Date/Time
Date(s) - November 13, 2026
1:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Location
John Richard Allison Library (Regent College)
Categories No Categories
All are invited to a complementary half-day symposium and a special exhibition of this seven-volume illuminated Bible.
Please join us on Friday, November 13, for a half-day event celebrating the fifth anniversary of The Saint John’s Bible Heritage Edition at Regent College. This event features a special exhibition of the seven-volume Heritage Edition and talks by leading scholars who will help us unpack the historical and theological importance of The Saint John’s Bible, the first handwritten illuminated Bible commissioned by a Benedictine monastery in over 500 years. This event is free, and all are welcome.
To learn more about The Saint John’s Bible Heritage Edition, which was generously donated to Regent College by Julie Hindmarsh in honour of Dr. James M. Houston, please visit the John Richard Allison Library website.
Program
Afternoon, 1–5 pm
From Inspiration to Illumination: An Introduction to The Saint John’s Bible
Tim Ternes
Through video, reproductions, and rich visual images, participants will be introduced to The Saint John’s Bible. Guests will learn about the processes, tools, methods, and materials behind the making of The Saint John’s Bible, and will explore several artworks through engaging and thought-provoking guided imagery discussions.
Reception
Tea and refreshments will be served.
The Material Culture of Medieval Books and Patterns of Devotional Reading
Bruce Hindmarsh
The practice of prayerful reading that we associate with the Middle Ages derived in part simply from the rarity and value of the written word. When you have opportunity to read a book that is quite literally treasured, your attention is heightened and your concentration focused. You come to the text with the expectation of a profound encounter. You linger over every word, memorize as much as possible, and receive it authoritatively. All these features of reading came naturally and almost by accident for the medieval reader, given the preciousness of the written word. In its exquisite artistry, The Saint John’s Bible is a luminous reminder that today we must retrain ourselves in a critical theory of spiritual reading to experience these same graces.
Visual Theology in Manuscript Illumination
Jonathan Anderson
In the long Christian traditions of manuscript illumination, images are used not simply to illustrate or ornament scriptural texts but to conduct constructive visual-theological commentary and contemplation about these texts. In this lecture, Jonathan Anderson will explore The Saint John’s Bible in dialogue with longer traditions of Christian visual theology in illuminated manuscripts.
Evening, 7–9 pm
Word and Image: The Saint John’s Bible
Tim Ternes
This is an opportunity to further explore the art of The Saint John’s Bible and get a peek into the theological and artistic process behind several illuminations. Join Tim Ternes as he leads participants in discussing specific scripture passages and their accompanying artworks in The Saint John’s Bible. Through questioning, guided observations, and group discussions, guests will have their spiritual imaginations stretched as they collectively unpack the creative process of seeing the Word. Guests will gain new insights and connections between passages and fellow participants.
Special Exhibition
A special exhibition of the Heritage Edition of The Saint John’s Bible and other rare books will be available for viewing before and after each of the day’s sessions.
Information for Attendees
Location: John Richard Allison Library, Regent College (5800 University Blvd, Vancouver)
Parking: Regent College does not have its own parking lot. Paid parking options are available nearby with metered parking on Western Parkway, among other locations, and covered pay parking at the Thunderbird Parkade. See parking.ubc.ca for more info.
https://www.regent-college.edu/resources/events/2026-11-13-word-and-image/