|
May 1 - 17, 2013
With tour leaders Tom Yoder Neufeld and Fred Redekop
This special 17-day tour takes you to Turkey and Greece to explore the world Paul traveled during his missionary journeys. You will see many ancient sites that show what life was like in Paul's day, as well as explore present-day life with mosques, churches and markets in bustling cities and in rural areas. Tom Yoder Neufeld, Professor of Religious Studies (New Testament) at Conrad Grebel University College, University of Waterloo, Ontario, will lead Bible studies and explain Paul's teachings in light of his world and time. In addition to university teaching and administration, Tom is involved in congregational preaching and teaching. He has been a pastor as well as hospital and prison chaplain. Fred Redekop, who is pastor at the Floradale Mennonite Church, Floradale, Ontario, and who has led previous tours to Turkey and Greece with Tom, will be the tour administrator. This tour can be taken for university credit, although it will be of interest to all persons interested in enriching their Bible knowledge and learning about Paul's world.
Click here to read past blogs about this tour.
 The magnificent Hagia Sophia
The group will depart on an evening flight from either Toronto, Ontario, or Newark, New Jersey, via Europe. We will arrive in Istanbul, Turkey, on Thursday afternoon. We will stay for three nights in Istanbul.
Our tour of Istanbul today includes the Golden Horn area, the ancient city of Constantinople. It includes the famous Hagia Sophia (Holy Wisdom), built in 532 AD, and for almost a thousand years the largest church in all of Christendom; the Blue Mosque with six minarets and a middle dome of 109 feet; and an underground cistern. We will visit the Church of Saint George, the patriarchate of the Greek Orthodox Church; see old Christian and traditional Jewish quarters; and the Bulgarian steel church. On Saturday morning, we will visit the impressive mosque of Suleiman the Magnificent; Topkapi Palace, home of the sultans of the Ottoman Empire; and the Kariye Museum (Chora church). Enjoy an afternoon cruise on the Bosphorus, the narrow body of water that divides the city and the continents of Europe and Asia, followed by a visit to the Spice Bazaar.
Our first stop this morning after crossing the Bosphorus will be in Iznik (Nicaea), the location where the Nicene Creed was adopted by the church. After visiting St. Sophia Church, we will head south to Bursa, for centuries the capital of the Turkish Empire. We will visit the Green Mosque, the Great Mosque of Ulu Camii, and the ancient covered bazaar. On Monday, we will travel through this rich agricultural region to the biblical city of Sardis, one of the seven churches of Revelation. We will visit the Roman baths, a large Jewish synagogue, and the temple of Artemis and a small adjoining church dating from the 4th century. Then, it’s on to Pamukkale where thermal spring water cascades over white petrified lime from a height of some 300 feet. Overnight in Pamukkale area.
 The amazing ruins at Ephesus
The day will begin at ancient Hieropolis, a thermal resort founded in 200 BC. Of particular interest are the large necropolis (cemetery), the Roman theater, and the pilgrimage site of Philip the Evangelist’s martyrdom. Our next stop will be at Aphrodisias, the city dedicated to Aphrodite, the goddess of love, beauty and fertility, where we will visit the temple, stadium, theatre and a museum displaying important Roman era pieces relevant to the study of Paul. We will stay for two nights in Kusadasi on the waters of the Aegean Sea, near the ancient site of Ephesus. The entire day on Wednesday will be spent at Ephesus, Paul’s home base for several years, and the most impressive archaeological site in Turkey. We will visit the Archaeological Museum and ancient Ephesus with its famous Celsus Library, the theatre, and the remains of the Temple of Artemis, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. We will also visit some excavated houses to see what life was like in Paul’s day. Then we will visit the Church of St. John the Evangelist, the traditional site of his burial.
