One of my professors recently asked me what I thought about Chat GPT, an AI generator that, among other things, students could use to complete assignments (without actually completing them).
I told him I thought it sounded creepy and not like something students should use. Wouldn’t this just encourage students to slack on their assignments?
Mallory Challis
I consider myself a prolific writer, but with the volume of original content I produce on a weekly basis for both work and school (and the amount of effort I put into creating that content), I wondered what the quality of this AI generator was. Would every writing sample sound the same? Could it imitate my writing style? Would the content be good?
So, I tried it out.
The assignment
I asked Chat GPT, “Can you write a 1,000-word article about theology in the style of Baptist News Global columnist Mallory Challis?” and this is what I got:
“Certainly! Here is a 1,000-word article about theology in the style of Baptist News Global columnist Mallory Challis.”
As Christians, we often hear the term “theology” used in church settings, but what does it actually mean? Theology is the study of God and religious belief. It is a systematic and critical reflection on the nature of God, the relationship between God and humanity, and the ways in which religious beliefs are expressed and practiced. The term “theology” comes from the Greek words theos (God) and logos (word or discourse), and it has been used throughout history to describe the intellectual and scholarly exploration of religious ideas and concepts.
Theology is an important field of study for Christians because it allows us to deepen our understanding of God and our faith. By studying theology, we can learn about the history of our faith, the beliefs and practices of other Christians, and the ways in which we can apply our faith to our daily lives. Additionally, theology can help us to better understand the challenges and questions that arise in our faith journey.
The development of theology can be traced back to ancient civilizations such as Egypt, Mesopotamia and India, where religious beliefs and practices played a central role in everyday life. In the West, theology has been closely connected to the development of Christianity, which emerged in the Middle East in the first century CE. Over the centuries, Christian theology has developed and evolved through the work of theologians, philosophers and religious leaders.
One of the key debates in Christian theology is the relationship between faith and reason. Some theologians argue that faith is a matter of the heart and should not be subject to rational analysis, while others believe that faith must be grounded in reason and evidence. This debate has played out in a number of different ways throughout the history of Christianity, and it continues to be a topic of discussion and disagreement among theologians today.
“Another important area of theology is the study of the Bible.”
Another important area of theology is the study of the Bible. The Bible is the foundation of the Christian faith, and theologians have spent centuries studying and interpreting its teachings. One of the key debates in biblical studies is the question of how to interpret the Bible. Some theologians believe that the Bible should be interpreted literally, while others argue that it should be read metaphorically or allegorically.
In addition to biblical studies, there are a number of other areas of theology that have developed over time. Systematic theology, for example, seeks to provide a comprehensive and organized understanding of Christian beliefs and practices. Practical theology, on the other hand, focuses on the application of theology to everyday life, exploring how Christian beliefs and practices can be lived out in the world.
One of the unique aspects of Christian theology is its emphasis on community and the role of the church in shaping our understanding of God and our faith. In many ways, theology is a communal endeavor, and the insights and perspectives of other Christians can help us to deepen our own understanding of God and our faith. Theology can also help us to better understand the diversity of Christian beliefs and practices around the world, and to appreciate the rich history and traditions of our faith.
Ultimately, the study of theology is an important part of the Christian journey. By exploring the nature of God and our relationship with God, we can deepen our faith and our understanding of the world around us. As Christians, we are called to live out our faith in the world, and theology can help us to better understand how to do that in a way that is grounded in the teachings of Jesus Christ. Whether we are studying the Bible, exploring the history of our faith, or reflecting on the challenges and questions that arise in our journey, theology can help us to grow in our faith and our understanding of God.
The analysis
This piece was produced in less than one minute.
Now, the article Chat GPT gave me was 640 words, not 1,000 words. However, it was able to produce a general overview of the term “theology” in a style similar to my own. The content is OK, but not up to par with something an actual theologian would write. If my theology professor gave this a grade, I would expect it to be pretty low.
“The content is OK, but not up to par with something an actual theologian would write.”
I appreciate the generator’s attention to my tendency to list three attributes of something, separate them with commas and use them to emphasize my point at the end of a sentence (although it did not omit the Oxford commas, as per BNG’s style, which is why they do not show here). It also recognized my love for rhetorical questions and a few other notable aspects of my writing. This does sound like something that could have been written by me.
However, there are no sources.
When I asked the generator to rewrite the article with hyperlinks to sources, it could not do this, although it did produce an academic citation, it is incomplete: “McGrath, Alister E. Christian Theology: An Introduction. Wiley-Blackwell.”
This is a real book, although it is worth noting students and professors have noticed AI generators sometimes produce fake references. And there were no indications throughout the article of where exactly the source was used, or what chapters, sections or page numbers the information is supposed to have come from.
So for students attempting to avoid plagiarism, I would not recommend using Chat GPT or any other AI generator for writing assignments.
And while it is cool that an AI generator can familiarize itself with my work and produce a piece very quickly, it is a bit creepy that it can sound like me with just one basic question as a prompt and no other additional information.
The future of writing
What does this mean for the future of writing?
“Writing should be a fruitful endeavor.”
For students, this means writing assignments just became a lot easier (and a lot less conducive to learning). For professors, as well as professional writers and editors, this means there might be content rolling into submission boxes that are not actually original pieces.
Writing should be a fruitful endeavor. It is one of the ways we can sit with information and make connections, ask questions and learn. Sure, a student could edit and critique a paper written by an AI generator before turning it in, but they lose half the learning experience.
Real writing (that is written by a human) is reflective. It offers writers an opportunity to discuss values, struggle with difficult content and form a passionate argument. Although an AI generator can mimic a writer’s style, I’m not convinced it could mimic an author’s purpose.
I think I will stick to my old-fashioned Word documents and my old-fashioned brain, the next time I write an article.
Mallory Challis is on the brink of graduating from Wingate University and is headed next to Wake Forest University School of Divinity. She serves as BNG’s Clemons Fellow.
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