Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
About the Bible
About the Prints
About the Bible
Why has Saint John’s University commissioned a handwritten Bible? What is the significance of a handwritten Bible?
At the onset of a new millennium, Saint John’s University and the monks of Saint John’s Abbey are igniting the spiritual imagination of people throughout the world by commissioning a work of art that illuminates the world today. This is the first time in 500 years that a Benedictine Monastery has commissioned a handwritten, illuminated Bible. Its 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.
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What is the history of handwritten Scriptures? Are they still created today?
As far as we know, the last complete handwritten, illuminated Bible was commissioned shortly after the invention of the printing press at the end of the 15th century. Although Judaism continues the practice of the handwritten Torah, and Islam does so with the Qu’ran, Western Christianity has virtually discontinued the practice of handwritten Bibles since the invention of the printing press. It should be noted that Buddhism and Hinduism also have a calligraphic tradition.
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What makes The Saint John’s Bible unique?
The unique aspect of this Bible is that it will be a Bible for our time. It will be a combination of ancient methods and materials with themes, images and technology of the 21st century and beyond. The Saint John’s Bible will represent mankind’s achievements over the past 500 years. It will be a contemporary blending of religious imagery from various Eastern and Western traditions, as befits our modern understanding of the global village. This Bible reflects Saint John’s commitment to Scripture and to the Book Arts, as well as to spiritual, artistic, educational and scholarly programming.
When people see the Bible they are immediately impressed by the sheer physicality of The Saint John’s Bible. Most have never seen a book this large. Most have never seen such an endless stream of elegant script. Most have seen neither gold-leaf nor pages of vellum to which it is applied. Too many are accustomed to Bibles that feature cramped type on onion-skin paper, and so they never anticipate the spacious pages and the carefully-planned arrangement of text that invites one to linger over phrases, words and even letters. This Bible literally presents the Word of God as something special.
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Why Saint John’s Abbey and University?
For fifteen hundred years, Benedictine monasteries have acted as producers and protectors of books. In keeping with that heritage, Saint John’s has become an international center of the Book Arts. Saint John’s has well established programs celebrating the history of the book, including the Hill Museum & Manuscript Library (HMML), Arca Artium, and the Rare Books Collection. Scholars from all over the world conduct research using the resources at Saint John’s. Its partner in education, The College of Saint Benedict, has its own Books Arts Program, in which it works closely with Graywolf Publishing. The Saint John’s Bible continues that tradition. The process of creating the Bible incorporates ancient art forms with modern techniques in a joint celebration of the traditional arts of bookmaking and modern science and sensibility.
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What role does Saint John’s play in the creation of the Bible project?
Saint John’s is not only the patron of the Bible, but has played a vital role in assembling the team of advisors, faculty, theologians, administrative staff, and artists that are collaborating on this project. Saint John’s Committee on Illumination and Text (CIT) decides which passages of the Bible will be illuminated and work with Donald Jackson, calligraphic artist, on the imagery used to depict these scripture passages, with an eye to interpreting them for our time.
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What is the goal of The Saint John’s Bible? Who do you intend to reach, and what message are you trying to convey?
The goal of The Saint John’s Bible is 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. It is a prophetic witness to the Word of God in our day and beyond, an opportunity for learning and scholarship and a dignified expression of the Benedictine vision: "That in all things God may be glorified.”
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Why did Saint John’s University choose Donald Jackson as the calligraphic artist for The Saint John’s Bible? Why wasn’t an American artist chosen for the Project?
During an interview with Barbara Walters on The Today Show in 1970, Donald Jackson expressed his life's dream. When asked about his ultimate ambition, he indicated that one day he would like to write the Bible. Later he described it this way: "The Bible is the calligraphic artist's supreme challenge (our Sistine Chapel), a daunting task." Donald Jackson is considered one of the world’s foremost Western calligraphers and has trained and encouraged many of America’s top calligraphers. He has a long and illustrative relationship with Saint John’s. For more than two decades, he has led seminars and workshops hosted by Saint John’s for the internationally recognized Calligraphy Connection. A Member of the Victorian Order, he is scribe to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth’s Crown Office at the House of Lords. His education included six years of specialization in Calligraphy, Lettering and Bookbinding. Mr. Jackson brings a global perspective to The Saint John’s Bible.
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Where is Donald Jackson’s scriptorium located? Does he work alone or in collaboration with other calligraphers?
Donald Jackson’s scriptorium is located in Wales where he spends most of his time working on The Saint John’s Bible. He leads a team of calligraphers writing and illuminating the Bible. The team is made up of skilled scribes, some who work at the scriptorium and others who take pages of vellum back to their own studios. Mr. Jackson comes to Saint John’s on a regular basis. There he consults with the Committee on Illumination and Text, meets with friends of the project and spends time on the Saint John’s campus.
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Why have you chosen to use the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible?
The translation of the Bible known as the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) was chosen for The Saint John’s Bible for a number of reasons. Its predecessor, the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, had the distinction of being officially authorized for use by all major Christian churches: Protestant, Anglican, Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox. Also, NRSV is a modern English translation with a strong literal tradition. It employs gender-inclusive language for references to men and women, usually done in a non-obtrusive manner.
