Resurrection in Albania

We came to Albania very aware that we did not know what to expect. Albania was tagged on partly because we could not get into Syria and partly because the Apostle Paul claimed to have preached the word (in Acts) in Illyricum – modern Albania. The question was did Paul just get to the border with Greece or did he preach and establish churches inside Albania. Last night we had and amazing meeting with some monks and the Orthodox bishop of Tirana (after a 3.00 am wake-up and flight via Munich). In response to questioning the responded by observing that Paul would not have just gone to the border as there was no marked border. You were in Illyricum if you were in a town in Illyricum. They also helped us with many other questions we had about the Orthodox Church.

This was a particularly amazing experience as we had just spent an afternoon seeing and hearing about the economic and spiritual devastation of first Ottoman rule (1453-1912), Tyrannical rule 1913-1944) and Communist rule (1944-1991). Christianity was discouraged (you could not get a Government job) by the Ottoman rulers. Religion was banned by the Communists who destroyed many churches and mosques, converted others into museums or theatres and banished Orthodox clergy. Huge amounts of money was spent on 2,000 concrete and steel bunkers – ostensibly to protect Albania from foreign invaders; actually to protect the rulers. There was hardly any steel left to build houses. People starved to death – they made jokes about being so poor they had to eat grass. In the 1980s there was a lot of unrest, the Communists were voted out and democracy was established. It is still a very poor country – I walked down the street and found the cost of real espresso coffee was five cents in our money. I would be a lot more in the hotel where we are staying as we are in a new parallel tourism economy.

What was most amazing was the brand new (in 2012) Cathedral Church of the Resurrection in Tirana. It is a huge and very beautiful modern building with a beautifully finished auditorium downstairs where they do teaching and programs for young people. There are millions of people who have not had teaching for generations (like in Canada). The Orthodox Church has new special Offices for teachers and priests – like in Acts; which do Baptism and Marriage preparation in 3 to 6 months. New Offices have also been established for Youth Ministry, Woman’s  Ministry and Helping People. Religion is not taught in schools so the Church works with local schools to use classrooms for religious instruction. This is critical as parents have not had instruction for generations – as in Canada.

The takeaway – we have seen with our own eyes that Christ’s Church cannot be destroyed by political and economic oppression as tyranny always fails. We have seen a proud people lifting themselves out of poverty by embracing democracy and Christian values of love and service. For most of us this is our first exposure to the Orthodox Church – and it is impressive. There is a spiritual resurrection going on in Albania. Let us give thanks and continue to pray for Albania!

The Oldest Profession

Most people would say prostitution is the oldest profession but as our guide explained the ancient temple practices associated with the Oracle at Delphi, I realized priests have been around even longer. Human beings have deep seated fears about the future and probably even before sex became a commodity for sale, priests offered comfort in the form of assurance of divine favor. Delphi is possibly the most famous example of this.

Delphi is not easy to get to. It is in the middle of Greece two hours from Athens and four hours from Thessaloniki. The road in from the main highway winds around and over a mountain with spectacular – and frightening views. The temple site is about 1 sq. kilometer up the side of a mountain. It includes a Treasury where visitors could leave offerings to the gods, a theatre, the Temple of Apollo and a 5^th Century stadium for races and games. The current Museum includes statues, art and artifacts from the Temple.

In ancient times priests had set up an elaborate system to help people consult the Oracle at Delphi. Ancient people had a supernatural worldview that accepted personal experiences of the divine in the form of healing, ecstasy and prophecy. This is the worldview of the Bible which has been dismissed as ignorant superstition by many modern people. The only difference is that Christianity teaches us there is a dark side to the spiritual dimension so we all need to ‘discern the spirits’. In ancient times temple priests would select wise older women who would go into the Temple of Apollo to consult the gods. Archeologists have discovered caverns below the Temple which were likely filled with gases which would give these women an experience of ecstasy – a ‘high’. In this drugged state they would emerge, probably speaking fairly incoherently. The work of the priests was to interpret this for visitors. This would have been the equivalent of modern pastoral care when priests sometimes ‘adjust’ Biblical truth to give people what they want as opposed to the sometimes harsh truth. The game goes on with the consequence that many people do not respect or consult modern priests. This is a great tragedy as there is a whole spiritual dimension to life which many people are completely unaware of. The consequences have been devastating in terms of conflict, wars and personal suffering.

The take away after travelling across Turkey and Greece, retracing the route of Paul’s Second Journey, is that faith is a living thing. We have seen huge ruins as evidence of huge faith. In many places this faith has been either gradually lost or overrun by military conquest. The good news is that in some places, such as  Greece we can see churches which have not become museums where people are fed spiritually and lead richer lives. Now we understand the many Biblical references to conflict in churches and contending for the faith. Being a spiritual person is not supposed to be easy.

