The fifty manuscripts, printed books, and broadsides selected for this exhibition represent the core strengths of Bridwell Library’s rare book collections. Produced in Europe and the Americas from the twelfth century to the nineteenth, the highlights on display feature illuminated manuscripts and early editions of essential Christian writings, important examples that show the role of books in religious practice, texts owned and inscribed by the founders of Methodism, and several true rarities not found at other libraries. The exhibition is organized around six areas of particular collecting interest:

              

Bibles

Theology and Church History

Worship and Devotion

The Reformation

Wesleyana and Methodistica

19th-Century Prayer Books

These categories outline the trajectory of Christian thought from the medieval period through the Reformation to the rise of Methodism and nineteenth-century devotion. Beyond their significance as Christian texts, numerous items throughout the exhibition also display important aspects of book production, fine illustrations, and evidence of early ownership and use. Collectively, these varied books and manuscripts reflect the uncommonly strong foundation for advanced research that Bridwell Library provides for Perkins School of Theology and all visitors to Southern Methodist University.