» On Wednesday after supper, Jim Trigg from St John's, Collegeville (USA) delivered to the community a presentation on the St John's Bible, a project of the abbey and university at Collegeville. The project began in the mid-90s, and only finished in 2011. The St John's Bible is a seven-volume illuminated bible using the text of the NRSV and under the artistic direction of Donald Jackson, who lives in Wales. Mr Trigg displayed one volume of the Heritage edition of the Bible, of which there are only 299 sets.
It is a magnificent work of book production that hearkens back to the great days of medieval illuminated manuscripts. Leather bound, with fine calligraphy and gold- and silver-treated illuminations in various styles by a number of artists on cotton paper, it is a sight to behold and seems very much fitted to the stated aim of the project, "to ignite the spiritual imagination of believers".
There is a more commercial, far-less expensive, coffee-book style set available in the UK at St Martin's-in-the-Fields and Norwich Books. The Heritage Edition is such an intricate work of art that it is priced at the level that would suit institions and wealthy individuals. There is also the possibility of the Heritage Edition being part of a travelling display that could be hosted at monasteries, cathedrals and universities.
