S. adults overall.
The findings, released Aug. 25, are based on research conducted in November and December 2025, as AI tools become increasingly accessible for Bible study, research, and questions about theology.
Barna’s research also found that pastors and practicing Christians differ significantly in how they believe AI should handle difficult or disputed passages of Scripture.
Among pastors surveyed, 60 percent said that AI should present the major interpretations of a disputed passage and explain the differences without selecting one as correct. Only 26 percent of practicing Christians preferred that approach.
The findings suggest many pastors see AI as a resource that can assist with biblical study without becoming the authority that determines what a passage means.
That distinction is particularly important when Scripture has been debated among Christians for generations. AI can quickly gather information, summarize theological positions, and point users toward different interpretations. But presenting information is different from possessing spiritual authority.
Barna’s research found that pastors are not simply rejecting AI. Instead, many appear to see potential value in using the technology while maintaining human responsibility for interpretation and discernment.
Only a small percentage of pastors said AI should avoid addressing disputed biblical passages altogether.
The research highlights a growing challenge for churches as artificial intelligence becomes more involved in how people search for answers about Christianity.
For Christians, the question is not necessarily whether AI should be used at all, but how it should be used.
Technology can be a helpful tool for research, but it cannot replace the responsibility to read Scripture carefully, consider its context, and seek wisdom from God.
Scripture tells believers to “test the spirits” (1 John 4:1), reminding us that not every answer we receive should be accepted without discernment.
As AI continues to become part of everyday life, pastors appear to be drawing an important line: AI may help Christians explore Scripture, but it should not become the authority that defines Scripture's meaning.
The technology may be new, but the need for biblical discernment is clearly not.
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