Jesus loves web 2.0 (eBible update)

Update: 30th July 2006

Still got lots of invites, if you do want one please leave your email address in the comment. then I can send it to you. Cheers.

Now back to the original post...

I mentioned eBible a few weeks back, it was squeezed into a few posts about useful things and didn't get the full attention it deserves, not a good way to treat such a great application. Since then it's got bigger, and had some great new features added. So the current 10 day of eBible game that they're playing on the blog makes the perfect opportunity to do it justice (and hopefully win one of those snazzy tees too).

So, I've already said how it lets me read more than one translation in parallel (great for working out what was really being said) and features some heavy weight bible commentaries and dictionaries (useful for getting into meaty study), which I can search directly through the "answers" tab.

Another great feature is the tagging/bookmarklet system it holds in common with sites like del.icio.us and flickr. I can bookmark and tag verses, see all my tags a s a cloud, and search or browse the site using everyone's tags. This is more than just a superficial adoption of web2.0logy. By basing browsing on people's tags I can very quickly see what the text as a whole has to say on any topic. This allows me to get an idea of the big picture, rather than just get stuck on one or two verses.

One of the best things about the site is that the great functions don't come at the expense of good design. eBible looks the part, a simple, attractive, web2.0 application. This will hopefully help it gain respect in the wider internet community. Here's a pic of the front page



Nice eh?

I do have a couple of gripes, I don't like adverts - even when they are themed and discreet like here. But I guess that is just the way things are, and how the developers can afford to make sign up free. More serious, I think, is the inability to link directly to verses from blogs etc. This is because the site is sign up only - so any new user is directed straight to the pass page. To be fair, this isn't the worst looking page ever, but still gives the feeling of exclusivity and means that for now, though I use ebible for search and study, I will have to stick with Bible Gateway if I want to put a link from here. It would be great if part of the site could be completely open, perhaps just one translation or something.

Even with such gripes I think eBible is fantastic! It's not only a great tool for those who want to take bible study seriously but also an excellent example of how the Christian narratives can be contextualised for mission in the new media world.

I have 15 invitations for anyone who wants to give eBible a go.
Leave a comment here and one is yours.
Related Tags: eBible, Bible, Search, Web 2.0