Grace and Community in the Age of AI: A Wesleyan-Theological Dialogue on Digital Technology and Religious Education

Abstract This article examines the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in religious education through a Wesleyan theological framework. Engaging the doctrines of prevenient grace, social holiness, and connectionalism, it evaluates the potential of AI to enhance learner-centered pedagogy while safeguarding the relational, embodied, and communal nature of spiritual formation. Rather than treating AI as a neutral tool, the study considers its ethical and theological implications, proposing design principles rooted in grace, accountability, and human dignity. The article offers a theological framework for discerning AI’s role in religious education, emphasizing formation over efficiency and community over technological convenience.