Saint John's Bible

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Saint John's Bible

The St. John’s Bible Project began in 2000 when the Saint John’s Abbey in Minnesota commissioned Donald Jackson to create a Bible that would ignite the spiritual imagination of people for centuries to come. A major artistic, cultural and spiritual endeavor, it is the first handwritten hand-illuminated Bible commissioned since the printing press was invented five centuries ago. Contemporary and multicultural, this Bible is being written in seven volumes on calfskin vellum with quills and stick ink. Illuminations and illustrations range from single capitals to full-page masterworks by Jackson and a marvelous international network of lettering and botanical artists. Each original vellum book is being reproduced in a seven volume series of full color, page by page books for the use and pleasure of readers everywhere. “One of the extraordinary undertakings of our time.” Smithsonian magazine. Each hardcover volume measures 9.75”x15”.

Reserve Your Copies Now!

Reserve Your SJB Books with

Pre-Publication Courtesy Discount.

We will ship Prophets in January 2007 and Wisdom Literature in fall 2007 to you if you place a pre-publication order for them by December 15 for Prophets and March 15 for Wisdom Literature. You may reserve copies of the books individually or use the PREPUB code to reserve all volumes.

Please use the codes below to reserve future St. John’s Bible books:

WISDOM The Wisdom Literature, fall 2007. 102 pp. Price not set.

HISTOR The Historical Books, spring 2008. Price not set.

LETREV Letters & Revelation. Price and date not set.

PREPUB I wish to order all future titles

(Wisdom Literature, Historical Books, Letters & Revelations) at Paper & Ink Arts’ pre-publication prices.

Illuminating the Word: The Making of the Saint John's Bible

By Christopher Calderhead; designed by Jerry Kelly. Paralleling it's medieval ancestors, the St. John's Bible is being written on vellum, using quills with stick inks and hand ground pigments and gold leaf while illuminating 21st century themes and images with classic Biblical texts (Revised Standard Version). Illuminating the Word takes us into the scriptorium where Donald Jackson and the SJB artists share their work, struggles and joy while creating this momumental & spiritual project. Calligrapher & artist Christopher Calderhead had been documenting the bible project since its beginning in 1998. 9 5/8" x 11 3/8". 240pp., hb. Full color.

Illuminating the Word: The Making of the Saint John's Bible (SJBILL)

The Saint John's Bible: Gospels and Acts

Gospels and Acts features more than 25 illuminations including full-page, opening pieces for each of the four gospels. Prominent illuminations include the Genealogy of Jesus, the Birth of Christ, the Crucifixion, Christ our Light, the Last Supper and the Pentecost. Enjoy the remarkable work of gifted international lettering artists, marrying text and images from the New Testament. 136 pages.

The Saint John's Bible: Gospels and Acts (PPGOSP)

The Psalms

The Psalms engages the eye and ear with five distinct scripts and exquisite illumination and digital voice prints of sacred songs from Benedictine, Native American, Muslim and Taoist practices. These remarkable voice prints are reminders that the Psalms are sacred songs reflecting joy, fear, anger and love – the breadth of human experience - and, that in such singing, God is present. A stunning rendering to be read at home and used in liturgy. 80 pages.

The Psalms (PSALMS)

The Pentateuch

The Pentateuch. Third in the series of the St. John’s Bible, the Pentateuch is a foundation to both Judaism and Christianity. The Pentateuch is the text and illumination of the complete first five books of the Old Testament – The Torah: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. 159 pages.

The Pentateuch (PENTAT)

The Prophets

The Prophets - 18 books including Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations and Daniel. 232 pgs.

The Prophets (PROPHT)

The Wisdom Books

The Wisdom Books includes the Old Testament's literary masterpieces: Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, Proverbs, Job, Sirach and the Wisdom of Solomon. Fifteen large illuminations including the spectacular frontispiece of Ecclesiastes and another titled “Creative Wisdom." 136 pages.

The Wisdom Books (WISDOM)

The Historical Books PRE-ORDER

The Historical Books, spring 2008. Price not set. Preorder for a $10 discount.

The Historical Books PRE-ORDER (HISTOR)

Letters & Revelation PRE-ORDER

Letters & Revelation. Fall 2008. Price not set. Pre-order for a $10 dicount.

Letters & Revelation PRE-ORDER (LETREV)

“In the Beginning” & “The Illuminator”.

Shown on PBS and BBC, this documentary makes the traditional and modern methods used by Donald Jackson and his staff visible to all. Watch pigments and antique stick inks being ground; quills being cut; gold, silver and platinum applied to illuminations on carefully prepared calf-skin vellum. A must have for guild libraries and fans. 49 minutes. International customers, note that these are in North American formats.

“In the Beginning” & “The Illuminator”. (SJBDOC)

St John’s Bible Giclee Print

St John’s Bible Giclee Print: Alternate Endings of Mark. We chose to offer this print because of its exquisite and beautiful marriage of text and illustration. The milkweed and butterflies are the work of Minnesota natural history illustrator Chris Tomlin; the calligraphers for this page are Sally Mae Joseph for the short ending and Donald Jackson for the long ending of Mark. This lush, archival print is available in two sizes, ready for framing..

GICSML 15”X 22” Giclee Print $295.00.

GICLRG 18”x 26” Giclee Print $395.00.

St John’s Bible Giclee Print

New Selection of St. John’s Bible Card Sets

Our New Selection of St. John’s Bible Card Sets includes three folios (five each of two designs plus 10 envelopes) and four designs in packs of 10. Artists are noted for each.

JOHNFO From the book of John. Donald Jackson. $11.95

PSALFO From Psalms. Donald Jackson. $11.95

LEVIFO From Leviticus & Numbers. Sally Mae Joseph & Suzanne Moore. $11.95

Packs of 10 individual cards:

MILCDS Milkweed & Butterfly. Chris Tomlin. $11.95

LUKECD From Luke 2. Sally Mae Joseph. $11.95

ENDSCD Ends of the Earth. Donald Jackson. $11.95

ISRACD Hear O Israel. Hazel Dolby. $11.95

BELICD Those Who Believe. Donald Jackson. $11.95

SJBCRD –Assortment of two each of the above five designs. $11.95

Click here for more product information

New Selection of St. John’s Bible Card Sets

The Art of the Saint John's Bible

The Art of the Saint John's Bible: A Reader's Guide to Pentateuch, Psalms, Gospels and Acts by Susan Sink. How did Donald Jackson and his team decide on the nature of the illustrations in these three volumes? Susan Sink brings us inside the thought processes of the artists and explains the symbolism in 40 of the major pieces from these works. Includes explanations of “carpet pages” and “marginalia”, a chart of the chant tones used in Psalms and a biographical index. A must-have for fans of this massive project. 6”x9”, 128 pp., pb.

The Art of the Saint John's Bible (SJBART)