Issues, Etc. Artificial Intelligence and Digital Necromancy – Dr. Doug Groothuis, 3/16/26 (0753)
Mar 16, 2026
Dr. Doug Groothuis, Distinguished University Research Professor of Apologetics and Christian Worldview and author, explores ethical and theological questions around AI recreations of the dead. He discusses digital necromancy, why AI avatars can undermine grieving and Christian hope, biblical prohibitions on contacting the dead, and where AI might be appropriate without replacing human personhood.
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AI Shouldn't Replace Human Uniqueness
- AI must not replace what is uniquely human because humans are made in the image of God and possess judgment, wisdom, and sentience.
- Doug Groothuis warns against offloading personality or moral prerogatives to digital systems that lack true understanding.
Christian Hope Versus Technological Fixes For Death
- Death is an alien intruder caused by the Fall, and Christian hope rests in Christ's atoning death and resurrection, not technological fixes.
- Groothuis contrasts scriptural hope beyond death with futile human attempts to circumvent mortality.
Ad For Grief Bots Recreating A Mother's Advice
- Companies now offer 'death bots' that use photos, audio, and video to create interactive avatars of deceased loved ones.
- Groothuis recalls seeing a touching ad of a mother giving lifetime advice recreated after her death.
