Tech Forum

I'm wondering if the Church maintains an XML file of the scriptures that could be used for third party scripture applications. I am wondering this because I am considering writing a program for the new Android mobile phone operating system.

I know there are some LDS scripture applications for other mobile phone systems. How do developers get that data? Do they organize it themselves, or connect to an online database? Does the church have some kind of standard place to get that information? It would be really helpful if it had some resources in this area.

mgattuso wrote:http://scriptures.nephi.org/

That project is certainly not Church-sponsored. I hope they have checked with the Church that what they are doing is legal and approved.

As for getting content or an API from the Church, there was an interesting discussion on the topic in the following thread:

http://tech.lds.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1865

It's kind of a long thread, but I think it's right up the alley with your question. Be sure to read all the way from the beginning.

I could be wrong, but I believe that the Mormon Documentation Project linked previously uses the editions of the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price that have entered the Public Domain. That means they probably lack any of the minor corrections that were made in the current edition of the scriptures and the Gospel Study helps and footnotes that were added.

However, because these editions are in the public domain, I do not believe they need any form of approval from the church to format them as XML, MySQL, Posgresql, MS Access, or any other format that they offer.

jmaxwilson wrote:I could be wrong, but I believe that the Mormon Documentation Project linked previously uses the editions of the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price that have entered the Public Domain. That means they probably lack any of the minor corrections that were made in the current edition of the scriptures and the Gospel Study helps and footnotes that were added.

However, because these editions are in the public domain, I do not believe they need any form of approval from the church to format them as XML, MySQL, Posgresql, MS Access, or any other format that they offer.

I guess I didn't stop to think about the legality of the Mormon Documentation Project (http://scriptures.nephi.org/). I know that the free scriptures app for the IPhone acknowledges them so I would speculate that this is the source for their app.

In that case I second the OP in wondering where developers get the current scripture set from?

mgattuso wrote:In that case I second the OP in wondering where developers get the current scripture set from?

Again, I point you to the following thread:

http://tech.lds.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1865

It has a conversation with a Church employee about the potential issues of releasing content or an API that would do this sort of thing. The Church hopes to do something to help third-party developers enhance scripture searching, marking, and referencing, but there are certainly issues that have to be addressed in order to make something like that work.

The only legal place to get the scriptures is from the public domain or from obtaining a license from the Church. The BOM that is available in the public domain was released in 1925 or so. It is quite old. It has none of the cross references, etc. I do not believe that there is a public domain D&C or Perl of Great Price. Also, the Church's versions of the OT and NT with cross references, bible dictionary, and topical guide are not in the public domain either.

We are working with the Scriptures Committee and the Church's legal department to approve a "Scriptures API" which would allow developers under certain rules and conditions to have access to the approved scriptures.

Tom

You may want to look at the approach that MMSWeb has taken.

(Standard disclaimer - the commercial product mentioned does not constitute an endorsement. Please consult a copyright expert before emulating the example.)

WelchTC wrote:The only legal place to get the scriptures is from the public domain or from obtaining a license from the Church. The BOM that is available in the public domain was released in 1925 or so. It is quite old. It has none of the cross references, etc. I do not believe that there is a public domain D&C or Perl of Great Price. Also, the Church's versions of the OT and NT with cross references, bible dictionary, and topical guide are not in the public domain either.

We are working with the Scriptures Committee and the Church's legal department to approve a "Scriptures API" which would allow developers under certain rules and conditions to have access to the approved scriptures.

Tom

What requirements are there for getting obtaining a license from the Church? I submitted a license request and was turned down without explanation.

WelchTC wrote: We are working with the Scriptures Committee and the Church's legal department to approve a "Scriptures API" which would allow developers under certain rules and conditions to have access to the approved scriptures.

Tom

@WelchTC: Did anything ever get approved related to a Scriptures API?