This is the reference implementation/demo of the sqlite file compiled from our Commentaries-Database, served up with a user-interface at https://historicalchristian.faith/

It also contains a frontend interface to our Writings-Database.

Any changes made in master branch on this repo will reflect on the website within a couple minutes.

Build/Deploy Process

1. Compile a SQL file from the Commentaries-Database.
2. Move the resulting data.sqlite file to the data/ directory here.
3. Run data/kjv_sqlite.py to populate the data.sqlite with the King James Bible so that the relevant Bible verses for a user's query will show (KJB chosen because in the public domain)
4. Now serve the files via a PHP webserver, and it should just work.

Alternatives

• https://catenabible.com

  • The most polished app, and a wonderful bible companion!
  • It's a closed database, which contains data from a wide variety of sources (not just the ANF/NPNF series)
  • Negatives:
    • It identifies the person behind a quote, but not the work in which the quote appears.
    • Its commentaries are tied only to individual verses (and not passages that span multiple verses)
    • Its commentaries from the ANF/NPNF often are lacking context / are cut off.

• https://www.earlychristianwritings.com/e-catena/

  • A wonderful quick reference
  • Only includes citations from the ANF/NPNF
  • But does identify the work in which a quote appears, AND provides a link directly to that work!

• https://www.catholiccrossreference.online/fathers/

  • Similar to earlychristianwritings.com/e-catena
  • Uses citations from the ANF/NPNF
  • Identifies the work in which a quote appears, AND provides a link directly to that work!

• https://www.biblindex.org/

  • The most... scholarly?
  • Laborious to use
  • Requires a bigger brain than I have.

• Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture

  • Contains commentaries from a wide variety of sources, many of which appear to be custom translated just for this product!
  • Identifies the work in which a quote appears, and often provides good historical background!
  • The commentaries shown are not exhaustive, but are curated... usually with just a couple chosen per verse.
  • Costs enough to empty your wallet.