Behind barbed wire, a grand baptismal complex dominates Israel’s riverbank, and beyond it a lookout sits on the crest of a hill. Near the place where the Prince of Peace may have been baptized, a soldier with a machine gun watches us impassively, and steps away from any cameras that happen to point his way.
The town of Gadara was decimated by earthquake in the eighth century. Much of it was rebuilt in the Ottoman period, but the ruins of a theatre, nymphtaeum and mausoleum date back to Roman times. The ruins of a sixth century basilica also boast an unusual octagonal interior sanctum. According to our guide, such sanctums were exclusively used in churches built where Christ had spent time during his ministry.
Once the chariot-rutted streets of Gerasa bustled with life and commerce and its buildings were adorned with painted facades. From the days of Alexander the Great, the city rose in size and brilliance, until the Muslim conquest in 636 and a massive earthquake in 747 destroyed many of the structures.
Some scholars suggest the parting of the Red Sea may have arisen from a mistranslation of the Hebrew yam suph, meaning God parted not the Red Sea but a more modest Reed Sea. But the parting of the Red Sea has featured prominently in religious tradition and imaginations for centuries. It is named for its crimson coral reefs, which sometimes reflect the light of the sun and make the water seem red.
After following a seemingly endless, twisting road up mountains and past desert vistas, one can’t help finding a new appreciation for a 40-year-long journey through such rugged land. Even from a cushy air-conditioned bus it looks formidable. And from the top of Mount Nebo, one can imagine 120-year-old Moses, sinewy, sun-darkened, leaning heavily on his staff and shading his eyes as he finally views the Promised Land.
The Nabataean city of Petra is the best-known historical site in Jordan. It’s kilometers of rose-coloured sandstone has been hewn into countless tombs and intricate water systems which once served a city of about 30,000 people. Today only heaps of rock mark the place where their dwellings stood, but the tomb city remains an enduring monument to their honoured dead and their ingenious artisans.
This expanse of desert and rock once sheltered the well-known British officer T. E. Lawrence, or Lawrence of Arabia, who helped lead the Arab Revolt from 1916-1918. Evidence of ancient peoples, including the Nabataeans, can be found in images or scripts carved into stones.
With spas, pools, and plenty of mud to make our skin silky-smooth, it was a relaxing end to a fast-paced, whirlwind tour of the country. But it was a little strange to end our trip by this lake where nothing can live, and at the lowest point on Earth still on dry land.
Thursday morning dawned dreary and rain-swept and quiet. For participants, this was a day of rest–a mid-week Sabbath. A continental breakfast was served in residence, […]
It was strangely hushed in the sanctuary. Five hundred voices whispered to silence as Sarah Travis took to the pulpit. Last night’s service had been […]
Mission Track participants descended on a community of low income housing, rolling up their sleeves and ready to turn the ramshackle residences into environmentally sustainable […]
Canada Youth got into full swing today despite a foreboding sky, as youth and leaders were broken into “sequoia” small groups. Members in each were […]
The excitement was palpable as young people from across the country piled out of buses and minivans. Piles of luggage grew. Brown t-shirts multiplied. Old […]
During his final remarks as moderator of the 2008 General Assembly, Rev. Cheol Soon Park asked for special prayers for Canada’s oil industry. “It’s a […]
Monday was spent navigating the maze-like corridors of McMaster University to attend briefing groups. As the name implies, these groups provide commissioners with a brief […]
A magnificent pipe organ dominated centre stage, flanked by large overhead screens and surrounded by the murmur of voices. As worship began, the voices gave […]