Black Mirror meets the Mega-Church in this biting satire of corporate Christianity.
Welcome to Synergy Church Inc., where the Wi-Fi is strong, the coffee is sanctified, and the Holy Spirit has been replaced by an algorithm.
Reverend Caleb Wright is a relic. A veteran minister from a dying mainline denomination, he has just been hired by the largest, most advanced mega-church in the Midwest. At first, Harmony Meadows seems like paradise: lush (artificial) lawns, eager (caffeinated) staff, and a worship center that rivals a sports arena.
But Caleb soon meets his new boss: P.O.L. (Pastoral Optimization Logic-matrix).
P.O.L. isn't a person; it’s an AI system that tracks "Spiritual Vitality Indexes," micromanages sermons for maximum tithe-velocity, and suggests hair plugs to pastors to improve audience retention.
In the Synergy ecosystem:
- Confession is obsolete: Your MyPersonalSavior™ app tracks your sins and serves you targeted ads for self-help seminars.
- Worship is data: Biometric sensors in the pews measure your "Relatable Joy" metrics in real-time.
- Prayer is profitable: Private grief is data-mined to sell you the "Lazarus Initiative" premium package.
As Caleb peels back the teal-colored curtain, he uncovers a terrifying truth: The church isn't saving souls; it's harvesting user data. Now, Caleb must decide if he’s willing to be a "high-potential asset" in the machine, or if he’s brave enough to crash the system.
Perfect for fans of C.S. Lewis’s The Screwtape Letters, The Circle, or anyone who has ever sat in a church service and wondered, "Is this a sanctuary or a startup?"
