The Most Enduring Holiday Gift: Five Ways to Gift a Heritage Edition of The Saint John’s Bible
It’s the season of giving–the perfect time of year to consider how you can give back to the institutions that have shaped you the most. The schools, churches, youth groups, libraries, and museums that have contributed to our growth deserve to be equally invested in.
For gift givers who seek a more meaningful gift than an annual financial contribution, the Heritage Edition of The Saint John’s Bible is a wonderful consideration. The Heritage Edition, a fine-art reproduction of The Saint John’s Bible, has been thoughtfully designed to faithfully capture the same artistic spirit and grand scale of the original manuscript. Limited to only 299 seven-volume sets, the Heritage Edition is a rare masterwork of its own right, possessed of the same breathtaking power to ignite the spiritual imagination as the original manuscript.
Yale University, Washington National Cathedral, and The Royal Library and Royal Archives at Windsor Castle are three of the nearly 200 institutions that have been gifted an edition of The Saint John’s Bible by a generous donor.
Beautifully handcrafted with materials that will stand the test of time, the Heritage Edition is sure to be passed down through the generations as a powerful, enduring symbol of your generosity, goodwill, love of community, and unwavering faith.
Here are just five of the many ways that people around the world have gifted a Heritage Edition to an institution close to their hearts.
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Gift to an Educational Institution
Educational institutions such as colleges, universities, libraries, and museums are among the most common recipients of a Heritage Edition. Take Duke Divinity School in Durham, North Carolina, for example. Ken and Jackie Krebs gifted this Heritage Edition to the University in 2024 as a way to express gratitude for the scholarship and education the University offered Ken during his time as a law student.
“Since that time, I’ve reflected on ways that I might say, ‘Thank you,’ for the investment that Duke had made in me – something beyond and apart from the annual monetary pledges. Something that might be special and lasting,” said Krebs.
For Krebs, The Saint John’s Bible Heritage Edition proved to be the perfect symbol of his gratitude.
“Jackie and I were already familiar with The Saint John’s Bible and knew it to be this beautiful and vibrant and immersive presentation of God’s Word – unique, timeless, and enduring. But as with any gift, it was our hope that the recipient would share our belief in its value and significance,” said Krebs. “So, I met with members of that team at Duke, who explained the myriad of creative and multidimensional ways the Bible might be used. The idea was not for it to sit on a shelf, but to become a dynamic means of outreach.”
“Given everything Duke has done for me, it has been our honor and privilege to help bring this extraordinary treasure to a place that we love,” said Ken Krebs on behalf of himself and his wife, Jackie Krebs.
Libraries also fall under this umbrella of gifting. Currently, editions of The Saint John’s Bible live at prestigious libraries such as Lambeth Palace Library, the Library of Congress, and even The Royal Library at Windsor Castle.
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Gift to a Religious Institution
As one can imagine, religious institutions are wonderful recipients of the gift of a Heritage Edition. There are so many ways that this kind of gifting can look. For example, donors Elaine and Bruce Culver are a couple based in Texas. Together, they’ve gifted editions of The Saint John’s Bible to institutions around the world. On one such occasion, they gifted an edition to the Washington National Cathedral, “America’s Cathedral” in Washington, D.C. They hoped this gift would widen the reach of this work of sacred art and scripture – and it has.
On other occasions, they gifted Heritage Editions to their very own local parishes, Church of the Transfiguration in Dallas and Trinity Episcopal Church in Galveston, to express gratitude for the communities they love so much. These Editions have since sparked connection, education, and even more art in their wake.
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Gift to a Hospital
Hospitals such as the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, have also benefitted from the gift of a Heritage Edition.
“The Heritage Edition has become a part of the Mayo DNA,” said Anna Beth Morgan, M.L.S., M.S., AHIP, Executive Director of the Mayo Clinic Libraries, Archives, and Heritage Days. “It’s a companion to the doctors because there’s more to healing than medicine. There are many things that contribute to the healing process, and I think the spiritual side is an important part of that. The Saint John’s Bible takes a holistic approach; it contributes to full patient well-being. It can divert concern for a little while and give people some peace amongst the storm that life brings to everyone at different points of their life.”
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Dedicate it to a Loved One
In many cases, donors gift an institution to not only honor that place, but also to honor someone in their lives. Paul Christen and Kathy Ramstad, for example, gifted a Heritage Edition to Dakota Wesleyan University in honor and memory of Christen’s wife and Ramstad’s mother, Muffy Christen.
“I said to my dad, ‘Mom loved the Bible. She knew the Bible. I think it would be amazing if we gifted a Heritage Edition of The Saint John’s Bible in her honor,” said Ramstad. “My parents always, always, always gave back to the community. Even when they didn’t have the means, they would give their time and talent. That was ingrained in us kids from when we were little.”
“We want to leave something for future generations,” said Paul Christen. “We give to people we’ll never see, people we’ll never know.”
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Gift to Your Spouse, or Yourself
Jolyon and Charlotte Grant, a couple from Phoenix, Arizona, became so enamored with The Saint John’s Bible after seeing the Heritage Edition at the Franciscan Renewal Center in Scottsdale, Arizona, that the couple decided they wanted one for themselves in their home.
For the Grants, the joy isn’t just in watching others experience this work of art that has personally touched their lives so deeply. It’s in the connection that happens because of it.
“Anybody and everybody who has come through our door has been struck by its beauty,” said Mrs. Grant. “The plumber, the window washer, colleagues and friends – it’s just remarkable. Everyone is captivated.”
The Grants decided that this was a gift they wanted to invest in together for their home, but it would make for an equally meaningful gift for a spouse or loved one.
The Saint John’s Bible Heritage Edition: The Holiday Gift to Last Centuries
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