This year Chapman, through the Office of Church Relations, is hosting one of the seven volumes of The Saint John’s Bible, Heritage Edition. If you could not be with us last month at Founders Day to learn about this, The Saint John’s Bible is the first hand-written, hand illuminated Bible to be created since the invention of the printing press. This 7-volume work was done using medieval techniques—writing on calfskin vellum with Chinese calligraphy inks made in the 1870’s using goose, swan and turkey quills as pens. What we have on campus is one of 299 full-sized lithographic museum quality reproductions. To learn more about it and to page through the Bible go to http://saintjohnsbible.org/Promotions/Explore/.
With its art, this Bible exemplifies three 21st century ideals and invites us to encounter anew our ancient text:
This Bible highlights and celebrates the lives & stories of women;
This Bible lifts up the broad biblical ethic to include and care for those whom society has pushed to the margins;
And finally, this Bible celebrates science, technology and discovery.
I am raising money so that Chapman can be one of the 299 world locations where people can see and study this unique piece of art. We are having a wonderful time hosting weekly Bible study for students and the Bible has traveled to classrooms in a wide variety of disciplines.
Currently I have a $25,000 anonymous challenge to our Disciples of Christ and United Church of Christ friends of Chapman, as well as, our ecumenical Founders Day participants. Any 2019 donations you make toward the Bible, up to the full amount, will be matched by this donor. Currently we have just over $9,000 in gifts and pledges toward this challenge.
To donate and have your donation matched, either send a check made out to Chapman University, memo line “Saint John’s Bible”, and mail it to Nancy Brink, Office of Church Relations, 1 University Drive, Orange, CA 92866. Or you can use this secure giving link:
https://secure.touchnet.com/C27377_ustores/web/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCTID=501&SINGLESTORE=true
This year is the 100th anniversary of Charles Clarke Chapman offering a $400,000 matching challenge to southern California Disciples of Christ. Within a few months they did just that and the college opened the following year. Let’s celebrate our heritage by bringing this outstanding artistic and theological inspiration to Chapman University!
Easter blessings,
Rev. Nancy E. Brink