Using technology to present biblical truth

I graduated from the US Air Force Academy with a degree in Mechanical Engineering.  Since then, I have held several positions in the military, business world, and in Christian ministry.  In each role, I have found ways to work with information (databases in particular) to help myself and others sort out what that information really tells us about what’s going on.

I have recently taken on a new role which has exposed me to more advanced methods behind what’s referred to as Business Intelligence.  I quickly realized that these techniques can be applied to the Bible to “zoom out” and discover patterns and relationships that you can’t find with traditional study methods or tools.  I will highlight others who have done work to this end in hopes of bringing their results together and develop them into an integrated whole.

I have previously laid out my vision for enabling the average person to find reliable information on the web as easily as many incredible tools that are available today free of charge.  Soulliberty.com is a work in progress that will be one platform for applying these technologies to scripture and related information in commentaries, maps, media – you name it.  To be perfectly clear: my primary goal is to present the Bible in a clear, understandable, and intelligent way so that more people can come to know its truth, power, and salvation.

To get an idea of the basics, consider how you might do online research for a new car or even decide what movie to go see this weekend.  You can narrow it down by type, sort it by popularity and price (or what time a movie is showing), and see place marks on a map where that movie will be playing or where that car is sold.  You are presented with media telling you more about it in the form of videos or interactive content.  A common element is that the information is tied together in meaningful ways that help a computer sort through the information to find what the user is looking for.

I think it is possible to do the same types of things with Bible study software and make it available for free on the web instead of it costing hundreds or thousands of dollars.  This blog will more fully explain specific ideas for creating new tools and implementing existing ones in ways that are easy enough to understand by a non-technically minded person while also providing enough detail for the up-and-coming programmer or designer to contribute their skills and time.  I hope you find it informative and exciting to imagine the possibilities!