Historic St. John's Bible is finished

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Amen! Historic St. John's Bible is finished

The Minneapolis Institute of Arts exhibits the last 18 pages of the handwritten manuscript.
Calligrapher Donald Jackson surrounded the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, from the Book of Revelation, with symbols of 21st-century life and hardships: tanks, oil rigs, cancer, AIDS and famine.

"Do you want me to make the word of God live on the page?" British calligrapher Donald Jackson asked more than 15 years ago.

It was an audacious question. St. John's Abbey and University in Collegeville, Minn., said, "Yes."

And so began a grand and improbable collaboration between a little Benedictine community in Minnesota and a guy then best known for handwriting the ceremonial marriage documents of Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana. Together they produced the only handwritten and illuminated Bible created in the past 500 years, a total of 1,150 artful pages sparkling with gold leaf and jewel-toned colors.

In a triumphal conclusion, "The St. John's Bible, Amen!," a small show featuring the last pages from the final volume, opens Friday at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. On view through Nov. 13, the exhibit features just 18 pages from "Letters and Revelation," in which Jackson's colorful illustrations frame and accentuate graceful lines of biblical text.

St. John's took on the project "because it's what monks do," John Klassen, abbot at St. John's Abbey and University, said at an opening ceremony Thursday. "It was a chance to help ignite the spiritual imagination of people around the world."

Conceived to celebrate the millennium in 2000, the St. John's Bible is expected to serve as an inspiration and pilgrimage point through the next millennium.

Goose-quill pens

Though written in the ancient manner -- using goose-quill pens on 2-foot-tall sheets of polished calfskin called vellum -- the Bible also reflects contemporary times. Graceful Minnesota dragonflies with translucent wings rest on delicate sprigs of Yorkshire fog grass in two illustrations. Modern tanks, oil rigs and symbols of 21st-century pestilence -- cancer, the AIDS virus, starving faces -- lurk behind the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse in another image, while golden angels soar over a city of bejeweled glass in a third panel.

The project involved a flock of Benedictine scholars who advised Jackson and picked out passages to be "illuminated" with images and elaborate lettering. An international team of about 20 calligraphers and illustrators helped Jackson prepare the English text using a special calligraphic style or "hand" that he designed just for the Bible. The 1,150 pages eventually will be bound in seven volumes that comprise a single Bible. For now, however, the sheets are loose for easier display. When formally announced in 1999, the project was expected to take about six years and cost $3 million. That stretched to 12 years and more than doubled in cost, although St. John's officials declined to put a dollar figure on it.

"There were thousands of benefactors who believed in the project and made it possible through their generosity, from Boy Scout troops who sent a few dollars to several families who gave over $1 million each," said Rob Culligan, St. John's vice president for institutional advancement.

Extremely limited edition

In addition to the single copy of the Bible, the project has spun off coffee-table books, posters, notecards and bookmarks. Exhibitions about it have been presented at museums, galleries and other sites throughout the United States, Canada and in England. St. John's is producing a full-scale, near-facsimile version known as the Heritage Edition. Only 299 copies of that version are being published. Initially priced in 2006 at $115,000 for a seven-volume set, those books have gone to more than 40 collectors, libraries, universities and churches, including the Vatican Library and Museum in Rome and the Morgan Library and Museum in New York City.

Jackson, 74, and his wife, Mabel, who live in Monmouth, Wales, delivered the last pages of the Bible to St. John's this spring and were not on hand for the exhibition's debut. He is not a Catholic nor even a religious man by temperament, but writing the Bible was a lifelong dream whose completion has obviously been enormously satisfying, friends say.

"When you have the whole Bible wash through you and then write it out, you are transfigured by it, too," said Eric Hollas, a St. John's official and longtime friend of Jackson. "He may not have been particularly spiritual in the beginning, but the words take over at the end, so in that respect he is a changed man." StarTribune

Donor gives a copy of "St. John's Bible" to the Austin Public Library.

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A rare hand-written replica of the Saint John's Bible has been donated to the Austin Public Library.

The Austin Daily Herald reports ( http://bit.ly/ok8qvw) the family of Don and Dorothy Hodapp donated the Heritage Edition of the Saint John's Bible, which valued at $145,000.

The Saint John's Bible consists of seven volumes that are 2 feet by 3 feet when open. The Heritage Edition is a precise printing of the original Saint John's Bible, which was created using medieval techniques.

The original bible is at Saint John's University in Collegeville, Minn.

Jim Triggs, executive director of the Heritage Program at Saint John's University, says there are only 299 Heritage Editions and no new copies will be made.