We will get an early start for Pergamum, passing by Izmir (biblical Smyrna) which today is Turkey’s third largest city. In Pergamum, one of the seven churches mentioned in Revelation, we will explore the Acropolis, the temples of Athena and Tiberius, the world’s steepest amphitheatre, and the Asclepion, an ancient medical centre. Then, we travel to Troy, (close to Troas from which Paul left for Macedonia); and see the giant replica of the famous wooden horse, and continue on to Canakkale for dinner and overnight. On Friday morning, we will take a short ferry ride across the Strait of the Dardanelles from Asia to Europe. We will briefly visit World War I battlefields of Gallipoli and travel across northwestern Turkey past fishing villages, orchards and resort towns on the Greek border. We will exchange our Turkish guide and driver for a Greek guide and driver. We will lodge in Kavala on the coast of the Aegean Sea.
We will drive through northeastern Greece (ancient Thrace) through fertile plains nestled between the Aegean and the mountains to the north to discover ancient Macedonia. We will visit Philippi where Paul baptized Lydia, the first convert to Christ in Europe. We will take time for worship at this site. In Kavala (the biblical port of Neapolis where Paul, accompanied by Silas, Luke and Timothy, first set foot in Europe), we will have lunch in the old harbor area. Then we will proceed on to Thessaloniki, the capital of Northern Greece and another city important to Paul’s ministry, where we will visit the agora/forum, as well as the church of St. Demetrius, the Arch of Galerius and the Mausoleum of Galerius. Upon leaving Thessaloniki on Sunday morning, we will visit Veria (Beroea) to see the mosaic commemorating Paul’s mission there, the ancient Church of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, and the old Jewish quarter. We move on to Vergina, the location of one of the most recent and fascinating finds from ancient history: the tomb of King Philip II of Macedon, father of Alexander the Great. Ending the day in Meteora, we will tour one of the monasteries built by Greek Orthodox monks high above the plains on narrow pinnacle cliffs (either late afternoon or Monday morning). Overnight in Kalambaka at the foot of the cliffs.
 The Temple of Apollo at Corinth
On Monday, we continue southward through scenic valleys and the mountains of central Greece to Delphi, the centre of the ancient world, whose prestige extended far beyond the boundaries of the Hellenic World. It was home to the famous “oracle,” consulted by rulers from around the Mediterranean world. We will tour the site on the slopes of Mount Parnassus, a landscape of unparalleled beauty and majesty. Lodging in Arachova. On Tuesday, we leave Delphi and travel through southern Greece with possible stops at the monastery of Osios Lukas and the traditional tomb of St. Luke in ancient Thebes. We will travel on past Corinth crossing the 19th century Corinth Canal. Overnight in Nafpoli.
On Wednesday morning in ancient Corinth, we will walk in the streets where Paul preached to the Corinthians. We will visit the ancient remains of first-century shops, the Agora where Paul was on trial, the Fountain of Peirene, the Temple of Apollo, and the museum filled with treasures from the ancient sites. We hope to arrange to have a brief time of worship and celebrate the Lord’s Supper together. We want to stop at the ancient site of Cenchreae, one of the harbors for Corinth, where Phoebe presided over the church, before going on to Athens for a city orientation tour. Lodging for two nights in Athens. Thursday is our day to see the ancient sites of Athens, including the Acropolis with the Parthenon, the Areopagus or Mars Hill, the Agora and several ancient temples. Part of the afternoon will be free to explore on your own, shop or relax. Our farewell dinner will be outdoors at a restaurant in the ancient market area of Plaka.
We need to bid farewell to the world of Paul and return to North America. You will bring home fond memories of magnificent scenery, ancient sites, and modern-day Turkey and Greece, special spiritual moments and new friendships. You will have renewed insight into the beginnings of the early church that will enrich your Bible reading in the future.
For further information regarding regarding the complete tour fare, please
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
. We would be happy to be of assistance. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it . We would be happy to be of assistance.
To receive university credit for this tour, please contact:
Tom Yoder Neufeld
Conrad Grebel University College
University of Waterloo
Waterloo, ON N2L 3G2 Canada
Phone: (519) 885-0220, ext. 261
eMail:
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
|
