Mel Duncan, moderator of the 53rd General Assembly, has selected elders to serve on the Ad Interim Study Committee on Artificial Intelligence. The committee will consist of four teaching elders and three ruling elders.
The committee members are Nathan Barczi, Frank Cohee, Scott Cook, Dan Lohrmann, Adam Parker, Ben Ratliff, and Joshua Torrey.
- Nathan Barczi serves as the associate pastor of Christ the King Church in Newton, Massachusetts.
- Frank Cohee is a ruling elder at Cornerstone Presbyterian Church in Huntsville, Alabama.
- Scott Cook serves as the senior pastor of Oconee Presbyterian Church in Seneca, South Carolina.
- Dan Lohrmann is a ruling elder at University Reformed Church in East Lansing, Michigan.
- Adam Parker is the senior pastor of Evergreen Presbyterian Church in Beaverton, Oregon.
- Ben Ratliff serves as the associate pastor of Covenant Presbyterian Church in Cleveland, Mississippi.
- Joshua Torrey is a ruling elder at Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Austin, Texas.
The moderator also named Teaching Elder Scott Edburg, the pastor of Providence Presbyterian Church in Illiana Presbytery as an alternate. Though the committee consists of seven elders, they are free to “consult theological, technical, or legal specialists as needed.”
The Assembly tasked this committee with returning no later than the 55th General Assembly in 2028 with a report “on the teaching of Scripture and the Westminster Standards, with a particular reference to our anthropology (WCF 4, 7) and ecclesiology (WCF 25), and suggest general principles for the use or limits of artificial intelligence technology (AI) in the Church.”
The Assembly also suggested that the committee consider the application of general principles to the following areas:
- Pastoral Ministry: AI use in preaching, teaching, and pastoral care
- Church Administration: AI use in local churches, presbyteries, and the General Assembly, also addressing security concerns
- Church Discipline: criteria for assessing AI-generated evidence in church courts, especially in disciplinary cases
- Christian Vocation and Diaconal Ministry: a Reformed approach to work and service amid AI-driven changes in the workplace and economy, with diaconal strategies for affected church members
- Christian Education: implications for PCA institutions (e.g., Covenant College, Covenant Seminary), especially on education philosophy and practice
- Evangelism and Apologetics: strategies to proclaim the gospel and encourage Christian discipleship in contrast to AI-influenced ideologies
- Ethical Issues: the use of AI to create simulated relationship and pornography
This committee is funded by designated contributions. Checks can be mailed to the PCA Administrative Committee, 1700 North Brown, Suite 105, Lawrenceville, GA, 30043. Please note “Artificial Intelligence Study Committee ” in the memo line. Online contributions can be made using the Artificial Intelligence menu option. For questions regarding contributions, call 678-825-1000.