Finally God Moments (May 24-25)

As we crossed the border from Turkey into Greece we also crossed from an officially secular state where Christianity is under active persecution and limited to a small remnant of Greek Orthodox churches in Istanbul and Izmir plus an unknown number of house churches; to an officially Christian state where the danger is creeping secularism. It feels different. I found the daily calls to prayer oppressive. Often, by co-incidence I would be up early and spreading my own prayer mat – a large bath towel on a marble floor to do my 20 sit-ups and push-ups. We all have our rituals.

Greece feels different. As we had dinner on the top floor of our hotel in Kavala (where the Apostle Paul first landed in Europe) I noticed a small cross on top of the nearby mountain. It was later lit up and visible in the dark. In exploring the small (60,000) town of Kavala I went around and found the entrance to a small Orthodox church near our hotel. It was open at 6.30 pm on a Friday. There were real people praying and lighting candles inside. What a change from two weeks of being in churches that had been desecrated and turned into mosques and museums! I felt the presence of the Holy Spirit. It was a beautifully decorated church with the same type of fresco's and mosaics that had been covered up or stolen from St. Sophia in Istanbul. Instead of empty frames where Christian and Muslim iconoclasts had removed or soldiers had stolen icons – there they were. There was a warm glow in the place and like the early evangelists I went out and shared the good news with my fellow travelers.

Back to Europe

It was exciting to see Troy and the difference between amateur and professional Archeology. A German businessman with no training in History or Archeology was obsessed with finding the ancient treasures of Troy, hired local men to dig huge trenches with complete disregard for what was dug up and where it was from. He found the treasures, lied to his workers that he had just found a few pots and left with jewelry and precious artifacts. Professional Archaeologists who followed – and have done a great job of identifying 9 layers of civilization up to the Roman Period, were so upset they actually left one trench, “Schliemann’s Trench”, as a witness to the earlier destruction. Our guide Mel explained how you can tell levels apart by the types of wall – huge square blocks as opposed to less well cut stones, rounded boulders etc. We could also see where the sea had come into bays on two sides of the huge city – several of our city blocks in size. Troy, like Istanbul, would have controlled trade along this strategic coast. Near the parking lot a replica Trojan Horse has been built to show people how high the city gate would have been – and as a photo op.

Next we drove North on the coast, took a ferry across to the European side and drove into the chaos of Istanbul. This city of 15 million is overwhelming in its busyness and impossible traffic. The next day our bus was stuck in traffic for over an hour and late in picking us up at the end of the day. It is exciting to realize that Turkey has both a European and Asian side. This huge and fertile land is the bridge between Eastern and Western Culture. That is a blessing in that the history and culture is so rich – and a curse because Turkey is in the middle between what was Christendom and what is becoming a more fundamentalist Islamic empire. We had an interesting example of this at the Blue Mosque yesterday. Apparently a new dress code has been introduced in the past two months. Women have to cover their hair and everyone has to cover their bare arms, neck and legs. Our guide refused to do this and was confronted by a security guard. She eventually complied but was very upset about this. Turkey’s Constitution defines the state as secular and respectful of all religions. The current government is pushing a more aggressively Islamic agenda by gradually converting churches and mosques that have become museums into active mosques and imposing dress regulations.

On our last day in Istanbul we visited the Chorea Church – our first real visit to a ‘real’ Christian church. They were under a foreign government and allowed to continue as a church when the Ottoman Turks captured Constantinople in 1455. By this time the Crusaders had already looted most of the icons and ornaments from churches – including Haigia Sophia. There are frames but no icons – a result of both Christian and Muslim iconoclast ism. In Chiora Church the wall and ceiling friezes were painted over with plaster which actually preserved the beautiful mosaics and paintings underneath. These have been restored in one of the best collections of early Christian art in the world. Chiora means outside the walls in Turkish but it could also mean out of here, meaning Christianity will eventually spread from here.

On the way to the Archaeological Museum we passed the home of the Greek Orthodox Patriarch and one of their churches. These are a magnet for Greek tourists who come to show support. Following the First World War Greeks, including clergy, were forced to return to Greece in a shameful example of ethnic cleansing. Over the past 17 days our tour group has fallen in love with Turkey and the Turkish people. Turkey is geographically similar to Canada – only smaller and warmer. We feel the pain of these kind people as they struggle to thrive in this politically and religiously charged environment. They need our prayers every day. Please pray for Turkey.

Pentecost in Turkey

Our day began with a talk on the bus by Prof. Nienkirchen on the development of Pentacostalism in America in 1901 in Topicana, Kansas . It was a fitting start to a visit to two days of visits to churches both commended for (Philadelphia) and warned about (Sardis) their spiritual ferver. Philadelphia was commended for its love by John (Revelation 3.7-13). This was one of three churches founded by Epaphras in the Lycus Rive Valley while Paul was in Ephysus. Yesterday we had stood among the ruins of Laodocia from which we could see a triangle of Colosse and Hireapolis each about ten km away.