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When will the Bible be completed? What will be its dimensions?
Gospels and Acts, Psalms, Pentateuch, Prophets, and Wisdom Books are completed. Historical Books, and Letters and Revelation are in process. The final completion is scheduled for 2009. The Bible in seven volumes will be large for liturgical and exhibition purposes (15 3/4" wide by 23 1/2” tall when closed).
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What are the plans for the Bible? How will it be used?
The Saint John’s Bible will be used by Saint John’s Abbey and University for liturgical purposes, as the book from which Scripture will be proclaimed during important Masses and other celebrations. In addition, the Bible will be a source for religious, artistic, educational and scholarly programming and exhibitions. The making of the Bible will be documented, using the latest in technology, for closer study of art, creativity, and the spiritual life, including a better understanding of new traditions in bookmaking and calligraphy. Saint John’s will be the home of The Saint John’s Bible.
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What other religious traditions have played a role in the formation of The Saint John’s Bible?
Episcopalian, Protestant and Jewish advisors have helped to form the vision of The Saint John’s Bible, serving as consultants and as members of committees dedicated to assisting Donald Jackson in the creation of The Saint John’s Bible.
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How much will it cost to produce The Saint John’s Bible?
The total estimated budget for The Saint John’s Bible is more than four million dollars over a ten-year period. That cost includes all of the talent and materials needed to produce the Bible itself, and also support for the entire related spiritual, artistic, educational and scholarly programming that is part of The Saint John’s Bible.
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Does the impact of this project justify the tremendous amount of time, energy and money that could potentially be spent in other beneficial ways?
The Saint John’s Bible is funded completely through private donations from individuals, groups, and corporations. It is not financed with University money. In addition, this project exemplifies Saint John’s commitment to Scripture and the Book Arts as well as spiritual, artistic, educational and scholarly programming. Through its spirit and its art and through the programs it inspires, The Saint John’s Bible has the potential to have a lasting impact upon the University and Abbey, upon their broader community and, indeed, upon the entire world.
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Could this be considered an antiquated exercise that does not address the needs of Christians today?
In true Benedictine fashion, The Saint John’s Bible honors tradition while keeping abreast of the present and keeping an eye on the future. Using ancient techniques and modern sensibilities and technologies, the art of The Saint John’s Bible offers a scriptural understanding of modern themes. This combination offers Saint John’s an opportunity for a lasting legacy. As Eric Hollas OSB, a monk of Saint John’s Abbey and Senior Associate for Arts and Cultural Affairs at Saint John’s University said when asked about the significance of The Saint John’s Bible: “It’s the one thing we’ll probably be remembered for 500 years from now. The buildings will go. Most of the buildings that all of us see today are going to be gone 500 years from now. And oddly enough, this one piece of human artistic achievement, [this Saint John’s Bible] will probably still be here . . .”
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What effect can one handwritten Bible have? Why haven’t you chosen to do something more contemporary, such as publishing this Bible on the World Wide Web?
Saint John’s is inspiring people of all cultures and creeds with the spirit and beauty of this historic undertaking. We plan to reach an even larger audience through exhibition tours of the Bible to museums and libraries worldwide. One of the strengths of this project is its connection to the past and to the future. Contemporary aspects include its reflections of science, technology and space; its multicultural and interreligious imagery; and its depiction of women. Advanced technologies have also been used to create a digital template of the Bible.
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How can I support this project?
As the project continues to reach out to the community at large, we invite you to participate in The Saint John’s Bible by sponsoring a part of the Bible and attending an exhibition or event. All benefactors will receive The Saint John’s Bible newsletter along with announcements and invitations to various events and activities associated with the project. Visit www.saintjohnsbible.org for more information.
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About the Prints
How are the fine art prints created?
All of our prints are generated from extremely high resolution image files, not the images you see on the Internet.
To ensure longevity, we use archival based pigmented inks which are fade and rub resistant. The inks are guaranteed to last well over 100 years.
Our prints are first generation reproductions of the original art. Gold and silver leaf gilding is reproduced as faithfully as possible using current imaging technologies.
Our paper is a Hahnemuhle stock, which is considered one of the finest art papers in the world.
Our 15" X 22" Bible pages are at 90% of the original size. Our 18" X 26" Bible pages are at 110% of the original size.
We use a durable heavy weight paper that is suitable for framing.
The prints will be shipped individually via UPS ground directly to the address you requested.
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What is a giclée print?
Giclée (pronounced ZHEE-clay) is the French term for “fine spray.” Precise computer calculations control the process of producing over 500 shades of dense, water-based ink. Great care is taken to prepare and capture each image. Through imaging and print technology, we are able to deliver truly breathtaking output with beautifully smooth and dot-free tones. The final product is a lush, vibrant, and velvety-looking art print; one that has the feel of a watercolor, and the clarity of an original painting.
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What is an offset print?
Offset printing requires that the image and/or text be burned onto a metal plate that is placed around a cylinder. The sections of the metal plate that do not contain text or images are coated with a substance to prevent ink from being attracted to these portions. Large sections of paper are then moved through a series of rollers including the roller with the metal plate coated with ink producing the final print. Our prints are available on an 80# paper stock.
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