Research Guides: The Saint John's Bible, Heritage Edition: Spirituality, Liturgy, and Lectio Divina

Illumination from the Saint John's Bible

Luke 23:44-49: The Crucifixion

Eric Hollas, O.S.B.: Text and Pen: The Legacy of Biblical Art and The Saint John's Bible

Lectio Divina

Lying at the heart of Benedictine spirituality is lectio divina, the silent, prayerful, and meditative reading of sacred Scripture. This method of Scripture study is still part of Benedictine life, and it follows a set pattern: opening prayer, reading the text, studying the text,meditating and ruminating on the text, and a final prayer. Lectio divina allows the reader to critique and judge the religious, theological, and spiritual content of the text without doubting that the words that humans have written on the page are really the word of God.

The SJB works with two human senses, hearing and sight: the bible passages are meant to be read aloud, preferably in a community at prayer. This is the Catholic tradition as well as the Benedictine tradition. Images are meant to be seen and the fullness of their interpretation comes from the Christian interpretation.

Archives & Special Collections can display the Saint John's Bible to groups focused on spirituality, including local churches and SCU Campus Ministry.

Resources for Using the Saint John's Bible in Liturgy and Spirituality

Seeing The Word
Seeing the Word is a program of guided reflection that makes it possible to pray with images from The Saint John's Bible - the first handwritten and illuminated Bible commissioned by a Benedictine Abbey in more than 500 years. The website contains many guides for using the Saint John's Bible for church groups, campus ministry, or individual prayer.
Seeing The Word Blog
The blog for Seeing The Word contains written and audio/video reflections on many illuminations from the Saint John's Bible.
The Saint John's Bible at McDonalds
A touching story about the Saint John's Bible being displayed in an unusual place.