If you’ve ever wanted to get to know your favorite Bible characters on a personal level, there’s now an app for that.
“Text With Jesus” uses artificial intelligence to allow users to “text” more than 30 Bible characters, including Mary, Joseph, nine of the apostles, Old Testament prophets, and, of course, the Big Man himself.
Catloaf Software created the app to offer believers a “new and engaging way to interact with Scripture.”
“The ability to ask questions and receive answers from a facsimile of Biblical figures adds a personal touch and contextual understanding that may elude casual readers,” said Stéphane Peter, the president and CEO of Catloaf Software. “The AI’s robust conversational skills and contextual memory enable dynamic, meaningful interactions.”
Peter shared she was inspired by the innovative ways AI technology has changed society in other areas. Her hope was to create an app that would make the Bible more accessible and interactive.
“Recognizing the growing prevalence and potential of AI, I saw an opportunity to expand on the Texts From Jesus app concept by creating a more interactive and engaging experience,” she said. “Thus, the Text With Jesus app was born, designed to appeal to our existing users and any other Christians intrigued by a novel approach to exploring the Bible.”
Peter shared the app pulls from a wide range of Christian literature, including multiple versions of the Bible. This ensures the responses stay within the boundaries of Christian belief. Users can also customize their experience by requesting guidance from a specific faith perspective, such as Catholic or evangelical.
“This principle is at the heart of the language model instructions for each Biblical figure within the app,” Peter said. “The AI’s default ‘guideline’ is to respond to user inquiries using Bible quotes, keeping conversations rooted in Biblical context regardless of the topic.”
However, Peter recognizes that many Christians may feel (at best) uncomfortable with the idea of texting an AI-powered Bible app.
“I understand that the concept of an AI Jesus may be disconcerting or even appear blasphemous to some,” Peter said. “However, ‘Text With Jesus’ is not intended to replace or substitute personal faith or prayer. It is simply a tool to assist users in exploring theological questions in a more interactive and hopefully enjoyable way.”
The app, which comes with a free version and a paid version, is available in English, Spanish, French and Portuguese.
