Donald Jackson, a Welsh calligrapher and the artistic director of the illuminated Saint John’s Bible, will speak at the University of Notre Dame on Oct. 26 at 7 p.m. The lecture kicks off “A Year with the Saint John’s Bible,” a series of lectures and interactive events coinciding with an exhibition of the Saint John’s Bible Heritage Edition in the Hesburgh Library.
The Saint John’s Bible is a handwritten text featuring more than 160 inspired images that illuminate the deepest mysteries of God’s Word. Jackson collaborated with Benedictine monks at Saint John’s Abbey and University in Collegeville, Minnesota and numerous scribes and artists to produce the seven-volume manuscript.
During his lecture “Ancient Texts in a Modern World,” Jackson will explore the Bible’s sacred text and art and discuss the project’s history. The lecture will be held in Andrews Auditorium in Geddes Hall.
“A Year with the Saint John’s Bible” is sponsored by the McGrath Institute for Church Life. The Heritage Edition, a high-quality reproduction of the original manuscript, arrives in January at the university where it will be displayed in the Hesburgh Library Department of Rare Books and Special Collections until December.
"The Scriptures are not just any text. Rather, through the Bible, we come to encounter the Incarnate Word dwelling even now in the Church,” said John Cavadini, McGrath-Cavadini Director of the McGrath Institute for Church Life. “The Saint John's Bible nourishes the imagination of the modern world to see the Scriptures once again as an encounter with the person of Jesus Christ."
Students, faculty, staff and the public are welcome to attend Jackson’s lecture.
For more information on the Saint John’s Bible, visit www.saintjohnsbible.org.
Contact: Brett Robinson, Director of Communications, McGrath Institute for Church Life, 574-631-6109, brobins6@nd.edu.
The McGrath Institute for Church Life at Notre Dame partners with Catholic dioceses, parishes and schools to address pastoral challenges with theological depth and rigor. By connecting the Catholic intellectual life at Notre Dame to the life of the Church, the McGrath Institute for Church Life forms faithful Catholic leaders for service to the Church and the world. Visit icl.nd.edu.