The vibrant images and elegant hand-drawn script of The Saint John’s Bible have inspired scholars, preachers, musicians, and artists in their creative works. Commissioned by Saint John's Abbey and University in Minnesota, The Saint John’s Bible was created by a team of artists led by calligrapher Donald Jackson using traditional materials such as vellum, ancient inks, gold leaf, and quill pens. All seven volumes of a rare, fine art “Heritage Edition” of The Saint John’s Bible are coming to Duke University as a permanent resource for students, faculty, and community members. Dr. Daniel Train is among the leaders of the effort to bring The Saint John’s Bible to campus; he is the associate director of Duke Initiatives in Theology and the Arts and also a co-editor of the book The Saint John's Bible and Its Tradition: Illuminating Beauty in the Twenty-First Century. In this episode of Sounds of Faith, Dr. Train talks about how the hundreds of paintings, called illuminations, in The Saint John’s Bible bring to life the sacred book’s words and faith.