Four of the seven volumes will be delivered this fall. Star Tribune

Every Knee Shall Bow - English "Flash Mob"

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So, technically, this doesn’t quite qualify as a flash mob, but I love it nonetheless. The video features two Capuchin Franciscan friars (I’m guessing that they could be from this friary) who bring the body of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist right into the center of Preston, England’s marketplace. While one friar recites a litany of Christ’s titles, the other friar holds up Christ in the monstrance. The monk who is speaking into the amplifier repeatedly says, “Come and kneel before Him now,” and it’s truly beautiful to see people in the midst of their shopping, stopping to kneel before the Lord. Others laugh, while still others stand with puzzled looks on their faces.

It’s an appropriate video before the Feast of Corpus Christi, a feast upon which many parish priests still lead public Eucharistic processions. We desperately need to bring Christ back out into the streets and the marketplaces and the public square.

Here’s what the friar recites before the crowd. I did my best to transcribe it, but missed a few words at the end.

“Jesus Christ is in every book of the Bible.

In Genesis, Jesus is the Seed of the Woman.
In Exodus, He is the Passover Lamb.
In Leviticus, He is the Priest, the Altar, and the Lamb of Sacrifice.
In Numbers, He is a Pillar of Cloud by day and the Pillar of Fire by Night.
In Deuteronomy, Jesus is the Prophet, like Moses.
Come and kneel before Him now.

In Joshua, Jesus is the Captain of Our Salvation.
In Judges, He is our Judge and Lawgiver.
In Ruth, He is our Kinsman and Redeemer.
In 1 and 2 Samuel, He is our Trusted Prophet.
In Kings and Chronicles, He is our Reigning King.
In Ezra, He is the rebuilder of the broken down walls of human life.
Come and kneel before Him now.
In Nehemiah, Jesus is our Restorer.
In Tobit, He is the Messenger of New Life.
In Judith, He is Weakness Turned into Victory.
In Esther, He is our Advocate.
In 1 and 2 Maccabees, He is the Leader who dies for God’s law.
Come and kneel before Him now.

In Job, Jesus is our Everliving Redeemer.
In Psalms, He is our Shepherd.
In Proverbs, He is our Wisdom.
In Ecclesiastes, He is our Hope of Resurrection.
In the Song of Songs, He is our Loving Bridegroom.
In Wisdom, He is the emanation of God’s thought.
In Ecclesiasticus (Sirach), Jesus is our security.
Come and kneel before Him now.

In Isaiah, Jesus is the Suffering Servant.
In Jeremiah, He is the Righteous Branch.
In Lamentations, He is our Weeping Prophet.
In Baruch, He is the Mercy from the Eternal One.
In Ezekiel, He is the One with the Right to Rule.
In Daniel, Jesus is the Fourth Man in the fiery furnace.
Come and kneel before Him now.

In Hosea, Jesus is the Faithful Husband forever married to the sinner.
In Joel, He is the One who Baptizes with the Holy Spirit of Fire.
In Amos, He is the Restorer of Justice.
In Obadiah, He is Mighty to Save.
In Jonah, He is our great foreign missionary.
In Micah, He is the feet of one who brings Good News.
Come and kneel before Him now.

In Nahum, Jesus is our stronghold in the day of trouble.
In Habakkuk, He is God my Savior.
In Zephaniah, He is the King of Israel.
In Haggai, He is the signet ring.
In Zechariah, He is our Humble King riding on a colt.
In Malachi, Jesus is the Son of Righteousness.
Come and kneel before Him now.

In Matthew, Jesus is God with us.
In Mark, He is the Son of God.
In Luke, He is the Son of Mary, feeling what you feel.
In John, He is the Bread of Life.
In Acts, Jesus is the Savior of the World.
Come and kneel before Him now.

In Romans, Jesus is the Righteousness of God.
In 1 Corinthians, He is the Resurrection.
In 2 Corinthians, He is the God of all comfort.
In Galatians, He is your liberty. He sets you free.
In Ephesians, Jesus is the Head of the Church.
Come and kneel before Him now.

In Philippians, Jesus is your Joy.
In Colossians, He is your Completeness.
In 1 and 2 Thessalonians, He is your Hope.
In 1 Timothy, He is your Faith.
In 2 Timothy, Jesus is your Stability.
Come and kneel before Him now.

In Titus, Jesus is Truth.
In Philemon, He is your Benefactor.
In Hebrews, He is your Perfection.
In James, He is the Power behind your Faith.
In 1 Peter, He is your Example.
In 2 Peter, Jesus is your Purity.
Come and kneel before Him now.

In 1 John, Jesus is your Life.
In 2 John, He is your Pattern.
In 3 John, He is your Motivation.
In Jude, He is the Foundation of your Faith.

In Revelation, Jesus is your Coming King.

He is:
The First and the Last.
The Beginning and the End.
He is the Keeper of Creation and the Creator of All.
He is the Architect of the Universe and the Manager of All Time.
He Always Was, He Always Is, and He Always Will Be Unmoved, Unchanged, Undefeated, and Never Undone.

He was bruised and brought healing.
He was pierced and eased pain.
He was persecuted and brought freedom.
He was dead and brought life.
He is risen and brings power.
He reigns and brings peace.

The world can’t understand Him.
The armys can’t defeat Him.
Schools can’t explain Him and the leaders can’t ignore Him.
Herod couldn’t kill Him.
The Pharisees couldn’t confuse Him.
The people couldn’t hold him. [This is where the clapping begins]
Nero couldn’t crush Him.
Hitler couldn’t silence Him.
The New Age can’t replace Him.
And Oprah can’t explain Him away.

He is Life, Love, Longevity, and Lord.
He is Goodness, Kindness, Gentleness and God.
He is Holy, Righteous, Mighty, Powerful, [missing word]
His Ways our Right, His Words Eternal, His Rules Unchanging, and His
Might [missing phrase]
He is My Redeemer, He is My Savior, He is My God, He is My Priest, He is My Joy, He is My Comfort, He is My Lord, and He rules my life.”

Tim Drake, National Catholic Register (and CDL Board Member)

The astute reader will quickly realize that the phrases relate to the Books of the Holy Bible

"Verbum Domini", Pope Benedict on the Church’s Teaching on Scripture

Catholic Bloggers Ignoring the Pope's "Fundamental Priority"?

"Sacred Scripture, inspiration and truth"

The post-synodal Apostolic Exhortation Verbum Domini, [pdf file] released by the Vatican yesterday, includes the Holy Father's first "official" response to Proposition 12 of the October 2008 Synod of Bishops on the Word of God in the life and mission of the Church. As reported here previously, Proposition 12 states:

The synod proposes that the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith clarify the concepts of “inspiration” and “truth” in the Bible, along with their reciprocal relationship, in order to better understand the teaching of Dei Verbum 11. In particular, it’s necessary to emphasize the specific character of Catholic Biblical hermeneutics in this area.

8 Biblical Verses That Leftists Have Gotten Completely Wrong

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Chris Queen:

Politicians of all stripes endeavor to invoke the Bible for many reasons. Some try to use God’s Word to score points with the Christian or Jewish communities. Others employ a Biblical analogy or story to drive a point home. A few even share impactful passages out of sincere faith. However, it appears that most politicians — on the Left as well as on the Right — use the Old and New Testaments to prove or further their agenda.

One of the most insidious and troubling areas in which politicians have co-opted scripture is the “social justice” movement. Since the 19th century, Leftists have attempted to use particular passages from the Bible to achieve progressive and often radical or statist ends. From communitarians to eugenicists to early 20th century progressives to New Dealers, evangelists of various strains of the Social Gospel have attempted to utilize the Bible to justify their views.

Civil rights leaders from the 1950s until today have used scripture to prove their point. Jimmy Carter made no secret of his Christian faith, and he claimed to center many of his policies around it. The environmentalist movement has attempted to lure Jews and Christians into its fold by using the Bible, even coining the term “Creation Care” to make radical environmentalism palatable to believers. The progressive Social Gospel concept has come front and center in the Obama era, with Leftist religious leaders like Jim Wallis and his group, Sojourners, peddling their peculiar band of radically Leftist religious conviction. . . .

Follow the link to the newsrealblog.com It's worth it.

A work of art of the Word to be in Crookston

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A work of art of the Word

Crookston monastery receives Saint John's Bible
The Sisters of St. Benedict here at “the Mount,” their quiet, leafy monastery overlooking the Red Lake River, are enthused over the rare and holy gift they are receiving from their Brothers Benedict from St. John’s Abbey — one of the limited Heritage Edition full-sized reproductions of the massive, seven-volume Saint John’s Bible, the first hand-made, illuminated Bible made in five centuries.

By: Stephen J. Lee, Grand Forks Herald

The Heritage Edition of the Saint John's Bible was given to the St. Benedict Monastery in Crookston by the brother of one of the sisters.

• GALLERY: Heritage Edition of Saint John's Bible

CROOKSTON — The Sisters of St. Benedict here at “the Mount,” their quiet, leafy monastery overlooking the Red Lake River, are enthused over the rare and holy gift they are receiving from their Brothers Benedict from St. John’s Abbey — one of the limited Heritage Edition full-sized reproductions of the massive, seven-volume Saint John’s Bible, the first hand-made, illuminated Bible made in five centuries.

“We think it’s a pretty big deal,” said Sister Denise Schonhardt, who handles public relations for the 80-some nuns who live, work and pray here in a community with traditions dating back 1,500 years.

The younger brother of one of the sisters is the donor behind the coming of the treasured set of over-sized leather-bound volumes filled with ornate script and gold-and-silver embossed art coming to the Mount St. Benedict Monastery.

“You better tell him about your brother,” Schonardt said to Sister Anita Whalen about a visitor’s questions.

Whalen’s brother, Dan Whalen, called her last spring and asked if the Mount would take one of the expensive Heritage Edition reproductions of the original Saint John’s Bible.

The answer was yes.

Four of the seven volumes arrived about two weeks ago, along with wooden furniture to house and display them, made by the monks of St. John’s.

The Whalens grew up in Argyle, Minn., and Dan graduated from Sacred Heart High School in East Grand Forks in 1965 before attending St. John’s and then the University of Minnesota.

“He got in early in the cellular phone business,” said Sister Anita, explaining her younger brother’s secular success.

Dan and Katherine Whalen live in Oakland, Calif., and are active benefactors, especially of Catholic institutions.

On Oct. 10, they will be at the Mount, along with St. John’s brothers and abbot, part of a ceremony in which the sisters officially receive the Bible.

Dan and Katherine Whalen gave a similar Heritage Edition Bible to their parish home in Oakland, the new Cathedral of Christ the Light.

Each Heritage Edition costs about $130,000, St. John’s officials said. If all 360 sets are bought, St. John’s share of the proceeds will pay not only for the $4.5 million cost of making the original Saint John’s Bible, but for much scholarship and building.

Brit Donald Jackson, who had been “the Queen’s calligrapher,” was commissioned by St. John’s in 1998 to make the first hand-written, illuminated Bible since Gutenberg invented the printing press in 1450. He gathered a team of 14 calligraphers and artists in Wales, who collaborated with a team of 100 or more theologians, scholars and artists from St. John’s.

The first words put down in 2000 by Jackson are not on paper but vellum — the thin parchment made from calfskin — with quill and natural, handmade inks, with gold leaf, as well as silver and platinum, were from the Gospel of St. John: “In the beginning was the Word … ”

It’s not complete, but Jackson plans to quill the final volume, on the New Testament Letters and Revelation, himself.

The original remains unbound because of the need to copy the pages for the Heritage Edition, Sister Anita said.

The Heritage Edition is a mixture of ancient craft and contemporary technology. Three Minnesota companies are doing the digital imaging of the original vellum pages, the gold and silver embossing and color management of the high-tech press needed.

Smallest holder

In receiving this version of the Word, the Mount is in some lofty company.

The Vatican, St. Martin-in-the-Fields Cathedral in London, the Naples Art Museum in Italy, St. Catherine’s and St. Thomas universities in St. Paul, are among the Catholic institutions that have received a Heritage Edition of the Saint John’s Bible.

“We’re the smallest institution receiving one,” Whalen said. “It’s museums, universities, cathedrals, the Vatican.”

Pope Benedict XVI, in receiving his copy of what the Mount is getting, called it “a great work of art” and “a work for eternity.”

The sisters are thinking of getting kid gloves to handle the tomes.

“These are not illustrations,” said Sister Denise, leaving the turning of the art-filled pages to Prioress Lenora Paschke. “They are illuminations, designed to evoke prayer.”

At passages that have special meaning to their order, a little cross appears next to the verse, “for Benedictine eyes only,” Whalen said.

“There are so many delicious things in there, like the way the flora and fauna of Minnesota are featured,” Sister Anita said, pointing to a Monarch butterfly alighting on what looks to be a purple-bloomed thistle.

The Mississippi River is used to illumine a flood.

“And there are darling little things, if they left out a line,” Whalen said, pointing out how the calligraphers dealt with their own fallibility.

In the 30th chapter of Genesis, for example, an entire line was left out when the page was hand-written on the original vellum edition, in the story of Jacob’s wooing and working for Rachel.

