Rev. Cesar Taqueban Reyes, Jr., faculty of Wesley Divinity School (WDS), participated in the 15th International Roundtable on Religion and Media in Asia organized by Asian Research Center for Religion and Social Communication (ARC), Saint John’s University – Thailand, and the Department of Peace Studies, International College, Payap University, on November 1–2, 2025, at Payap University, Chiang Mai, Thailand, where he presented his research Preaching with AI: A Practical Theological Experiment.

The roundtable discussion with the theme The Media and Religion & Spirituality in Asia gathered scholars, theologians, and media researchers from Asia, Africa, Australia, and Western institutions to discuss how religion continues to adapt and respond to the rapid changes in media and technology, and aimed at understanding how faith and spirituality interact with today’s digital culture.

The sessions focused on artificial intelligence (AI), social media, online evangelism, and new forms of religious expression in the digital age.
Dr. Heidi A. Campbell of Texas A&M University opened the roundtable with her keynote lecture, “Charismatic Technologies and Religious Affordances: Cross-Religious Reflections on AI and GPTs and the Asian Context.” She discussed how AI and GPT technologies are reshaping religious practice and communication across various faith traditions.

Following her keynote, scholars from across Asia presented studies through parallel sessions and roundtable discussions, showcasing ongoing research at the intersection of religion, technology, and social transformation.

Rev. Reyes’s research explored how pastors could use artificial intelligence (AI), specifically ChatGPT, in sermon preparation.

His findings showed that AI-assisted sermons were clear and relevant, though some lacked theological depth and pastoral warmth. This led him to develop a Field-Tested AI Prompt Guide to ensure ethical and spiritually grounded AI use in preaching, emphasizing that AI supports ministry but cannot replace prayer and the Holy Spirit’s guidance.

Rev. Reyes noted several papers that made impact during the conference, like “Holy Hacking: Soul Habits for AI Engagement” by Dr. Rolf R. Nolasco Jr., Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, USA; “Fratelli Tutti and the Path to Fraternity in Digital Communication” by Herlina Hadia, Yarra Theological Union, University of Divinity, Australia; “Digital Media’s Power and Perils in Mobilizing Filipino Catholics Toward Greater Socio-Political Involvement” by Dr. Melanie S. Reyes, Joseph Albert D. Reyes, and Patrick M. Garcia, University of Santo Tomas, Philippines; “Evolving Digital Evangelism: A Critical Discourse Analysis of Catholic Online Preaching in the Philippines” by Jomar D. Redubla, Far Eastern University – Cavite, Philippines; “East or West Home Is the Best: AI and Asian Spirituality – A Critical Reflection” by Sebastian Periannan, Annai College of Arts and Science, Kumbakonam, India; and “From Living in the Shadows to Facebook Livestreams: The Impact of Social Media on Current Mediumship Practice of Mother Goddesses Worship (Đạo Mẫu) in Vietnam” by Isabel Weitschies, Johann Wolfgang Goethe University, Germany.

“The 15th International Roundtable on Religion and Media in Asia was a meaningful event that highlighted the ongoing changes in faith communication in the digital world. The event strengthened Wesleyan University-Philippines’s commitment to promoting research that connects faith, ethics, and technology for the service of the church and society,” he described.

He also commented that the conference encouraged collaboration between theologians, educators, and media practitioners, and cited that the participants agreed that the church must not fear technology but must use it wisely and ethically.

“Faith communities should engage in continuous learning about digital tools to strengthen their teaching and communication ministries,” he highlighted.
Article by Ayumi San Cai Valerio (PIO)

Information and photos courtesy of Cesar T. Reyes, Jr. and WUP Research Development and Productivity Office