St. John's Bible

St. John's Bible

St. John's Bible Logo

St. John's Bible
Photo courtesy of Saint John’s University,
Collegeville, Minnesota. 2014

The Saint John’s Bible is the first handwritten and illuminated Bible commissioned by a Benedictine monastery since the invention of the printing press in the 15th century. Saint John’s University in Collegeville, Minnesota, commissioned world-renowned calligrapher Donald Jackson, senior scribe to Her Majesty the Queen’s Crown Office at the House of Lords in London, England, to lead a team of scribes and artists to create this masterpiece.

The Saint John's Bible is a work of art as well as a work of theology. A team of artists coordinated by Donald Jackson in Wales and a team of scholars in central Minnesota have brought together the ancient techniques of calligraphy and illumination with an ecumenical Christian approach to the Bible rooted in Benedictine spirituality.

The intricate combination of Scripture and art has been called "one of the extraordinary undertakings of our time" by Smithsonian Magazine.

The Heritage Edition

The mission of The Saint John’s Bible is to “ignite the spiritual imagination of people from all faith journeys.” To that end, Saint John’s University created The Heritage Edition to spark the imagination of individuals, institutions and people around the world. Because of this edition, people everywhere can experience The Saint John’s Bible in their own communities. True to the original manuscript and under the careful direction of Donald Jackson, this fine art reproduction is of the same scale, beauty and artistic intent.

For additional information on The Saint John’s Bible, visit saintjohnsbible.org.

St. John's Bible
Photo courtesy of Saint John's University, Collegeville, Minnesota, 2014.