St. John's Bible: Home

Historical Books, the fifth volume of The Heritage Edition of The Saint John's Bible, is available to view at the Oscar Rennebohm Library. Psalms is in St.Joseph Chapel and Wisdom Books in the Predolin lobby.

The Saint John’s Bible is the first Bible to be commissioned by a Benedictine Abbey in more than 550 years. The seven-volume Bible, with more than 1100 pages of calfskin vellum, has been handwritten and hand-illuminated over the course of eleven years. This Bible has been written in a newer translation – the New Revised Standard Version.

Thanks to a generous donor, Ken Ballweg, Edgewood College began with a program called “a year with the St. John’s Bible”. The following year, through several donor’s enthusiasm, including faculty and staff, Edgewood College was able to permanently acquire the complete Heritage Edition. Here are the volumes of this magnificent piece of art:

1. Gospels / Acts

2. Pentateuch

3. Letters & Revelation

4. Wisdom Books

5. Historical Books

6. Prophets

7. Psalms

• Egg yolks and water (often called "egg tempura") were mixed with powdered pigments to make a thicker, more vivid ink/paint in the original Saint John's Bible.
• Six different scribes worked on the Saint John's Bible over a duration of 11 years. Because of this, you can see subtle differences in the final script.
• Goose, turkey and swan feathers were used as quills. Goose quills were used for the main lettering, while turkey and swan quills were used for larger letterforms.
• Mistakes made by scribes while writing the Bible were fixed by covering them up with illustrations of animals like birds, lemurs, and insects. 

• Call 608-663‑3300 during library hours.
• Fill out the email form or use LibAnswers@edgewood.edu.
• Text your question to 608-554‑1480.
• Make an appointment to video chat with a librarian.