There was a warm feeling still in Pamphelia. There as not much to see as the modern town has been built over the ancient tow. This was a blessing in a way as we had been to so many tourist mega-sites with crowds of tourists – and no real peace. While there was no modern Christian presence, it was comforting to see the remains of the huge basilica still towering over the mosque across the street.

Churches in Laodicea and Hierapolis and Colosse (Turkey)

Yesterday after the post on Patmos we hiked up to Hermitage of the Prophet Elias on the highest point of Patmos. We were already tired from our hike to the beach and the reading of the entire Book of Revelation so it was a struggle to walk up the paved but steep path. The wind got stronger and stronger as the path got steeper and steeper. Could this not be a metaphor for our spiritual life as we have to work hard and exert ourselves to develop spiritual self-discipline and wisdom?

At the top there is a hermitage but the door was locked and we had not been able to get a key. The hermitage is controlled by the Abbot of the Monastery, who recently retired creating a vacuum in decision making. Finally we reached the top and were rewarded with a stunning panoramic view of the entire island – and a personal reflection by our leader Prof. Charles Neinkirken on the Book of Revelation. Revelation is dismissed by many Christians as an unintelligible vision of the End Time. The truth is that it is neither unintelligible nor only about a future event. Reversed Thunder, one of the books recommended for this Course contends that Revelation is nothing less than a brilliant summation of the whole Bible. Prof. Neinkirken noted that modern Christianity in many places has become a pale reflection of what it used to be. Instead of standing firm and proclaiming repentance and the good news of forgiveness the modern church avoids conflict with the culture. We have now gone so far as to bless same-sex marriages which have been historically outside the boundaries of acceptable moral behavior in all places and religions. The seven churches we are visiting in Turkey died from within long before they were overrun by Islam and the Ottoman Empire.

Our journey continued this morning (May 19) with a four-hour boat ride back to Kausadasi. As I write we are back on our old bus driving across the huge Meander Valley toward the site of ancient of three churches in the Lycos Valley (near modern) Denizli – Hierapolis, Laodicea and Colosse. The Meander Valley – from which we get the English word, meanders back and forth all along the coast, silting up ancient harbors which with the gradual sinking of the Aegean Sea are now far back from the present coastline. The soil is incredibly fertile so everything grows here. This fertility and massive agriculture everywhere in Turkey was completely unexpected to me.

In Revelation 3.14-22 the church in Laodicea is warned about being neither hot nor cold. The Risen Jesus warns them he will spit them out if they do not repent their loss of faith and recover their spiritual fervor. Like many churches today they had begun to take their faith for granted, reduce religion to a form and not really love Jesus with their hearts. This spiritual decay and severe earthquakes had reduced their great city of over 100,000 people to rubble. Laodicea was at a junction of major trading routes so grew rich from lending to desperate travelers at hugerates of interest. Their prosperity led to their spiritual demise. This should be a warning to us all.

Over the valley about 10 km away we could see the triangle of sites of ancient Colosse (i.e. Letter to the Colossians) and Hierapolis. We did not visit Colosse as the site has not been excavated. Hierapolis was a different story. The Turkish Government has a full-time year round excavation going on. I was amazed at how large these cities were – we walked for over a km. in 30 degree heat just to get to the middle of the site. There were the usual temples, market and theatres. But Hierapolis was a proud place – they famously declined to accept a gift of money from the Roman Emperor to rebuild after an earthquake. This was clearly not a community listening to the Holy Spirit and aware of their need for salvation – and they too passed.

Today’s take away must be the difficulty of keeping our eyes and hearts focused on Jesus when things are going well. That such massive stone cities could simply crumble into the ground reminds us that we are all temporaries.

Father John on Patmos

Before St. John (the Theologian) died near Ephesus, he had been exiled to the island of Patmos in 95-97 by the Roman Government as part of the persecution of Christians. So it was that our little band of 23 Pilgrims boarded a chartered boat in Kasadasi for the four hour sea voyage to Patmos. Patmos, like most of the hundreds of tiny islands within sight of the Turkish coast belongs to Greece. Greece covers most of the Aegean Sea which is a source of long contention between the two countries. We are now in the Euro Zone – and also in the Christian Zone. There is something about not being wakened at 4.20 am by loudspeakers blasting men with high voices singing an unintelligible call to prayer to what some people would call a demon god. By the way I have figured out why Moslems have more children – what would any married man do after being wakened at 4.20 am and getting up to pray?

The Turkish people by the way are wonderfully kind and easier to work with than many Canadians. This is being discovered and tourists are flocking in – so get on it while it is still relatively inexpensive.