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Frequently Asked QuestionsWhy would you want to handwrite the whole Bible?In commissioning a handwritten, illuminated Bible, Saint John's revives a tradition that has been nearly absent from the Christian world since the invention of the printing press in the fifteenth century. The Saint John's Bible affirms this community's commitment to the study of Scripture, to the book arts and to educational, artistic, spiritual and scholarly pursuits. The Saint John's Bible, consistent with the educational mission, values and vision of Saint John's University, is a spiritual, educational and artistic endeavor and a significant contribution to the new millennium. The following outlines the vision and values associated with the project.
For a full description, please refer to Vision and Values. How will The Saint John's Bible be made?The Saint John's Bible is being created in a scriptorium in Wales by Donald Jackson, internationally renowned calligrapher and Scribe to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth's Crown Office at the House of Lords. Though Jackson uses modern materials for his sketches, for the final illuminations he turns to the tools and materials employed by scribes more than a thousand years ago; vellum, quill pens, antique ink sticks, gold and silver. Is Donald Jackson doing this alone?Donald Jackson has a team of artists, scribes and studio assistants working to assist him complete this project. To meet the staff of craftspeople and artisans, see The Wales Team in the People and Places section. How many pages are there in the whole Bible?The Saint John's Bible when finished will be 1,150 pages. The 73 books of Bible will divided into seven volumes for The Saint John's Bible. The following information also relates to the number of pages.
What Translation will be used for The Saint John's Bible?When theologians and scholars met at Saint John's to research and discuss the question of translation, the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) was the obvious choice for The Saint John's Bible for a number of reasons. First, its predecessor, the Revised Standard Version, had gained the distinction of being officially authorized for use by all major Christian churches: Protestant, Anglican, Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox. Second, the NRSV is a modern English translation with a strong literal tradition. For instance, all references to God remain true to tradition. On the other hand, it employs gender-inclusive language. The Introduction to the New Revised Standard Version states that "...in references to men and women, masculine-oriented language (is) eliminated as far as this can be done without altering the passages that reflect the historical situation of ancient patriarchal culture." This is usually done in a very non-obtrusive manner. Finally, it has been approved by the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (1991) and the National Conference of Catholic Bishops (1991) for use by Catholics. |
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