Pastoral formation and generative AI: A critical response to Daniel Nealon

Artist's impression of the Rev Charles Haddon Spurgeon at work on sermon preparation in his pastor's study. Daniel Nealonโ€™s January 2026 essay, โ€œWhy Pastors Should Question AI for the Sake of Their Soulsโ€ (published here), raises legitimate questions about the formative effects of generative artificial intelligence on Christian ministry. Technologies are not merely passive instruments: they …