By Movieguide® Staff
The American Bible Society recently distributed a number of grants to encourage tech and entertainment innovation that will push young people to engage with scripture.
“Our younger generations have a deep desire for authenticity, belonging, and purpose, and are discovering the Bible as an unshakable foundation for a pathway to flourishing,” ABS President and CEO Jennifer Holloran said in a statement. “We believe this investment will uncover innovative and replicable ways to connect a generation searching for hope and meaning with the answers waiting for them in the life-changing Word of God.”
The first-time grants were issued to four Christian higher education institutions in the hopes that they will push young people to think creatively about new and exciting ways to get their peers interested in scripture.
One of the grants, given to Los Angeles Pacific University, funds research into the effects of a “Bible Engagement Assistant” that builds on an AI assistant already used by students at the school.
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“It’s to just increase that frequency interacting with biblical text, prompting them with really good questions to reflect on Scripture and how it influences their life,” Belén McDaniel, grant manager at the university, explained.
This isn’t the first time research has been mounted into Christian AI tools. Gloo, a Christian AI platform, promises users “AI you can trust for life’s biggest questions” and a chatbot that “guides you to real answers and next steps for a life that matters.”
“Our contention is that in every other station of culture, wherever we look in the world, technology is being used,” Brad Hill, Gloo’s chief solutions officer, told Christianity Today. “And our strong belief is that the church — and those in ministry and, as we would say, the faith and flourishing ecosystem — needs to be equipped with the very same tools for good. It’s important.”
Another grant was given to three faculty members at MidAmerica Nazarene University in Olathe, Kansas, for their proposed TV show, BEYOND THE BIBLE.
“Overall readership of the Bible has gone down, but at the same time, knowledge about biblical concepts has actually gone up through shows like THE CHOSEN being one of the most popular shows on the planet,” said Aaron Bohn, a filmmaker and associate professor of digital communication at the school.
The grant will cover the first three episodes of BEYOND THE BIBLE, which will be available to watch on YouTube.
ABS’ grants are a wonderful step in the right direction as many Christians wonder how AI technology and other entertainment tools can find a place in their faith.
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