02
Methods
The Science Behind the Scripture
What is Forensic Linguistic Analysis?
Forensic Linguistic Analysis is based on a simple but powerful principle: people's words betray their thoughts.
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When someone is speaking truthfully, their language flows naturally. When they're uncertain, hiding something, or even just uncomfortable with their own narrative, their word choices change in detectable ways.
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Forensic Linguistic Analysts examine:
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Pronoun usage (I, we, he, they)
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Verb tense changes (past, present, future)
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Missing information (what's NOT said)
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Timeline consistency (does the story flow logically?)
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Emotional language (where does the narrator show stress or sensitivity?)
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Distancing techniques (how speakers separate themselves from uncomfortable truths)
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Psychological profiling, cultural context, and comparative analysis. It's the difference between reading what someone wrote and understanding why they wrote it that way.
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When we apply these techniques to Scripture, something remarkable happens: the text comes alive in ways you've never experienced.
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Why the Bible?
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Some might ask: "Why use forensic techniques on sacred texts?"
Our answer: Because truth isn't afraid of scrutiny.
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The biblical texts were written by real people, in real historical moments, with real emotions and real experiences.
They weren't writing in a theological vacuum, they were:
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Processing trauma (the crucifixion)
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Defending their experiences (the resurrection accounts)
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Managing community conflicts (Paul's letters)
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Preserving eyewitness testimony (the Gospels)
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Wrestling with doubt and faith (the Psalms)
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These authors left linguistic fingerprints all over their texts. By analysing their exact word choices, we can:
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Distinguish eyewitness accounts from hearsay
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Identify which Gospel writers were present at specific events
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Understand the psychological state of the apostles
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Detect when later editors added material
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Recognize when writers are reporting confidently vs. uncertainly
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See which stories made the authors uncomfortable—and why
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03
WHO IS THIS FOR?
YOU DON'T NEED TO BE...
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A theologian
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A linguist
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A biblical scholar
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Religious (or non-religious)​
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You Just Need to Be:
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Curious about ancient texts
Interested in human psychology
Fascinated by how language works
Open to seeing familiar stories with fresh eyes
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Someone may ask, "But why did they say it THAT way?"
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Our Approach
We Are:
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Objective - We follow the linguistic evidence wherever it leads
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Respectful - We honour the sacred nature of these texts for millions
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Scientific - We use proven analytical techniques
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Accessible - No jargon, no assumptions, clear explanations
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Thought-Provoking - We ask questions that might make you uncomfortable, in a good way
We Are Not:
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Trying to "prove" or "disprove" faith
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Pushing a theological agenda
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Claiming we have all the answers
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Dismissing traditional scholarship
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Being irreverent for shock value
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We believe the Bible is powerful enough to withstand and benefit from rigorous linguistic examination.
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Join the Conversation
Every blog post invites you to:
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Examine the evidence yourself - We show our work
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Question our conclusions - Healthy scepticism is welcome
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Share your insights - You might spot something we missed
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Apply these techniques - Learn to do your own analysis
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We'll be exploring:
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Individual verses that contain surprising linguistic patterns
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Comparative analysis (how do different Gospel writers describe the same event?)
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Character studies (what does linguistic analysis reveal about biblical figures?)
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Controversial passages (what happens when we remove interpretation and just analyse language?)
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Reader requests (suggest a passage you'd like us to examine)