Bits, Bytes, and Biblical Studies
Bits, Bytes, and Biblical Studies is a book by John J. Hughes, published by Zondervan/Acadamie Books in 1987. The book was frequently recommended by biblical scholars of the day, and continues getting referenced. (The book is out of print, but Amazon usually has a few use copies.) The book contains over 600 pages of practical / technical advice about Bible text search. The material in the book is bit dated (now in 2008) — mostly because of changes to computer operating systems — and the explosion of the Internet / World Wide Web. Many of the concepts in Bits, Bytes, and Biblical Studies still apply, but quite a few of the software packages mentioned in the book are no longer available, or won’t run on modern computer operating systems… and because the Internet changed everything…
The Convergence of Theology and Technology
I’ve been observing, researching, and writing about the convergence of theology and technology since 1982. That’s over 25 years of researching technology trends, and contemplating what God is doing in the cosmos, and in history. The convergence of theology and technology has continued to accelerate, ever since the Gutenberg printing press made the Bible available for the masses. The first computer Bibles became available around 25 years ago; by that I mean the first time that the complete text of the holy scripture (in computer readable texts) was available for average people using personal computers. Today, millions of people have access to powerful Bible search tools on the Internet… but let’s backup a little … to around the 1400’s.
Earlier manuscripts were copied by hand, and later by wood-block printing. The holy scriptures were translated from Hebrew, Greek and Latin manuscripts - into the common vernacular (English - Wyclif’s Bible ,1382), (German - Luther Bible ,1534) and printed by presses like Gutenberg’s printing press (see Gutenberg Bible - which was actually a Latin version). Gutenberg’s innovation introduced movable type, and a better quality ink.
Average Joe reads the Bible and starts asking questions It was now possible for the Average Beer Drinking Joe ( ABDJ - European ancestor of the American Average Joe ) to read, study, and understand the Bible for himself. ABDJ could read the Bible and ask questions of the Quasi Universal Established Religious Order (QUERO). The QUERO said the ABDJ was illiterate, stupid, and untrained (and many times this was true) — and that he could not understand the Bible on his own; furthermore the QUERO sternly admonished the ABDJ to always believe and never question the QUERO’s teachings.
The QUERO said “the QUERO scribes, scholars, and priests — and especially the Numero Uno QUERO Leader — are the only ones who can really understand what God said”.
However, the ABDJ kept reading the Bible and talking about it every day in the beer halls and marketplaces, and asking really good questions about God. The ABDJ kept asking the QUERO why, why, why?
Average Joe starts talking to God
Finally the ABDJ got tired of querying the QUERO, and listening to the QUEROs silly answers to good questions. He kept reading the Bible, and started talking to God directly. ( Ask, and it will be given to you. Seek, and you will find. ) All of Europe was in a tizzy, and the WASP was born (but that is another-whole-story). Some people call this period of history, the Reformation. Fast forward several hundred years… philosophers keep asking questions and seeking truth. Millions of Bibles keep rolling off the printing presses, in hundreds of languages, including Arabic, Chinese, English, French, German, Hmar, Russian, Polish, Spanish, etc. Some people eagerly read and study these Bibles, while others ignore them; believing that the ancient texts are irrelevant to modern man.
The Advent of Computerized Scripture Search
In the 1980’s, computerized “Bible text search” software package started becoming available. Back in the day, you could buy one of these Bible software packages with names like CompuBible, GodSpeed, and WordSearch. Fast forward another few decades to 2008 — as of this writing there are 149 online Bibles listed at the DMOZ Open Directory. These Internet Bible search tools are available in English and dozens of other languages. Research tools that scholars could only dream about years ago, are now freely available to the masses.
What will Average Joe do with these new research tools? You remember his great, great, great grandfather, ABDJ, right? DMOZ lists 9 Biblical New Testament Greek study tools. Free downloads of Scripture Study Tools are also available, like Davar. This is just a small sample of what’s available.
Have you tried the World Wide Study Bible, Greek New Testament Gateway, Olive Tree, GreekBible, HTML Bible, Laparola NT Greek, Bible Researcher, Scripture4All.org, BiblicalGreek.org, Biblos, BibleDataBase, Study Light Interlinear Bible, Aramaic NT, BibleStudyTools.com, GramCord, GKNT.org, Bible Study Tools Start Page, e-Sword, etc.
But wait — there’s more… The Google book collection also has many books (new, old, and ancient), so things are just getting interesting. See for instance this book called The Bible In Many Tongues, originally published in 1799.
What happens next? Stay tuned…