I thought that since everyone else is out and about and I have a few free moments and the Internet is working I had better write today’s post.
We’re in the neighbourhood of the famed seven churches of the biblical book of Revelation. Our tour guide is Turkish and Moslem with a sparing knowledge of the bible and Christianity (makes sense) so there is little mention of the 1000 year Byzantine era or of the early church. Instead we hear a good deal about Greek mythology and the Ottoman Empire, not to mention the father of the Turks, Ataturk (the amazing!)
It’s not likely we will return to Turkey and feel like we are missing out on something fundamentally important to us but we booked the tour expecting a secular viewpoint and are now wondering if that was wise. The skeleton is in place but we’re missing the narrative flesh of it, if that makes sense.
The setting of the ruins of Sardis is pastoral with rolling green hills surrounding it and honest-to-goodness shepherds tending their sheep and goats nearby. Reconstruction of parts of the columns and archways give a more complete sense of what it looked like as an important Roman city. The country’s oldest synagogue is expansive next to the gymnasium and Christian crosses are punctured in the marble door frames. It is good to know that Yahweh was worshiped here.
The temperature is climbing with each day and we have enjoyed the cooler days after Israel and Jordan’s heat. We expect hot weather as we head to a favorite resort area called Bodrum, tomorrow. On our way we stop at Ephesus and some of best preserved ruins in the ancient world. It will be a sunscreen and hat day.
Go well, friends.
