I'll Never Forget It. Ever. (METS Part 1)

From May 15th through June 7th, I was blessed with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to go on a very unique seminar to the Middle East including the countries of Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Egypt (Sinai), Israel, and finishing in Greece (METS). The nature of this trip was quite unique in that it involved an almost entirely academic group of participants from a very wide spectrum of theological positions: 6 seminaries sent 24 students on this trip-Duke, Candler, McAfee, Immanuel, Columbia, and Southern. In addition to the students, 6 lay people came on the trip as well as 2 Old Testament scholars (Dr. Max Miller and Dr. Steve McKenzie) who led us.

Any trip to anywhere with that much diversity of opinion on the Bible and all things related is bound to challenge your thinking as well as test your patience and humility. Then imagine taking that bunch to the most historically controversial areas in history and you can quickly see why one would say, "I'll never forget it. Ever."

There are so many aspects of this trip that I would love to write about such as how I ended up on this trip, what my family went through to make this happen, what I learned about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict (and what I didn't learn), why hermeneutics affects everything, what it means to be a feminist, why the atonement is so offensive, etc., etc., etc... But for most people I've been talking to--they just want to know where I went and want to see the pictures. So let's start with that...

First--the pictures: We have a website set up for all of the participants to share their pictures together. Some of us have uploaded our pictures, others are getting around to it. You can view my favorite pictures here, all of my pictures here, and everyone else's pictures here.

Second--where I went. Here's the whole sha-bang:

May 15-16	Orientation in Decatur, Georgia
May 17	Departure—from Atlanta to Washington DC to Vienna
May 18	Arrived in Vienna around 10:30 AM and departed for Damascus, Syria Arrived in Damascus in the late afternoon. Checked in at the Cham Hotel and went for a scenic view of the city. Finished the evening in a revolving restaurant overlooking Damascus.
May 19	Full day in Damascus Al-Hamidiyah Souq (the market/bazaar) Azem’s Palace Sayyidah Zaynab Mosque Al-Zahiriyah Library (brief—did not get to go into the library) Tomb of Saladin Umayyad Mosque Traditional site of St. Ananias House Damascus Museum—ancient artifacts including Ugarit artifacts Evening visit from Mona Muhanna (Syrian Melkite Christian)
May 20	Lebanon day excursion Baalbek, Lebanon—Ruins from Roman temples and Byzantine churches On to Hama, Syria for overnight, checked in at Orient House Hotel
May 21	Brief tour of Hama Al Nouri Zanki mosque (only visited outside) Norias (Roman water wheels) Apamea—Ruins of Roman city Krak des Chesvaliers—toured 12th century Crusader castle Checked in at the Al Wadi Hotel in Meshtayeh, Syria
May 22	Travelled from western Syria to the center—Palmyra, city of the palms Tombs (above and underground) at Palmyra Temple of Bel Ruins of Palmyra Mamluk Castle at Palmyra—watched sunset from castle walls Worship service on top of castle at dusk
May 23	Travelled to Jerash, Jordan Jerash ruins (this was Gerasa of biblical times, one of the Decapolis cities) Spent the night at the Landmark Hotel in Amman, Jordan
May 24	Madaba, Jordan Church of St. George—Mosaic map of biblical events Mt. Nebo—Went to the top where God took Moses to see Promised Land Al Karak, Jordan—toured Kerak Castle (12th century Crusader castle) Wadi Mujib—vast river (Arnon) canyon dividing biblical Moab from Ammon Shoubak, Jordan—very brief visit outside of Montreal (Crusader) castle Arrived at Maan, Jordan—Grand View Hotel overlooking Petra-area
May 25	Petra. Amazing.
May 26	Travelled from Petra to Aqaba, Jordan at top of Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea Rode ferry across Red Sea gulf to Nuweiba, Egypt Drove across Sinai wilderness to St. Catherine, Egypt—Morgenland Hotel
May 27	Got up at 1am to ride camels up Mt. Jebel Musa (Sinai) Climbed last third of trail up Mt. Sinai to watch sunrise St. Catherine’s Monastery—ancients icons and manuscripts Nuweiba-Taba, Egypt—Stayed at Intercontinental Taba Heights Hotel
May 28	Crossed border into Israel at southernmost tip Travelled the whole day, Arrived in Jericho, West Bank/Israel, Intercontinental Hotel
May 29	Masada Fortress on eastern edge of Judqean Desert overlooking Dead Sea Caves of Qumran where Dead Sea Scrolls were discoveredBobbed in the Dead Sea
May 30	Back in Jericho, Tell es-Sultan—excavation of earliest settlement in Jericho Mt. of Temptation, visited Monastery of the Temptation at top Drove to Galilee region Beit Shean, Israel (ruins of Beth Shean/Scythopolis/Beisan) Mt. Arbel, Galilee—overlooking region of Galilee and city of Tiberias Worship service at Mt. of Beatitudes Guest House, where we lodged as well
May 31	Walked down Mt. of Beatitudes to Church of the Primacy of Peter in Tabgha Church of the Multiplication on the shores of Galilee Capernaum—Peter’s home and synagogue Golan Heights Banias, Israel (biblical Caesarea Philippi—Matt.16), Temple of Pan, waterfall Tell el-Qedah—(biblical Hazor—Joshua 11), largest “tell” in all of Palestine Boat ride across the Sea of Galilee
June 1	Nazareth—morning after IDF commandos attacked aid flotilla Church of the Annunciation (Greek Orthodox) Basilica of the Annunciation (Roman Catholic) Jezreel Valley (very fertile) Megiddo—Solomonic gate, Ahab’s fortress, Early Bronze altar, water tunnel Caesarea Maritima—ruins on Mediterranean coast, events in Acts Drove to Jerusalem to spend the night at the Notre Dame Guest House
June 2	Mt. of Olives panoramic view of Jerusalem Garden of Gethsemane Church of All Nations Walked from there to Old City of Jerusalem entering at the Lion’s Gate St. Anne’s Church (amazing acoustics, Ragan sang “Comfort Ye My People”) Pool of Bethsaida Via Dolorosa —Church of the Flagellation, Church of the Condemnation, Church of Our Lady of the Spasm (Armenian),Church of St. Helen (Coptic), —Church of the Holy Sepulchre—many events in history of this building Lunch at the Arab Orthodox Society—Jerusalem Cultural Center & Museum Free afternoon and evening to roam
June 3	Visit to office of American Jewish Committee—Rabbi David Rosen spoke Israel Museum—scale model of 2nd Temple-era Jerusalem Shrine of the Book—Codex Aleppo, Dead Sea Scrolls Holocaust Museum Free afternoon & evening to roam (I visited the Western Wall—aka Wailing) Evening visit—Hagit Ofran, heads Settlement Watch Committee., Peace Now
June 4	Garden Tomb Travelled to Bethlehem (not on donkeys) Visited International Center of Bethlehem Presentation by Rev. Dr. Mitri Raheb, pastor of Christmas Lutheran Church Church of the Nativity
June 5	Departed Jerusalem at 3am for airport at Tel Aviv for flight to Athens Hydrofoil cruise to the island of Hydra Free afternoon and evening on Hydra
June 6	Morning worship service on Hydra Free morning Cruise back to Athens Toured Acropolis and Mars Hill Free late afternoon in Athens Last dinner together, outdoors at restaurant in Athens
June 7	3am departure for Atlanta via Frankfurt, Germany