I used to have a blog. For a couple of years I updated it fairly often, writing on subjects such as academic biblical studies, teaching the Bible in the church, and the use of technology in scholarly communication. I am still consumed by these subjects in my daily life, both in my work and my free time. I still read blogs and appreciate the work that people put into their sites. My blog was not as consistent or long-running as those by the leaders in the space, and frankly not as good or effective.

At some point I realized that I was using Facebook and Twitter to communicate ideas that I might noramlly have blogged about. I let the blog stagnate and flounder for a while, and then I learned that it had been hacked and I couldn't trust the database anymore (despite my serious efforts to keep the server patched). I deleted the pages and forgot about it. I had a sense even then that the heyday of blogging was over, replaced by other, more dynamic means of social communication.

However, I have realized for a long time that the quality of biblical information available on the internet is very uneven. If one googles a term or question related to the Bible, there will be some good results, but those will be mixed with any number of ignorant or misleading pages. How can the average student or layperson know whom to trust? How to navigate the controversies and disagreements that seem to explode all over the internet? How to answer their own questions in a way that encourages further reading and reflection?

So, it has become clear to me that I should revive the site with a new purpose, to provide a systematic and trustworthy resource for biblical interpretation. Rather than the transient nature of a blog, in which good information floats across the first page and then disappears into the archive, I would like to have a site that is clearly organized and accessible. There is a place for timely discussion (what Squarespace lables a "journal"), but the basic structure of the site is not oriented around the calendar but around the biblical canon itself.

The purposes served by the old blog platform, such as addressing timely debates or news items, will continue to be channeled through Twitter and Facebook, and redirected here through social media plugins. The concept of author/reader interaction is still in flux on the web, and I hope to adjust my approach as necessary. The core of the site will be stable: trustworthy and well-written explanations of the Bible and the issues that arise when people try to read it.

Thanks for your patience, and for checking in. You can follow me on Twitter @bbibb for updates.

Bryan