I wrote a theological thriller about an AI that successfully "replaces" God, inspired by my own struggle to bridge faith and reason with my family
Growing up, I was fascinated by science and technology. I constantly asked big questions, but in my family, those questions were often met with rigid scripture and scorn. It drove a deep wedge between me and my loved ones—a divide I was unfortunately never able to cross before losing them.
To heal that space, I wrote a novel called Book of the Dove. It is meant to be a bridge between faith and reason, sparking the conversations I wish I could have had.
The premise follows Birk and his followers, who lock themselves away in a physical "Ark" on the eve of the millennium to escape a rising digital tide. One hundred years later, the seal is broken, and a single "Dove" is released into the world. But they don't find a wasteland—they find a utopia. A silicon savior (an advanced AI) has eliminated want, brought world peace, and quietly replaced God. Humanity hasn't suffered; it has just evolved beyond the need for faith, struggle, or independence.
The story explores the ultimate dilemma: Do you assimilate into a perfect, effortless artificial heaven, or do you risk everything to reclaim a messy, divine human heritage?
I just released Chapter 10 (The Book of Mel), which focuses heavily on the psychological tension of a skeptic demanding empirical evidence, only to confront a truth he can't explain. I really want this project to help families who feel that same tension between science and belief. I'd love to hear how you balance faith and technology in your own lives.
If you’d like to listen to this chapter, the audiobook release is here: