The Art of the Saint John's Bible

The Saint John’s Bible is the first completely handwritten and illuminated Bible to be commissioned by a Benedictine abbey since the invention of the printing press more than five centuries ago. The project was the brainchild of Donald Jackson (b. 1938), who was the senior scribe and illuminator at the Crown Office in the House of Lords. Commissioned in 1998 by Saint John’s Abbey and University in Collegeville Township, Minnesota, work officially began two years later when Jackson drew the first words, “In the beginning,” from John’s Gospel. Over the next decade, an international team of artists and calligraphers used medieval techniques—including calfskin vellum, goose quill pens, and natural inks—to create a seven-volume, 1,150-page manuscript.

Shortly after the manuscript’s completion, Saint John’s Abbey created three hundred fine-art reproductions of the original. In 2012, Pepperdine acquired a set of this precious Heritage Edition in celebration of the University's 75th anniversary. No two Heritage Editions are identical because many illuminations required hand treatments. Pepperdine Libraries is honored to showcase one of its volumes alongside a selection of fine art prints of the illuminations featured in the Bible. In doing so, Pepperdine helps spread the project’s mission of igniting the spiritual imagination of people on all faith journeys, offering insight into the individuals behind the beautiful illustrations featured in the Bible.