The Society of Bible Craftsmanship: An Introduction
This post has a two-fold purpose: one of my goals is perennial, and one is time sensitive. The first task, the timeless one, is to introduce a new organization, a society whose launch heralds an exciting new chapter in the recent history of Bible publishing. It’s called the Society of Bible Craftsmanship (SoBC), and the best way to introduce it is to share the official description, which I had a hand in writing:
Museum of the Bible is proud to announce the founding of the Society of Bible Craftsmanship (SoBC). The Society of Bible Craftsmanship celebrates beauty, creativity, and innovation in the field of Bible publishing. The society’s mission is to nurture and highlight excellence in the industry and to help the general reader discover and appreciate all that goes into the finest examples of Bible craftsmanship—in all languages, in all media.
A central task of the society will be to periodically gather and exhibit new Bible publications from around the world. The society’s awards program will recognize the finest work in a broad range of categories, with winners exhibited at Museum of the Bible in Washington, DC.
The Bible is one of the most important books ever to be published and also one of the most challenging in terms of design and production. Today, the innovation displayed in meeting these challenges is at an all-time high. In partnership with publishers and industry professionals, the society will host events and virtual seminars though Museum of the Bible to explore every aspect of craftsmanship, illuminating the work of translators and editors, designers and typographers, printers and bookbinders, and many other contributors to the production process. The society’s e-newsletter will also showcase the best writing on Bible craftsmanship.
Museum of the Bible hopes, through the Society of Bible Craftsmanship, to promote the flourishing of contemporary Bible publishing and reading.
The reason I helped write this description is that I was invited by Museum of the Bible to join the Steering Committee of the new Society. For the past few months, I have been working behind the scenes to bring the Society’s mission into focus and prepare for our launch event later this month. As my work with the SoBC progresses, I will be writing more about it here, which is a good reason to subscribe to the Lectio newsletter for notifications.
And that brings me to the time-sensitive portion of the post.
On August 27, 2022, Museum of the Bible is hosting a day-long Bible Craftsmanship Conference. Attendees with get to participate in design-focused tours of the Museum’s holdings, see exhibitions of beautiful recent designs, and attend a variety of lectures, including one by me titled “Curating the Future of Bible Design.” If you’re able to attend the event in person at the Museum in Washington, D.C., that’s ideal, but you can also attend virtually along with industry professionals from around the world. I have a feeling this August 27 launch of the Society will be one of those moments we look back on years from now as a major turning point. If you’re in the industry, if you’re fasciated by Bible design, or if you simply love the Bible and want to learn more about how it is designed and produced, the Bible Craftsmanship Conference is where you want to be.
For a full agenda, more details, and ticket information, follow this link to the Museum’s event page.
Also, if you do attend the event, I would love to meet you! Please introduce yourself. Even better, shoot me an e-mail in advance and let me know you’ll be coming. It is always a pleasure to meet readers in the flesh!