Rather than throw out the entire, expensive page that took a day to complete, the calligrapher added the line in the bottom margin, then drew a fantastic bird flying up the left margin, pulling up by a silken rope the dropped words to the rightful spot.

It almost makes the mistakes more beautiful than perfection, the sisters said, glad their edition carries on the ornamental mistake and correction.

The Bible is in the New Revised Standard Version, a modern translation commonly used by Catholics and other Christian churches.

For all the old-fashioned technique and work, there are contemporary elements, some sure to be controversial perhaps.

The World Trade Center’s twin towers, on fire, show up, to illumine forgiveness in the gospel story of the Prodigal Son. And obviously, a decision that was made after work began in 2000.

For the creation story, the artists used a view of the earth taken from space.

The helix pattern of DNA shows up.

In the volume containing the Psalms, a sonogram image of the monks of St. John’s singing in their chapel is outlined in gold-lined design.

It’s inclusive, in line with the Benedictine rule on hospitality, Whalen said.

“There are allusions to Judaism in the illuminations, and to Islam,” she said. “All of us are people of the word.”

Adam and Eve are shown as black, a nod to modern anthropology putting human origins in Africa.

It’s a big book. Each volume is more than 2 feet high and, when opened, nearly 3 feet wide.

As Whalen shows visitors into the chapel where the rare Bible will be ceremonially received Oct. 10 from their Benedictine brothers, she said, “Here’s where we do most of our work. We pray here three times a day together, for everybody in the world.”

But the life of a Benedictine sister is not all contemplation and prayer. Sister Anita retired in early 2009 from 35 years as a dentist in Warren, Minn.

Now, the sisters are making plans. They will hold a sort of open house next spring to allow the public a look at their new old treasure.

The Saint John’s Bible Heritage Edition represents the values of the Benedictine order, of devotion to scripture and Christ, as well as to “the art of books,” and to ecumenical works, the sisters said.

“This gift has so many possibilities, and we are thinking how to use it,” said Prioress Lenora Paschke. “We know it’s more than a museum piece. It’s meant to be shared.” Grand Forks Herald

For your Free Reading List, The Church and the Bible, Three Encyclicals

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I am afflicted with the Catholic Disease of not having much knowledge of the Bible, of not having read much of it other than the four Gospels, Genesis and Exodus, and of not knowing much about what I have read.

I just discovered a blog by three orthodox college professors that would be worth adding to your blog reading list. They are from the John Paul the Great Seminary in San Diego, Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans and Franciscan University of Steubenville. And don't just wait for new posts. It has been around for a while so check out what they have already posted.

What attracted me to The Sacred Page was their current post listing three papal encyclicals on the Bible, all of which, like most important Church documents, are available at no cost on Vatican's wonderful web site.

1. Pope Leo XIII, Encyclical Letter On the Study of Sacred Scripture, Providentissimus Deus, 1893 [The God of all Providence]

2. Pope Benedict XV, Encyclical Letter Commemorating the Fifteenth Centenary of the Death of St. Jerome, Spiritus Paraclitus, 1920 [The Holy Spirit, the Comforter]

3. Pope Pius XII, Encyclical Letter Promoting Biblical Studies, Divino Afflante Spiritu, 1943 [Inspired by the Holy Spirit]

As [the blog post author,] reading through these encyclicals again, [was] struck by what a treasure trove of teaching they are on a whole host of issues: inspiration, inerrancy, interpretation, the literal and spiritual senses of Scripture, the role of the Scripture in the spiritual life and mission of the Church, and on and on.

But [he was] also struck as [he looked] around in secondary literature, both Catholic and Protestant, that no one seems to be actually reading these encyclicals and engaging them. This is an odd situation, one that seems to be peculiar to biblical studies. At least in Catholic circles, no moral theologian worth his or her salt would ever presume to speak about, say, the Church's teaching on contraception without reference to Paul VI's Encyclical Letter Of Human Life, Humanae Vitae (1968). Likewise, Catholic philosophers regularly make their students study John Paul II's Encyclical Letter On the Relationship between Faith and Reason, Fides et Ratio (1998), in close detail.

By contrast, when it comes to introductions to the Bible, including Catholic ones, authors often precede blissfully along as if no detailed papal teachings on Scripture have ever been penned. Why?

So, here's [his questions for you]:

If you are a Catholic, have you read any of the papal encyclicals on the Bible? Why or why not?

And if you are not Catholic--in particular, if you are a Protestant biblical scholar--have you ever read the papal encyclicals on the Bible? If not, why not?