The ‘Biblia Sacra’ Project

Introduction

Biblia Sacra is an electronic bibliography, allowing its users to request information (text and reproductions) on bibles, individual bible books or parts thereof, printed in the Netherlands and Belgium, or bibles printed in other countries that might reasonably be expected to be destined for the Dutch or Belgian market.

Biblia Sacra provides extensive descriptions and numerous reproductions of typographical and iconographical material. It gives information on both the editions and the individual copies, such as provenance and binding. Other important data in the bibliography covers bible illustrations, printing types, prefaces, translators, printers, and previous owners.

As a rule, all bibles printed in the Low Countries are presented in the electronic bibliography, whatever language they may be printed in. However, only translations of the bible text itself are included. Examples of portions of bible books or bibles that are part of the bibliography are penitential psalms, florilegia (if the texts originate from published translations) and Epistolae et Evangelia. Excluded are all adaptations, such as rhymed versions, retellings, rearrangements or reordering. Examples hereof are Souterliedekens (rhymed Psalm songs), lifes of Jesus, books of hours, litanies, the Lord’s prayers, passions, sermons wherein parts of the bible are quoted, and picture bibles.

The first phase of the Biblia Sacra project (1477-1553) was the result of a combined research project, initiated by the Faculty of Humanities of the Universiteit van Amsterdam (the Netherlands) and the Faculty of Theology of the University of Louvain (Belgium) in cooperation with the Faculty of Theology of the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam.

Editor: prof.dr. August den Hollander

Contributors: Mark Aalderink, Hinke Bakker, dr. Nelly de Hommel-Steenbakkers, dr. Luc Knapen, Gwendolyn Verbraak

Advisors: prof.dr. Chris Coppens, dr. Wim François, prof.dr. Mathijs Lamberigts, prof.dr. Piet Visser

The second phase of the Biblia Sacra project (1554-1800), which was completed in 2014, was carried out by researchers from the Faculty of Theology of the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and of the Koninklijke Bibliotheek at The Hague.

Editor: prof.dr. August den Hollander

Contributors: Suzanne den Hollander, dr. Nelly de Hommel-Steenbakkers, Mathieu Knops, Henk de Korte (volunteer).

Biblia Sacra could only be realised thanks to the friendly cooperation of many libraries and scholars.