Below we have compiled the questions our parish is most frequently asked about The Saint John’s Bible. If you don’t find your answer here, please contact Kate Kile, who is overseeing The Saint John’s Bible’s visit and other faith formation programs at St. John’s Episcopal Church.
At the onset of a new millennium, Saint John’s University (Collegeville, Minnesota) and the monks of Saint John’s Abbey sought to ignite the spiritual imagination of people throughout the world by commissioning a work of art that illuminates the world today. This was the first time in 500 years that a Benedictine Monastery had commissioned a handwritten, illuminated Bible. The goal of The Saint John’s Bible was to ignite the spiritual imagination of all peoples throughout the world by commissioning a work of art that illuminates the Word of God for a new millennium in a way that is relevant to the 21st century.
The Saint John’s Bible’s construction parallels that of its medieval predecessors, written on vellum, using quills, natural handmade inks, hand-ground pigments, and gold leaf while incorporating modern themes, images, and technology of the 21st century. It is a Bible for our time, combining ancient methods and materials with themes, images, and technology of the 21st century and beyond. The Saint John’s Bible represents humankind’s achievements over the past 500 years. It is a contemporary blending of religious imagery from various Eastern and Western traditions, as befits our modern understanding of the global village.
Saint John’s University (Collegeville, Minnesota) assembled a team of advisors, faculty, theologians, administrative staff, and artists who collaborated on this almost 15-year project. The University’s Committee on Illumination and Text (CIT) decided which passages of the Bible were to be illuminated and worked with Donald Jackson, artistic director, on the imagery used to depict these scripture passages, with an eye to interpreting them for our time.
In order to share The Saint John’s Bible with the world, Donald Jackson was asked to direct the creation of the Heritage Edition, the only full-scale, illuminated, fine art edition of the Bible. Limited to only 299 seven-volume sets, Mr. Jackson’s goal was to make the Heritage Edition “true to the artistic intent of the original.” These seven volumes contain the 73 books of the Old and New Testaments. Each has its own illuminations or special treatments and characteristics, and each volume is authenticated and initialed by Mr. Jackson.
This year, St. John’s Episcopal Church is hosting the Gospels and Acts volume of the Heritage Edition. Gospels and Acts was completed in May 2002. The volume is heavily illuminated with more than 25 illuminations including full-page frontispiece illuminations for each of the four gospels and several others throughout the 136 pages. Some of the prominent illuminations included in the first volume that have been filmed, displayed or written about are the Genealogy of Jesus, Birth of Christ, Raising of Lazarus, Crucifixion, Christ Our Light, Last Supper, Road to Emmaus and Pentecost.
St. John’s wants The Saint John’s Bible to be a dynamic experience for all who encounter it. We are lovingly displaying it in a special place on our campus and actively using it during our weekly worship services. In addition, we have developed guidelines for sharing The Saint John’s Bible with members of our community and organizations in the surrounding region. These guidelines will ensure those interacting with The Saint John’s Bible have the most personal and moving experience possible while also protecting its artistic integrity, valuable craftsmanship, and sacred nature.
St. John’s has placed a high priority on making The Saint John’s Bible available to everyone. There is no requirement that you be affiliated with a church to experience this work of art.
St. John’s Episcopal Church has a group of trained docents who are prepared to share The Saint John’s Bible with your organization. Their role is to provide context about the illuminations and amazing calligraphy in The Saint John’s Bible while ensuring its safety. To reserve a date to experience The Saint John’s Bible, please fill out the form on this page to “Request the Bible.”
There is no charge to experience The Saint John’s Bible. It is important to our parish that everyone in our community is able to spend time with the Bible and that there be no financial requirement. However, if an individual or an organization feels moved to give a gift to St. John’s Episcopal Church, we will happily accept a donation to help fund our parish mission and ministries. Please visit our “GIVE” page or use the “GIVE NOW” button at the top of our website.
The Saint John’s Bible is typically lent for a partial-day visit away from our parish. If a group or organization is holding an event where it would be helpful to spend more time with The Saint John’s Bible, we will be happy to discuss this with you on a case-by-case basis. Please contact Kate Kile, who oversees faith formation at St. John’s Episcopal Church.
