European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 1, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse Page10a stars and stripes m i d e ast e edition april 2007 religion Handwritten Bible revisits ancient tradition by Matt Sedensky the associated press the pages Are made of the Ink is 500 years the letters each perfectly inscribed with and yet for an the Antiquity the Johns Bible there Are decidedly mod Ern signs too images of terrorist Urban apartment even cheering football this Bible is More than a massive sacred text being painstakingly Handwritten and illustrated at a master calligraphers studio at a converted shed in Wales the first Effort of its size in five the text is a remarkable convergence of past and present that has created a timeless Art a Spiri Tual inspiration and an idealistic reflection of the universality of including every thing from prehistoric Cave paintings to satellite images from in a it seeks to be All things to All this is the said Donald Jack who is the Lead scribe on the the voices of people in different cultures and voicing their yearning for closeness to portions of the massive seven volume Bible expected to Cost its sponsors about million when its done Are on display through next month at the Naples museum of visitors see not Only the remarkable calligraphy that seems too perfect to have come from the human but the artistic interpretations of they Are on pages nearly 2 feet High and 16 inches they vary from simple illustrations of to Oneo faking portray such As that of the creation which is represented in a panel of seven Side beside strips depicting the initial chaos of the worlds the emergence of human life and the divine Day of Jackson did most of the illustrations or illuminations but five others Are helping with much of the lettering and nine guest artists have also the images chosen to illustrate the text represent a remarkable in the parable of the prodigal son includes the simple rectangular towers a Reader would identify As the obliterated world Trade Center to represent the need for forgiveness and to seek alternatives to re the Story of Adam and eve features an african Man and whose likenesses were influenced by photographs of ethiopian tribes they Are surrounded by designs photos Courtesy or the Hill museum and manuscript Library at Johns the illustrations Are among Many Beautiful pages in the illuminated Johns Bible on exhibit through april 6 in calligrapher Donald Jackson and a handful of contributors Are behind the massive which is expected to Cost the sponsors about million when its from left is a Page illustrating Jesus the sower and the seed Story and Adam and taken from objects As varied As peruvian Feather capes and Middle Eastern in a depiction of the there is a Gold column of but also simple Black outlines of spectators at a College football if these words have any importance it int an importance that belongs in the Jackson if there is any importance at there going to always be important in the past and in the fun the Bible also Aims at religious in for one Large image is superimposed with digital voice prints elec tronic images of they include not Only Johns monks but a sacred song of native the sound of a jewish mens Buddhist tantric har the islamic Call to taoist Temple a popular hindu devotional and a Indian we wanted a sense of ecumenism and sort of All of humanity seeking god As an underlying even though its in a Bible that is specifically said the Eric a Benedictine Monk at Johns Abbey in which commissioned the the new revised Standard version trans lation is used because most major Christian denominations approve of the undertaking is a historic while other religious traditions have maintained a custom of hand penning their sacred it has fallen out of favor in christianity since the Middle the Johns Bible is considered the most ambitious undertaking of its kind in 500 Christopher de a medieval manuscript scholar at Cam Bridge University in said the project is so monumental that it defies Reli the Bible is probably the most important the most widely circulated the most Central text in Western civilize de Hamel whether its True or not True is and to take that great which has been copied by hand for two thirds of its and to recreate it by hand As it was in the Middle is As thrilling As rebuilding the Parthenon using the same kind of Marble or the same kind of or building a new stonehenge by dragging giant stones across the Jackson who received a scholarship to Art school at the age of 13 and taught College himself at 20 had dreamed of creating a Handwritten Bible for decades before he began the he pitched the idea to Hollas 12 years and three years later Hollas found himself signing a contract commissioning the project on behalf of the Cath Olic we wanted to do something in a would be a gift to the Hollas aside from his responsibilities penning Royal documents for the House of 69yearold Jackson has refused other work since beginning the the project was to be finished this but has fallen be Hind schedule and Likely wont be Complete until fall raised a said he has grown More spiritual As the project pro he first saw it As an artistic Chal Lenge he feels More deeply about the books precisely How he said he Hopes others will react it seems that the words have value when you go through the trouble to do it in this he Colorado largest episcopal Parish votes to leave denomination by Colleen Slevin the associated press Denver Colorado largest episcopal congregation was left in turmoil after leaders voted to leave the denomination and the Bishop responded by dismissing the Parish the controversy at Colorado Springs Grace episcopal Church and Stephens Parish is the lat est in a tense dispute among episcopalians and their fellow anglicans worldwide Over How they should interpret what the Bible says about sexuality and other is the vestry of Grace Church and Stephens Parish on Mon Day voted to Bolt from the nation Al Church and instead join a conservative anglican Church based in the move came three months after its pastor was placed ii suspension amid an investigation of Church Bishop Robert Oneill rejected the Church dismissing the local leaders and saying the Colo Rado Springs Parish would re main part of the episcopal the fact is people May leave the episcopal Church but parishes Oneill said in a state the Church longtime the Donald Armstrong who was suspended late last said Oneill no longer has jurisdiction Over the he Doest have an the courts will not interfere in an internal Church dispute and the congregation is solidly behind Armstrong Beckett spokeswoman for the Colorado said Church Law states that All Parish property and assets Are held in Trust for the she declined to comment on armstrongs read the leaders of Grace and Stephens voted to join the convocation of anglicans in North a missionary diocese of the Church of Nigeria led by Arch Bishop Peter Armstrong has led the congregation for 19 the diocese said in a statement 3 that he had been placed on 90day leave the previous following a nine month review of the Church it did not release details of the allegations against Parish leaders cited the handling of armstrongs along with the denominations rejection of the historic As reasons for the senior Warden Jon Wroblewski said the Parish had fought for a re turn to orthodoxy within the de nomination but has lost Hope in re its Clear that the episcopal Church no longer believes in the orthodox Christian Faith common to All its also Clear that purported episcopal values of inclusion do not apply to orthodox Wroblewski said in the several Virginia episcopal churches voted late last year to align with including prominent congregations in fair fax and Falls clergy in the breakaway churches were warned by episcopal leaders that they could be removed from the the episcopal Church is the Wing of the 77 million Mem Ber anglican a Fellowship of churches that traces its roots to the Church of in anglicans have been debating for decades How they should inter pret scripture on truth and those divisions reached the breaking Point in 2003 when episcopalians Conse crated the Church first openly Gay Gene Robinson of new
