In 2016, Set 111 of The Saint John’s Bible Heritage Edition (SJB) became a permanent addition to Berea College’s extensive collection of Bibles and religious texts housed in Hutchins Library Special Collections & Archives. One SJB volume is always on display in the Library lobby and may be viewed when the Library is open. Other SJB volumes may be viewed in the Special Collections and Archives reading room by appointment.
Starting on August 23, 2021, individuals and groups may sign up for weekly showings of multiple volumes by contacting The Berea College Trace.
To view St. John's Bible volumes online, follow the links listed below.
The Saint John's Bible (Volume 1 - 7) by Call Number: Reference 220.5204 B582s Vol. 1 - 7Publication Date: 2006Weaving together word and image, world-renowned calligrapher Jackson and an international team of illustrators celebrate the message of the Old Testament prophets in hand-ground pigments, gold leaf, and elegant script. A stunning reproduction of the first illuminated Bible commissioned since the invention of the printing press.
The Illuminator and a Bible for the 21st Century (DVD) by Call Number: DVD 220.5204 I298 2005Publication Date: 2005The longtime scribe to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth’s Crown office used age-old calligraphic techniques to create a modern manuscript: egg yolks, gold, silver, and platinum in the illuminations; goose quills and hand-ground ink on carefully selected calf-skin vellum for the text. Experience for yourself the story of the most extensive scribal commission in the world since the end of the Middle Ages, a story that has not happened for a long time and probably will never happen again.
Illuminating the Word: the making of the Saint John's Bible by Call Number: 220.5204 C146i 2015Publication Date: 2015In this companion volume to The Saint John's Bible, Christopher Calderhead takes us on a behind-the-scenes tour of this extraordinary project. Based on hundreds of hours of interviews, this book tells the story of the makers of the Bible and the community at Saint John's Abbey and University. The day-to-day struggles of such a monumental undertaking included challenges such as the selection and preparation of more than 250 calf skins, as well as forming a team of calligraphers accustomed to working independently and communicating the concerns of the advisory council in Minnesota with the artists in Wales. It chronicles the artistic techniques, the tools and materials and the workshop practices Donald Jackson used to create his lifetime masterpiece. Illuminating the Word reveals the working process behind one of the greatest undertakings of our time and vividly brings to life its challenges and triumphs.
The Art of the Saint John's Bible: the complete reader's guide by Call Number: Reference 745.674 S617ar 2013Publication Date: 2013From the time that pages of The Saint John's Bible began touring in major exhibitions nearly a decade ago, people have been moved, captivated, and inspired by this stunning work of modern sacred art. But they often have questions about the illuminations that are scattered throughout the Bible, especially as they first become familiar with it. Why was a certain Scripture passage chosen for illumination rather than another? What materials and source imagery are behind the illuminations? The Art of The Saint John's Bible provides answers to these important questions and many others. Initially published in a series of three volumes, each book has now been revised by the author and included together in this helpful single volume. Since The Saint John's Bible is now complete, Susan Sink makes connections between recurring images and motifs throughout the work and reflects on the images with a view to the whole.
The Art of the Saint John's Bible: A reader's guide to Pentateuch, Psalms, Gospels, and Acts by Call Number: 745.674 S617a v.1Publication Date: 2007The Saint John's Bible provides an opportunity for people to experience the Scriptures in a new - but at the same time ancient - way. Here are illuminations that bring the words of the Bible alive for the contemporary world. Some of the world's top calligraphers, working in a tradition al but replaced by the printing press centuries ago, invite us into a rich and varied creation. The illuminations draw on and update Eastern iconographic and Western sacred art traditions, resulting in one of the most important sacred art achievements of our time. The Art of The Saint John's Bible: A Reader's Guide brings text and illumination together for reflection. This guide further opens up the significance of elements in the illuminations, and points out recurring visual motifs that connect the stories within and across the volumes.
The Art of the Saint John's Bible: A Reader's Guide to Wisdom Books and Prophets by Call Number: 745.674 S617a v.2Publication Date: 2008The illuminations in Wisdom Books and Prophets draw on motifs from earlier illuminations and expand the visual vocabulary to strike at what is unique and important to these books. In Wisdom Books we find a number of well-known and beloved aphorisms, or "words of wisdom." Here calligraphic text treatments take center stage. However, these books also portray the divine in the female figure of Wisdom, presented visually in several large-scale illuminations. The prophets' messages are often dark and strange, reflecting the grief of exile but also hope. The illuminations throughout these pages reflect visions of man's inhumanity, but they also burst with the rainbows of God's promise and glory. Lavishing equal attention on the biblical passages and the artistic vision of The Saint John's Bible, this guide is offered to enhance your experience and reflection.
The Art of the Saint John's Bible: A Reader's Guide to Historical Books, Letters and Revelation by Call Number: 745.674 S617a v.3Publication Date: 2012In The Saint John's Bible, some of the world's top calligraphers, working in a tradition all but replaced by the printing press centuries ago, offer one of the most important sacred art achievements of our time. The Art of The Saint John's Bible: A Reader's Guide brings text and illumination together for reflection. This guide opens up the significance of elements in the illuminations, points out recurring visual motifs that connect the stories within and across the volumes, and offers insight into the thought processes and artistic vision behind the planning and execution of the images. This third volume of the series covers the final published volumes of The Saint John's Bible: Historical Books and Letters and Revelation. It offers an invitation to experience more deeply the illuminations that accompany some of the most influential texts in all the Scriptures.
Word and Image: the hermeneutics of the Saint John's Bible by Call Number: Reference 220.52 W924 2013 c. 2Publication Date: 2013In Word and Image, Michael Patella explores the principles, intentions, and aims of The Saint John's Bible - the first handwritten and hand-illuminated Bible commissioned by a Benedictine abbey since the invention of the printing press. Patella focuses not on how it was made but on how it can be read, viewed, and interpreted in a way that respects biblical inspiration and Christian tradition in our postmodern context. Patella considers this Bible in the context of the great Christian tradition of illuminated Bibles across the ages and also the fascinating ways The Saint John's Bible reflects third-millennium concerns. He seeks to rekindle interest in sacred art by allowing The Saint John's Bible to teach its readers and viewers how to work with text and image.
