Gregory of Nazianzus

Gregory of Nazianzus, whom the Eastern Orthodox Church knows as 'The Theologian,' was one of the three famous Cappadocian Fathers.  He lived from 329 to 390 and was extremely influential on orthodox Trinitarian theology.  During a time when the Church was being lead astray by the Arian and Apollinarian heresies he was a strong voice for the correct doctrine of the Trinity.  He held that the Trinity was one God, or substance, in three persons that are equal in value, authority, eternity, and divinity.  In 379 he delivered his famous five theological orations in Constantinople espousing this doctrine and was made bishop of the city in 380.  While he was only the bishop for less than two years he was there for an extremely important part of church history because he presided over part of the Second Ecumenical Council in 381 that condemned Arianism and Apollinarianism as heresies.

He is probably my favorite theologian and I have been able to see some cool things relating to him on this trip.

This is a famous fresco of Gregory the Theologian in a church in Chora in Turkey.

This is an icon of Gregory at the Patriarchal Cathedral of St. George outside of Istanbul.  Also at that church are his relics.  While it was quite odd to see the bones of my favorite saint in a box, there was something powerful about it.  I do not believe that venerating those remains would have helped me become more godly, but I think there is something to our duty to honor those who have gone before us and have made it possible for us to have the faith we now have.

(Sorry for the bad picture.  His bones are in the box.  You can see them through the holes.)

This is one of my favorite quotes from him:

"Let us become like Christ, since Christ became like us.  Let us become God’s for His sake, since He for ours became Man.  He assumed the worse that He might give us the better; He became poor that we through His poverty might be rich; He took upon Him the form of a servant that we might receive back our liberty; He came down that we might be exalted; He was tempted that we might conquer; He was dishonoured that He might glorify us; He died that He might save us; He ascended that He might draw to Himself us, who were lying low in the Fall of sin.  Let us give all, offer all, to Him Who gave Himself a Ransom and a Reconciliation for us.  But one can give nothing like oneself, understanding the Mystery, and becoming for His sake all that He became for ours." Oration I.V.

Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque

Yesterday we went and visited the Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey.  Both were beautiful.  Take a look.

While I was struck by the beauty of both buildings one architectural detail caught my attention.  From the Narthex of the Hagia Sophia there were three different sized entrances into the sanctuary.  The largest was in the middle and was reserved only for the emperor.  The next size down was for nobles, and the smallest were for the common people.

This reminded me of something we saw in Sepphoris in Galilee.  This town was heavily influenced by Greco-Roman culture and was filled with outstanding mosaics.  There was one from a dining room that had a large white portion where the three sided table would have been placed.  It is on the left in the picture.

The host of the banquet would sit near the bottom center and then guests would sit in order of importance in a clockwise direction with the most important being next to the host.  In reference to this Jesus said, "When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not sit down at the place of honor, in case someone more distinguished than you has been invited by your host and the host who invited both of you may come and say to you, ‘Give this person your place,’ and then in disgrace you would start to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and sit down at the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher’; then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at the table with you. " (Luke 14:8-10).  He encouraged people not to take places of honor.  But the Hagia Sophia distinguished the honor of those who entered the church and by doing so became the same as the Greco-Roman culture Jesus spoke against.

May our churches never distinguish between people but see that we are all sinners before a Holy God.  May we never try to exalt ourselves but rather seek places of humility.  May we become less and He become more!  

Last Day in Israel

Since today is my last day in Israel (we fly to Turkey tomorrow) my thoughts have turned nostalgic.  It would be impossible to sum up everything I have learned since I have learned about the Bible and its context, geography, geology, politics, and from friends.  My guess is that years from now as I look back on Israel I will most remember a place and a person.

The place is the wilderness of Judea.  During one of our first days we spent a few hours in the hot midday sun of the desert on the road from Jerusalem to Jericho.  It became a theme of our studies that God is the God of the desert and not of the easy places.  He constantly brings His people here in order to teach and reveal Himself to them.  In Hosea 2 when Israel, who is portrayed a an adulterous wife, needs to be drawn back to God He promises to "now allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak tenderly to her."  God reveals Himself in the desert.  God brings His people into the desert.  God speaks in the desert.  God is with us in the desert.  God is with you in your desert.

The person is Majdi (the man next to me in the photo).  He is the shopkeeper of a small schwarma place in East Jerusalem just outside of the Old City.  We met him pretty randomly one night as we were trying to find somewhere to hang out with locals.  A conversation began that lasted over several visits about Israel, Palestine, Jerusalem, Musliums, Christians, Jews, and America.  Once I asked him if there would be another uprising, or intifada, and he answered, "We hope!"  And I can only describe the look in his eyes as of true and deep hope.  The Palestinians have been put in a place where they lack basic human rights like freedom of movement and feel like the only way out is through violence.  Peaceful protests are happening, but since 1967 they have made no difference.  If you corner an animal it is bound to bite.  I feel so sad that both sides feel like victims and like they have to resort to violence in order for them to have security or freedom.  I do not know how, but the Church and I have to help.  God please bring peace in this apartheid state!

Random Photos and Thoughts Part 2

One day we woke up early and walked to the Mount of Olives (which is east of Jerusalem) to watch the sunrise on the city.  It was beautiful.  You can see the line of the sun and shadow of the Mount of Olives in the picture.  Watching it helped me understand the passion and love the Old Testament characters had for the city and the sorrow Jesus felt.  It is an amazing place.  While watching, I listened to the song "All the Poor and Powerless" on repeat (it was a tip from a professor about remembering a place by listening to a song over and over).  There is a bridge in the song about shouting it to the masses that He is God.  This is a city that needs to know that Christ is God.

This picture is the dome in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre that is above the place were Jesus was buried and rose again.  I spent about three hours alone in this church (trying to ignore the tourists) praying and reading the four passion narratives.  You feel something very powerful when in this place.  Being there made me want to identify more with the death and resurrection of Jesus.  "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live but Christ in me."

You can see the signs of conflict all over the city and country.  Most signs are in three languages, Hebrew, Arabic, and English.  If you are in the right part of town (like the Jewish quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem above) then the population often covers up the particular language they do not like.  Here someone has put a Hebrew sticker over the Arabic which reveals their desires for those who speak Arabic to leave.  Pray for peace here.  

Random Photos and Thoughts

These photos are all of the Negev wilderness on the border of Israel and the Sinai Peninsula.  The first two are overlooking the largest crater in the world that was made by erosion.  It is in places like this that Israel wondered for 40 years and David fled from Saul.  These places are hot, barren, and practically lifeless.  But God has a habit of bringing people here in order to teach them how to trust Him.  God brings His people to the desert so they have to learn to rely on Him.

This is a picture of the Holy of Holies in a temple at a fortress on the southern end of Israel in Arad.  The pillar in the front is for burning incense to God.  But there are two of them.  The larger was used for burning incense to the real God and the smaller to another god named Asherah.  This fortress was built by Solomon and destroyed by Josiah.  Let's be like Josiah and destroy idolatry and not build it like Solomon.

This is cave number four at Qumran where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found.  Thank God that people like this preserved His Scripture throughout the generations.