Glorify App

Glorify cofounders Henry Costa, 34, left, and Ed Beccle, 22

TOM JACKSON FOR THE TIMES MAGAZINE

Ben Machell in The Times Magazine explores the creation and use of a Christin spirituality app called Glorify that has a Silicon Valley valuation of $234 million and celebrity endorsements such as the Kardashians, James Corden, Michael Bublé, and the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby. The app is described as "a bit like Headspace, only for Christians. Download it, create an account, and each time you open it on your phone, you can listen to bite-sized Bible passages. Or guided meditation sessions inspired by hymns."

There is any number of Christian spirituality apps available on the market today. Still, this app seems unique because it is the first to garner major investments from venture capital. Ed Become, and Henry Costa, the app's creators, saw that apps that were currently on the market were either poorly designed or denomination specific - both factors that eschewed large-scale adoption.

The article frames the app's creation in altruistic terms, saying that the creators seek to offer something "real and important" in a world of "superficial connection." "'It's about being able to connect with God, and to improve that connection on a daily basis.'" With a $234 million valuation and a cadre of celebrities signing on, it seems that there is more to the mission of Glorify than deepening one's connection to the divine.