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AI as Spiritual Teacher: Reinterpreting Religious Authority through Connolly's Phenomenological-Hermeneutic Lens

Jurnal Iman dan Spiritualitas · Vol. 6 No. 3 (2026) · pp. 825–838

DOI
10.15575/jis.v6i3.53331
ISSN
2775-4596
Published
2026-07-09
Publisher
UIN Sunan Gunung Djati Bandung
Language
eng
License
creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0

Abstract

The development of artificial intelligence (AI) has given rise to new dynamics in religious practices and discourse: from interpretation chatbots, automated fatwa applications, to robotics-based representations of religious figures. This article proposes a conceptual reading of this phenomenon using a phenomenological-hermeneutic lens as recommended by Peter Connolly. This research aims to conceptually examine how AI transforms religious experience and authority, and how phenomenological and hermeneutic approaches can be used to understand technologically mediated religious experiences. Rather than assessing the authority of AI normatively or reducing it to a mere social product, this study positions technologically mediated religious experiences as meaningful objects, which also need to be understood from within (phenomenology) and interpreted as new symbolic texts (hermeneutics). The analysis is conducted through a critical reading of interdisciplinary literature on religion, media, and artificial intelligence, with reference to Peter Connolly's phenomenological-hermeneutic ideas on religious experience and the process of symbolic meaning. The results of this study indicate that AI has the potential to function as a new hermeneutic space, not as an absolute substitute for spiritual teachers, but as a relational arena where authority, meaning, and transcendental experience are renegotiated. In this space, the presence of technology expands the horizons of human religious experience, while simultaneously demanding a rereading of legitimacy, awareness, and moral responsibility in digital religious practices. This article concludes with epistemological implications for contemporary religious studies and ethical considerations regarding the limits of digital authority. The study's primary contribution is the development of a theoretical framework for a reflective reading of digital spirituality, one that maintains a balance between the depth of religious experience and a critique of technological commodification.

Keywords

Collaboration network of the authors

38 authors · 78 co-authorship links

Hover or tap a name to highlight its co-authors. Double-click to open the author's page.

  • State University of Malang
  • Sunan Gunung Djati State Islamic University Bandung
  • Affiliation unknown
  • Different organisations
  • Same organisation
  • Affiliation unknown
  • Thicker line = more joint articles · bigger circle = more articles
Show as table
Co-authorOrganisationJoint articles
Neng HannahAffiliation unknown3
Ahmad Gibson AlbustomiAffiliation unknown3
Dian NurrachmanAffiliation unknown2
Siti MarlidaAffiliation unknown2
Ana LustiyowatiAffiliation unknown2
Muhammad Dimas AnugrahAffiliation unknown2
Muhammad Faizal Zaky MubarokAffiliation unknown2
Erus EffendiAffiliation unknown1
Roro Sri Rejeki WaliyajatiAffiliation unknown1
Indah RahmawatiState University of Malang1
Rifki RosyadAffiliation unknown1
Asep MuhyidinAffiliation unknown1
Mohammad Taufiq RahmanAffiliation unknown1
Dede HidayatAffiliation unknown1
Muhammad Yusuf WibisonoAffiliation unknown1
Ruslan Moh. YunusAffiliation unknown1
Muchsin Al-FikriAffiliation unknown1
Ahmad Ali NurdinAffiliation unknown1
Ikhsan AhmadAffiliation unknown1
Abdul SyukurAffiliation unknown1
Asep Saeful MuhtadiAffiliation unknown1
Doddy Iskandar CakranegaraAffiliation unknown1
Jajang A RohmanaSunan Gunung Djati State Islamic University Bandung1
Muhtar SolihinAffiliation unknown1
M. Dewangga WidhiaAffiliation unknown1
Holina HolinaAffiliation unknown1
Paelani SetiaAffiliation unknown1
Panji Guniwa Aria AwanggaAffiliation unknown1
Ilim Abdul HalimAffiliation unknown1
Mohammad Ziaul HaqAffiliation unknown1
Paridah NapilahAffiliation unknown1
Andini AndiniAffiliation unknown1
Mikael Adi SiswantoAffiliation unknown1
Tatang ZakariaAffiliation unknown1
Efendi RahmatAffiliation unknown1

Affiliations come from OpenAlex; journal OAI-PMH metadata carries none. Authors without an OpenAlex ID are matched by name, which can merge or split people.

