Illuminating the Word: The Making of the Saint John's Bible (Hardcover)

~ (Author) "THE GROUNDS OF Saint John's were perfectly still just before seven in the morning..." (more)
Key Phrases: scribal team, lino ink, finished illumination, Donald Jackson, The Hendre, Sally Mae Joseph (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"...reassuring that a religious community resolved to commission a most modern Bible in the ancient form of a manuscript." -- Dr. Christopher de Hamel, Manuscript Historian

"A delightful coffee-table book." -- The Bible Today

"Calderhead takes you into the details in a way that you almost feel you are there. Sometimes we almost feel we are getting under Jackson's feet, but it is worth his wrath to see what is going on." -- The American Benedictine Review

"In the 10 chapters of his conversational accounting of the planning and ongoing progress of publishing The Saint John's Bible, Calderhead takes his readers into the lives and skills of the monks, and of the scribal and artistic experts employed in the project." -- Prairie Messenger

"The calligraphy, gold gilding, and full-color illustrations ignite the religious imagination, inviting people to explore a living tradition of art and spirituality." -- The Faith Connection

"The jacket is beautifully designed encasing a rich blue heavyweight buckram binding. The page designs are excellent and the rich coated paper stock provides a wonderful pallet for the type and four-color photographs that are found on every page." -- The Catholic Press Association

"...reassuring that a religious community resolved to commission a most modern Bible in the ancient form of a manuscript." -- Dr. Christopher de Hamel, Manuscript Historian<br /><br />"A delightful coffee-table book." -- The Bible Today<br /><br />"Calderhead takes you into the details in a way that you almost feel you are there. Sometimes we almost feel we are getting under Jackson's feet, but it is worth his wrath to see what is going on." -- The American Benedictine Review<br /><br />"In the 10 chapters of his conversational accounting of the planning and ongoing progress of publishing The Saint John's Bible, Calderhead takes his readers into the lives and skills of the monks, and of the scribal and artistic experts employed in the project." -- Prairie Messenger<br /><br />"The calligraphy, gold gilding, and full-color illustrations ignite the religious imagination, inviting people to explore a living tradition of art and spirituality." -- The Faith Connection<br /><br />"The jacket is beautifully designed encasing a rich blue heavyweight buckram binding. The page designs are excellent and the rich coated paper stock provides a wonderful pallet for the type and four-color photographs that are found on every page." --The Catholic Press Association

Product Description

In this companion volume to The Saint JohnÂ’s Bible, Christopher Calderhead takes us on a behind-the-scenes tour of this extraordinary project. Based on hundreds of hours of interviews, this book tells the story of the makers of the Bible and the community at Saint JohnÂ’s Abbey and University. The day-to-day struggles of such a monumental undertaking included challenges such as the selection and preparation of more than 250 calf skins. The formation of a team of calligraphers accustomed to working independently and communicating the concerns of the advisory council in Minnesota with the artists in Wales.

Illuminating the Word: The Making of The Saint JohnÂ’s Bible explores a modern version of an age-old relationship between patron and sponsor, and the artistic director, scribes and artists producing this monumental artwork. It describes lectio divina, the unique method the Benedictine monks use to read the Bible, in which the Holy Scriptures come alive through the power of imagination. It explores the challenge of creating new images for ancient stories. It chronicles the artistic techniques, the tools and materials and workshop practices Donald Jackson used to create his lifetime masterpiece. Illuminating the Word reveals the working process behind one of the greatest undertakings of our time and vividly brings to life its challenges and triumphs.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 216 pages
• Publisher: Liturgical Press (March 30, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0814690505
• ISBN-13: 978-0814690505
• Product Dimensions: 11.5 x 10 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #341,916 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Who, what, when, where why + how..., March 10, 2006

By	B. Teris (San Francisco, CA, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book covers all the 'W's and the 'H'. This is a remarkable book to The Saint John's bible series/collection. You learn all the behind the scenes events as Calderhead spends years interviewing the crew and the Bible's sponsors/investors. Hundreds of colored photographs accompany the book allowing you to get a better feel for the construction of the Bible and its illuminations. One of the best!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Illuminating the Word, March 8, 2007

By	J. Brummer "Florida Scribe" (Sarasota FL) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Over the top writing! I thought "page turner" only referred to novels but Christopher Calderhead's style had me riveted for hours at a time, unable to put down the book. As a calligrapher the subject matter was near and dear to my heart and to hear the process described in words of the scribes themselves was moving. Calderhead's attention to detail, minute observations of the scribes at work and his skill as an interviewer make for an interesting and compelling read.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Surprisingly entertaining, January 15, 2007

By	Magdalena "mystery cravings" (PA, USA) - See all my reviews

I bought this book expecting to find at least general interesting facts and maybe an inside look at the illustrations in case that I never get to see the real thing and was surprised by the well told and interesting story behind the project, the author creates an atmosphere of closeness and inside access to something very important and treasured.