Women have always been involved with the Church. In fact, women have played a role within the broader spiritual community for millennia. This feminine wisdom is gracefully illustrated within the works of The Saint John’s Bible.
In 1998, Saint John’s Abbey and University, located in Collegeville, MN., commissioned renowned calligrapher Donald Jackson to produce a hand-written, hand-illuminated Bible. The Saint John’s Bible is a work of art and a work of theology. A team of artists coordinated by Donald Jackson from Wales and a team of scholars in Central Minnesota have brought together the ancient techniques of calligraphy and illumination with an ecumenical Christian approach to the Bible rooted in Benedictine spirituality. The result is a living document and a monumental achievement.
Volume three of the seven-volume printed and bound set of The Saint John’s Bible, known as the Heritage Edition, contains the Wisdom Books: Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, The Song of Solomon, The Wisdom of Solomon, and Sirach. The feminine nature of Wisdom is highlighted in the artwork and text treatments of this volume. Adorning the pages of these often-lyrical passages you will find some of the most inventive, beautiful, and inspiring works of art. Our cover for this issue of the Communique’ is from this collection: titled Wisdom Woman. *
The Saint John’s Bible Heritage Program is an international initiative for individuals and institutions to explore the artistic and spiritual beauty of The Saint John’s Bible. Approximately 165 of the limited editions of 299 copies of the Heritage Edition sets are permanently stewarded by numerous international, cross-faith, and secular locations. Examples include:
Vatican Library – Rome, Italy
Yale University – New Haven, CT
Brigham Young University – Provo, UT
Australian Catholic University – Sydney, Australia
University of Notre Dame, IN
St. Martin-in-the-Fields Church – London, England
Mary Immaculate College – Limerick, Ireland
In our forthcoming summer edition of the Communique’ we will dive deeper into how these modern illuminations have flourished across the globe. Our goal is to provide inspiration for our members to experience this beautiful example of God’s Word. The full seven-volume Heritage Edition will be on display at the Episcopal Parish Network’s 38th annual conference in Jacksonville, FL, March 8-11.
* Wisdom Women, created by Donald Jackson: Copyright 2006, The Saint John’s Bible, Saint John’s University, Collegeville, Minnesota USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
