For a second year, the McGrath Institute for Church Life launched a free online series entitled “Journey with The Saint John’s Bible.” Across six units, participants are invited to learn about the beauty of Scripture, art, and practices of prayer both ancient and new.
The first unit consists of six videos—each clocking in at around 15 minutes or less—providing a foundational introduction to the manuscript tradition, The Saint John's Bible itself, and the prayer practices of lectio and visio divina. The remaining five units each include four videos: one explores an illumination from The Saint John's Bible, another unpacks the Scripture passage it depicts, and the remaining two will provide guided experiences of lectio and visio divina.
The series features professors from Notre Dame’s theology department and Medieval Institute, as well as faculty and staff from the McGrath Institute itself. There are no assigned readings. There is no homework. There are no requirements of any kind, simply an invitation to watch and to learn and to pray.
At a basic level, the series is meant to provide a rich fare of food for thought, nourishing the imaginations of those who participate. At a more profound level, it is intended to offer a way for people to deepen their relationship with God. The goal here is not simply to introduce people to The Saint John's Bible as a work of scriptural art, or to its beautiful illuminations; the goal is to show people how art can enrich their understanding of Scripture, how Scripture can come to life in a beautiful way through visual art, and, perhaps most importantly, how praying with both art and especially Scripture can lead to an encounter with the Word of God, the Word who “was in the beginning with God” (John 1:2), the Word through whom “all things came to be” (John 1:3), the Word who “became flesh and lived among us” (John 1:14).
The Saint John's Bible Heritage Edition photo courtesy of Saint John’s University, Collegeville, Minnesota. Used with permission. All rights reserved.