The Saint John’s Bible (SJB)
- The SJB is the first handwritten illuminated Bible of its scale in over 500 years.
- The mission of the SJB: “To ignite the spiritual imagination of people around the world of all faith journeys.”
- Donald Jackson, Senior Scribe to the Queen of England, is the artistic director of the SJB.
- Key dates:
- 1995 – Mr. Jackson presented his lifelong dream to handwrite the Bible to Fr. Eric Hollas, O.S.B.
- 1998 – Saint John’s Abbey and University commissioned Mr. Jackson to begin the project.
- 2000 – Mr. Jackson drew the first words – “In the beginning” – on Ash Wednesday.
- 2011 – Donald and Mabel Jackson presented the final page of the SJB to Saint John’s.
- 2018 – The Saint John's Bible is acquired by Siena College.
- The scholarship behind the SJB was led by the Committee for Illumination and Text (CIT). Fr. Michael Patella, O.S.B., chaired the committee of artists, theologians and biblical scholars.
- The translation of this Bible is the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV).
- Six calligraphers, including Mr. Jackson, handwrote all 1,150 pages on approximately 300 sheets of calfskin vellum.
- A Jewish scribe drew the Hebrew script.
- Six artists, including Mr. Jackson, created over 160 major illuminations.
- The art of the SJB is inspired by artistic traditions from around the world.
The 73 books in The Saint John’s Bible are organized in the following seven volumes:
- Pentateuch (Old Testament)
- Historical Books (Old Testament)
- Wisdom Books (Old Testament)
- Psalms (Old Testament)
- Prophets (Old Testament)
- Gospels & Acts (New Testament)
- Letters & Revelation (New Testament)