ELISHA’S MIRACLES: Bible enthusiasts have a treat in store at the Princeton Theological Seminary’s Erdman Center at 20 Library Place where illuminated images like this one of “Elisha and the Six Miracles” by renowned calligrapher Donald Jackson (here in collaboration with Aidan Hart) are on display in an exhibition of prints from The Saint John’s Bible project. The exhibition runs through May 10 with several educational events open to the public as well. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; and Sunday, 1:30 to 9 p.m. For more information, call (609) 497-7990, or visit: www.ptsem.edu. (Image Courtesy of Erdman Center)

The idea of a handwritten illuminated Bible conjures up the image of a heavy leather-bound tome reverently presented for display in a glass case in some hushed library. Most of the examples we see today were created by monks laboring for years.

Thanks to the efforts of one contemporary calligrapher who is scribe to Queen Elizabeth II’s Crown Office at the House of Lords in London, England, the form has been revived. Donald Jackson has been commissioned by a Benedictine monastery to create the first completely handwritten and illuminated Bible since the invention of the printing press more than 500 years ago, the most extensive scribal commission the world has seen since the Middle Ages.

Mr. Jackson suggested the project to the monks at a monastery in Wales and he can be found talking about the project and demonstrating his skill with hand-cut quill and ink that he makes himself on You Tube (www.youtube.com/watch?v=BK9oCX5lBLQ). A team of scribes, artists, and crafts-people in a Welsh scriptorium worked on The Saint John’s Bible for more than 13 years.

Prints on loan from The Saint John’s Bible are currently on display in the Princeton Theological Seminary’s Erdman Gallery. The exhibition runs through May 10.

The Erdman gallery exhibition, which is free and open to the public, is a rare chance to view a unique project intended to “ignite the spiritual imagination of Christian believers throughout the world and illuminate the Word of God using ancient traditions and today’s technology for a new millennium.” It features 25 approximately 22 by 30 inch giclée prints from the illuminated Bible that was commissioned in 1998 by the Benedictine monks of Saint John’s Abbey and University in Collegeville, Minnesota.

Standout prints include Jacob’s Ladder by Donald Jackson in collaboration with Chris Tomlin; Faithful Friends by Diane von Arx with scribe Brian Simpson; Donald Jackson’s Village of the Dry Bones and The Life of Paul; and two works by Thomas Ingmire: Messianic Prediction and The Ten Commandments. For the latter, the artist’s brief was to combine five different passages from Exodus into one single illumination. Mr. Ingmire’s is a modern take on his subject. While the top half of the page depicts traditional images of burning bush, the first Passover, the crossing of the Red Sea, and the twelve pillars of Israel with Biblical texts arranged across them in gold lettering, the bottom half of the page contains the Ten Commandments in letters that are stenciled rather than penned, or should we say “quilled.” The result emphasizes the authoritative nature of the “laws.”

Don’t miss Chris Tomlin’s Monarch Butterflies, alongside which helpful wall notes explain the symbolic significance of the butterfly in Christian art. You will also learn that that the margins of medieval Bibles were often decorated with plants and animals that had symbolic meaning and that all of the species of flora and fauna depicted in the margins of the Saint John’s Bible are either native to the Minnesota woods surrounding St. John’s University or to the Welsh countryside near Donald Jackson’s home. Mr. Tomlin, a specialist in botanical and nature illustration, went to Minnesota to research marginalia subjects.

Along with the show, the Seminary plans three special events that are also open to the public. On Wednesday, April 22, at 7 p.m. Tim Ternes, director of The Saint John’s Bible at the Hill Museum and Manuscript Library, will recount the story behind the project and discuss the art on display. His interactive presentation, “From Inspiration to Illumination: An Introduction to The Saint John’s Bible,” takes place in the Erdman Center. To attend, register at www.ptsem.edu/stjohnbible.

Working directly with the project’s artistic team, Mr. Ternes facilitates exhibitions for the original pages and reproductions, as well as curating and caring for the original folios of the Bible. He travels extensively offering presentations, exhibitions, and educational programs for the Bible project and library collections. “They’ve brought together a team of theologians and artists who thought through the entire project,” said Dayle Rounds, associate dean of continuing education at the Seminary. “It’s amazing to hear Tim [Ternes] walk you through each of the images on display.”

Following Mr. Ternes’s presentation, there will be a reception and a demonstration of techniques used in the creation of the Bible by calligrapher Diane Von Arx, whose own work is among those on display.

A native Minnesotan, Ms. Von Arx has been a graphic designer for more than 25 years. She specializes in creative lettering and calligraphy and conducts workshops throughout the U.S., Canada, Japan, and Australia. She has published three beginning calligraphy workbooks and her work has been included in numerous exhibitions and private collections.

One of only three U. S. calligraphers asked to participate in the creation of The Saint John’s Bible, Ms. Von Arx will share her experiences as an artist working on this more than a decade-long project as well as her personal insights on the creative process and the challenges of going from word to image with sacred texts.

For those interested in delving deeper into the project and even trying their hand at grinding inks and using hand-cut quills, the Seminary is offering a 24 hour retreat, “Seeing the Word: A Retreat with The Saint John’s Bible” on April 22 and April 23.

Led by Mr. Ternes and Ms. von Arx, participants will examine the creative and artistic processes involved and “enter into a deeper understanding of the scriptural passages with the new, exciting way of experiencing God’s Word: visio divina.” The cost of the retreat is $145 and includes the program and three meals. For a complete schedule or to register, visit www.ptsem.edu/stjohnsbible.

The Erdman Art Gallery is located in the Erdman Center at 20 Library Place, Princeton. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; and Sunday, 1:30 to 9 p.m.

For more information, call (609) 497-7990, or visit: www.ptsem.edu.