Metadata source: OAI-PMH (metadata jurnal) https://journal.uinsgd.ac.id/index.php/jis/oai, first harvested 7 Nov 2026, last seen 8 Nov 2026.
Original metadata (oai_dc) 
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	<dc:title xml:lang="en-US">AI as Spiritual Teacher: Reinterpreting Religious Authority through Connolly's Phenomenological-Hermeneutic Lens</dc:title>
	<dc:creator>Daulay, Tukma Triputri</dc:creator>
	<dc:creator>Truna, Dody S.</dc:creator>
	<dc:creator>Waluyajati, Raden Roro Sri Rejeki</dc:creator>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en-US">AI and religion</dc:subject>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en-US">Hermeneutics</dc:subject>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en-US">Peter Connolly</dc:subject>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en-US">phenomenology of religion</dc:subject>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en-US">religious authority</dc:subject>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en-US">spiritual mediatics</dc:subject>
	<dc:description xml:lang="en-US">The development of artificial intelligence (AI) has given rise to new dynamics in religious practices and discourse: from interpretation chatbots, automated fatwa applications, to robotics-based representations of religious figures. This article proposes a conceptual reading of this phenomenon using a phenomenological-hermeneutic lens as recommended by Peter Connolly. This research aims to conceptually examine how AI transforms religious experience and authority, and how phenomenological and hermeneutic approaches can be used to understand technologically mediated religious experiences. Rather than assessing the authority of AI normatively or reducing it to a mere social product, this study positions technologically mediated religious experiences as meaningful objects, which also need to be understood from within (phenomenology) and interpreted as new symbolic texts (hermeneutics). The analysis is conducted through a critical reading of interdisciplinary literature on religion, media, and artificial intelligence, with reference to Peter Connolly's phenomenological-hermeneutic ideas on religious experience and the process of symbolic meaning. The results of this study indicate that AI has the potential to function as a new hermeneutic space, not as an absolute substitute for spiritual teachers, but as a relational arena where authority, meaning, and transcendental experience are renegotiated. In this space, the presence of technology expands the horizons of human religious experience, while simultaneously demanding a rereading of legitimacy, awareness, and moral responsibility in digital religious practices. This article concludes with epistemological implications for contemporary religious studies and ethical considerations regarding the limits of digital authority. The study's primary contribution is the development of a theoretical framework for a reflective reading of digital spirituality, one that maintains a balance between the depth of religious experience and a critique of technological commodification.</dc:description>
	<dc:publisher xml:lang="en-US">UIN Sunan Gunung Djati Bandung</dc:publisher>
	<dc:date>2026-07-09</dc:date>
	<dc:type>info:eu-repo/semantics/article</dc:type>
	<dc:type>info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion</dc:type>
	<dc:format>application/pdf</dc:format>
	<dc:identifier>https://journal.uinsgd.ac.id/index.php/jis/article/view/53331</dc:identifier>
	<dc:identifier>10.15575/jis.v6i3.53331</dc:identifier>
	<dc:source xml:lang="en-US">Jurnal Iman dan Spiritualitas; Vol. 6 No. 3 (2026): Jurnal Iman dan Spiritualitas; 825-838</dc:source>
	<dc:source>2775-4596</dc:source>
	<dc:language>eng</dc:language>
	<dc:relation>https://journal.uinsgd.ac.id/index.php/jis/article/view/53331/16767</dc:relation>
	<dc:rights xml:lang="en-US">Copyright (c) 2026 Tukma Triputri Daulay, Dody S. Truna, Raden Roro Sri Rejeki Waluyajati</dc:rights>
	<dc:rights xml:lang="en-US">https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0</dc:rights>
</oai_dc:dc>