ETHICO-THEOLOGICAL IMPLICATIONS OF “ROBOT” PASTOR ON AFRICAN CHRISTIANITY IN THE CONTEXT OF 1 PETER 5:1-4

Abstract

The invention of robots and other AI applications capable of undertaking human tasks with speed, accuracy and precision is unprecedented and it has raised the question of job security in many professions. In some religions, robots lead in different religious activities. This development has necessitated debate on the possibility of robots taking over priestly duties in African religions. As a contribution to the debate, this paper explores the ethico-theological implications of having ‘robot’ pastor in the church in Africa using 1 Peter 5:1-4 as a focal text. The aims are to exegete 1 Peter 5:1-4 to decipher its meaning in relation to pastoral duties and investigate the possibilities of robots carrying out those duties giving the peculiarity of African churches. The paper employs descriptive method and the evaluative model of African Contextual Hermeneutics. It was discovered that the pastoral duties discussed in the text cannot be carried out by robots since they do not possess the required emotions and feelings. Also, the emphases of African churches on communality, holistic view of faith and connection to the spiritual world which most times necessitate prayers for healing, deliverance from evil spirits, among others, are beyond the abilities of robots. The paper therefore concludes that robots cannot take over human pastoral duties in Africa. While robots may assist in duties that require physical interaction, human pastors will still be needed to carry out duties that require emotions, feelings, communication with God, experiential knowledge, modelling certain lifestyle, empathy among others.