Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: van Peursen, Willem Th., Entsua-Mensah, Samuel E.
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
Subjects:
Online Access:https://arxiv.org/abs/2507.02973
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1866916825480036352
author van Peursen, Willem Th.
Entsua-Mensah, Samuel E.
author_facet van Peursen, Willem Th.
Entsua-Mensah, Samuel E.
contents This study explores the intersection of artificial intelligence and the visualization of Biblical narratives by analyzing AI-generated images of Exodus 2:5-9 (Moses found in River Nile) using MidJourney. Drawing on the classical concepts of mimesis (imitation) and poiesis (creative generation), the authors investigate how text-to-image (T2I) models reproduce or reimagine sacred narratives. Through comparative visual analysis, including Google image results and classical paintings, the research evaluates the stylistic, theological, and cultural dimensions of AI-generated depictions. Findings show that while AI excels in producing aesthetically rich and imaginative visuals, it also reflects the biases and limitations of its training data. The study highlights AI's potential to augment human imagination but questions its capacity for genuine creativity, authorial intent, and theological depth. It concludes by suggesting that AI can serve as a creative partner in reinterpreting biblical texts, though its role in sacred art remains complex and contested.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2507_02973
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Mimesis, Poiesis, and Imagination: Exploring Text-to-Image Generation of Biblical Narratives
van Peursen, Willem Th.
Entsua-Mensah, Samuel E.
Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition
This study explores the intersection of artificial intelligence and the visualization of Biblical narratives by analyzing AI-generated images of Exodus 2:5-9 (Moses found in River Nile) using MidJourney. Drawing on the classical concepts of mimesis (imitation) and poiesis (creative generation), the authors investigate how text-to-image (T2I) models reproduce or reimagine sacred narratives. Through comparative visual analysis, including Google image results and classical paintings, the research evaluates the stylistic, theological, and cultural dimensions of AI-generated depictions. Findings show that while AI excels in producing aesthetically rich and imaginative visuals, it also reflects the biases and limitations of its training data. The study highlights AI's potential to augment human imagination but questions its capacity for genuine creativity, authorial intent, and theological depth. It concludes by suggesting that AI can serve as a creative partner in reinterpreting biblical texts, though its role in sacred art remains complex and contested.
title Mimesis, Poiesis, and Imagination: Exploring Text-to-Image Generation of Biblical Narratives
topic Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2507.02973