I asked ChatGPT, “What is it that makes the Photo Companion to the Bible so great?”
I think its answer is quite good (formatting and links added):
“The Photo Companion to the Bible is a collection of high-quality photographs and images that provide context and enhance understanding of the biblical narrative. Here are some reasons why it is considered great:
1. Visual learning: The human brain processes visual information faster and retains it better than text-based information. The Photo Companion to the Bible provides a wealth of visual information that helps readers to better understand the Bible.
2. Historical and cultural context: The images in the Photo Companion to the Bible provide a window into the historical and cultural context of the Bible. This helps readers to understand the cultural and historical background of the Bible and its relevance to our lives today.
3. Geographical context: The images in the Photo Companion to the Bible also provide a geographical context. The land of Israel is an integral part of the Bible, and the images help readers to visualize the places mentioned in the Bible.
4. Comprehensive coverage: The Photo Companion to the Bible covers the entire Bible, from Genesis to Revelation. This comprehensive coverage makes it a valuable resource for anyone studying the Bible.
5. User-friendly: The Photo Companion to the Bible is designed to be user-friendly. The images are organized by book, chapter, and verse, making it easy to find the images you need. The images are also accompanied by explanatory text, which helps readers to understand the significance of each image.”
Back to me. Point #4 is not true. We have completed the entire New Testament, but the Old Testament is a long ways from being finished.
Point #3 is correct except that it fails to recognize that the Photo Companion is much broader than the land of Israel. Our Esther volume largely comes from Persia, and much in Acts, the Epistles, and Revelation is drawn from Asia Minor, Greece, and Italy.
Point #1 is not really well-articulated on the BiblePlaces.com website. That is where the AI is drawing on its broad understanding of the value of images in learning and comprehension. I think I’ll steal this to use elsewhere.
Points #2 and 5 are more obvious (to me) and hopefully explained well on the website. I also like the sequence of the five points, beginning with the more general and concluding with the more practical.
That’s my first experiment with a leading question of an AI. The summation in the introductory sentence really nails the value of the Photo Companion – it does indeed “provide context and enhance understanding of the biblical narrative.”
