Hopefully you’re already familiar with the Saint John’s Bible, a collaborative project commissioned by the monks of Saint John’s Abbey here in Collegeville. Last week, Gregory Wolfe, founder of Image and director of the MFA in Creative Writing at Seattle Pacific University shared a compelling report, which might be of interest.
Wolfe gives a brief synopsis of the process undertaken by the Abbey and the Bible’s artistic director, Donald Jackson, scribe to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, who had a vision and dream to create the first hand-lettered and illuminated Bible in generations.
The Benedictines embraced Jackson’s vision. The completed Saint John’s Bible consists of seven oversized volumes in which nineteenth-century Chinese ink, along with gold and platinum leaf, have been applied to vellum. From Genesis to Revelation there are 160 painted illuminations as well as dozens of key texts that have been visually enhanced.
The monks knew that the project couldn’t end there—otherwise, they would have been accused of merely reverting to the medieval model—trapping a sumptuous Bible behind monastic walls. So a hardcover trade edition quickly followed.
What happened next, however, has made all the difference. The decision was made to produce something called the Heritage Edition, a fine art version that mimics the original in almost every way, including size—two feet by three feet—and embossed gold and silver foil.
Wolfe recently was part of a group presentation exploring the Gospel and Acts volume of the Saint John’s Bible. He related the group’s reaction to the work, and his own.
What I felt at that moment was that the scripture was profoundly other—beyond my control—but also intensely present—and I immediately noted how it bound everyone in the room together. I’ll continue to read the Bible on my iPad, but I’m grateful for a reminder that a book can be both a physical and a spiritual thing.
You can read Wolfe’s entire post at Patheos, “The Saint John’s Bible: Back to the Future.”
If you’re looking for your own way to interact with the Saint John’s Bible, the best way might be to visit a university or other nearby institution that has acquired a Heritage Edition. There are many such options, all of which are listed below.
Arizona State University | Tuscon, AZ
Assumption College | Worchester, MA
Austin Public Library | Austin, MN
Australian Catholic University | Sydney, Australia
Azusa Pacific University | Azusa, CA
Brigham Young University | Provo, UT
Carson-Newman University | Jefferson City, TN
Chaminade University | Honolulu, HI
Clarke University | Dubuque, IA
College of Saint Mary | Omaha, NE
Diepenbrock-Santa Clara University | Santa Clara, CA
Diocese of Venice | Venice, FL
Fairfield University | Fairfield, CT
Franciscan Renewal Center | Phoenix, AZ
Gonzaga University | Spokane, WA
Gustavus Adolphus College | St. Peter, MN
Hill Museum & Manuscript Library | Collegeville, MN
John Carroll University | Cleveland, OH
Kansas State University | Manhattan, KS
La Roche College | Pittsburgh, PA
Loyola University of Maryland | Baltimore, MD
Loyola Chicago | Chicago, IL
Loyola Marymount University | Los Angeles, CA
Marquette University | Milwaukee, WI
Mayo Clinic | Rochester, MN
Morgan Library (Apostles Edition) | New York, NY
Mount St. Benedict Monastery | Crookston, MN
Mount St. Mary Seminary | Emmitsburg, MD
Naples Museum of Art | Naples, FL
New South Wales Library | Sydney, Australia
Oakland Cathedral | Oakland, CA
Pepperdine University | Malibu, CA
Regis College | Toronto, ON, Canada
Regis University | Denver, CO
Sacred Heart Hospital & Mayo Clinic Health Systems | Eau Claire, WI
Saint Agnes Medical Center | Fresno, CA
Saint John’s Episcopal Cathedral | Albuquerque, NM
Saint Joseph University | Philadelphia, PA
Saint Martin’s University | Lacey, WA
Saint Mary’s College of Notre Dame | Notre Dame, IN
Saint Peter’s College | Jersey City, NJ
Samford University | Birmingham, AL
St. Hubert/Holy Family | Chanhassen, MN
St. Martin-in-the-Fields | London, England
St. Bartholomew Church | Wayzata, MN
St. Catherine University | St. Paul, MN
St. Mary’s University of Texas | San Antonio, TX
St. Mary’s University College | Calgary, AB, Canada
University of St. Thomas | St. Paul, MN
University of Dayton | Dayton, OH
University of Mary | Bismarck, ND
University of Michigan | Ann Arbor, MI
University of Minnesota | Minneapolis, MN
University of Portland | Portland, OR
University of Victoria | Victoria, BC, Canada
Vassar College | Poughkeepsie, NY
Vatican Library | Vatican City
Vatican Museum of Art | Vatican City
Visitation High School | Mendota Heights, MN
Wayzata Community Church | Wayzata, MN
Yale University | New Haven, CT
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