In Principio Review
Michelle Sellers had a great idea and crafted a great little book. She takes the Latin text of John 1:1–7 and sets it so that you can either translate it yourself or write in your favorite translation. (Yes, there’s vocabulary help, so this is suitable for a student in the process of learning Latin and for those of us who have studied it ages ago.) Each line is paired with a beautiful work of art that grants meditative pause and emphasizes the majesty of God’s Word and His revelation for us.
Seven verses celebrated in art.
The second half of the book consists of images from illuminated medieval and renaissance manuscripts, where you, again, find verses and allusions to John 1:1–7. Which is to say, this little book lets you figure out texts and apply your Latin-translating self to beautiful real copies of Scripture, written 500–700 years ago!
If you have a coffee table, you should get this book. And of course if someone in your household has studied Latin! Although, again, you don’t need to study Latin for this to be beautiful and meaningful. Pre-readers could memorize this text, as it is laid out so well, and Latin is phonetic.
Look through it using the Amazon Look Inside feature. It’s awesome! Admittedly when I tried to look through it just now, I wasn’t able to see the manuscripts with the old fonts and festoons. But never fear. 🙂 There are answers in the back in case you couldn’t actually understand the scripts. Because Michelle Sellers thought of everything.
A great little book to help us to pause in consideration of what God does for us in Christ Jesus, our Lord, and the beautiful revelation of John 1. Around 50 pages. Square.
In principio erat Verbum!
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