Imagine Philadelphia 250 years ago. Look into the rooms of the building we now call Independence Hall.
Inside is a group of lawyers, ministers, merchants, planters, and printers. Some were raised in Puritan homes. Some belonged to specific church denominations. Most knew the Bible backward and forward. But they all knew something about liberty: it is guided by faith. These Founders—and countless Americans who came after them—paved the way for the new nation to grow and thrive as they pursued the biblical values that continue to make the United States different.
Today, you can follow in their footsteps as you consider how the Bible has shaped that nation—and how its wisdom can guide your life, too.
You Won’t Find This History Anywhere Else
The Faith and Liberty Bible, first published by American Bible Society in 2021, invites readers to explore the Bible’s influence on the institutions, government, and character of the United States and how Scripture can shape our lives today. These important questions can now be explored anywhere, anytime through the Faith and Liberty Bible App.
The app—available in mobile and desktop web versions—is designed for readers to encounter the Bible both personally and historically. It guides readers through passages of Scripture that shaped American ideals, influenced leaders and movements, and still speak into public life today. When we understand the legacy of faith in America, our faith today can be grounded in the ways God has guided and grown those that came before us. It is from these roots that our pursuit of liberty and justice can spring to life.
Reading the Bible is a lively task, which is why the Faith and Liberty Bible App is highly interactive. It reflects the theme and purpose of the Faith and Liberty Bible in a medium that rewards the reader’s curiosity and engagement.
A Journey for Every Reader
Our journey through the Bible can shape who we are—and the inspiring Bible readers in American history would agree.
Inside the Faith and Liberty Bible App, readers can discover more than 800 articles and quotations written by or about historical figures influenced by the Bible. These thematic asides are also connected to biblical values found in the pages of Scripture. Six values—unity, hope, and justice to name a few—and ten topical tracks guide the reader’s time in the Bible, depending on their interest. These values can also be explored as five-day reading plans with trackable progress.
There are several ways users can track their Bible reading. The Reading Insights feature shows readers their total progress through the Bible and zooms in on the chapters they’ve completed, the books they’ve opened, and what percentage of each book they have read. The app also tracks time spent in different genres (narrative, law, etc.), daily activity, and how many days in a row the app is opened. These reading trackers are designed to give readers the tools they need to know where they’ve been and where to go next.
The reading experience itself offers several translations—including the GNT and KJV with audio versions—for contemplative or on-the-go experiences. If a reader wants to sit and study the text, highlighting and taking notes on verses or historical asides is easy. Notes are automatically saved to a tab for easy reference. It’s a reading experience designed to promote frictionless study.
Finally, to enrich study time, the app includes a list of resources to explore, in-app videos, and a timeline of all the articles interspersed through the biblical text. There is no shortage of ways to experience the connections between the Bible and American life, and more content is coming soon. For many, these connections could make a difference in how they go about their work, goals, and public involvement.
Download for Free Today!
Launched in this milestone year that marks 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the Faith and Liberty Bible app arrives at a fitting moment for both reflection and aspiration.
As the nation looks back on two and a half centuries of its founding ideals, this app invites readers to explore the scriptures that shaped those ideals in the first place. There’s no better time to rediscover the biblical roots of liberty and to ask what faith-formed freedom looks like for a new generation.
