A Gold Select Journey
The Holy Land, the Holy People
5 – 15 November 2019
11 Days, $3,693 from the Chicago
A Survey of the Bible
including Israel and the West Bank
Plus
3 Day Elective
The Wonders of Jordan & Petra
$1,268
Returning 18 November 2019
Sponsored by
Mr. Steve McMurdo
This pilgrimage will acquaint participants with the geographical and cultural settings of the New Testament and relate historical studies to contemporary dynamics in Israel, Palestine and Jordan. The pilgrimage will include morning and evening fora on historical and contemporary themes and visits with indigenous people. You will learn about the work of the United Methodist Church in the Holy Land. You will visit church supported mission sites. You will meet and have conversations with Israelis and Palestinians, Christians, Muslims and Jews who are involved in various types of peacemaking work. This pilgrimage is designed to introduce particpants to the state of the art of biblical studies in the Holy Land. The learning process will be contextual and experiential. We will endeavor especially to examine the moral dimensions of biblical learning and teaching. We are particularly interested in understanding how biblical studies and the biblical faith relates to the context of the Holy Land.
Please see the attached syllabus for more details.
Daily Itinerary
(tentative and subject to local circumstances):
individual preferences will be accomodated when possible
Day 1 Depart Chicago.
Day 2 Arrive Tel Aviv, transfer to Taybeh, touring as time permits, overnight in Taybeh.
Day 3 1st Century House/House of the Parables, Jericho, Tel es Sultan, Ein es Sultan (Joshua 5-7, Judges 1: 27- 36), Baptismal site—Qasr al Yehud (Mk. 1:1-12; Mt. 3: 1-4:17; Lk. 3: 1-22; 4: 1-13; Jn. 1: 1-42, (Matt 2: 23, Luke 1: 26- 38, Qumran, Overnight Taybeh
Day 4 Nablus/Shechem (John 4), Jezreel Valley, Kibbutz Mishmar ha Emek, Megiddo, (1 Kings 21, John 4: 46-54), Nazareth (Lk. 4: 16-30), The Basilica of the Annunciation, Sisters of Nazareth Convent (koch tombs), Sepphoris (time permitting), Overnight Galilee
Day 5 boat ride on the Sea of Galilee, Capernaum, Tabgha, Church of St. Peter’s Primacy (John 21), Church of the Multiplication of the Loaves (Mk. 6:30-44), Mt. of the Beatitudes (Luke 13: 10-21, Matt 5- 7, 11: 20- 24, Mark 4- 6, John 21), Jordan River Valley, Overnight Galilee
Day 6 Jordan River Valley, Bethlehem, Old City walking tour, Church of the
Nativity (Lk 2; Mt 2), Herodion, Shepherd’s Fields, Solomon’s Pools (time permitting), Overnight Bethlehem
Day 7 Mt. of Olives overview and orientation to Jerusalem, Dominus Flevit, Garden of Gethsemane, Israel Museum, Shrine of the Book, 2nd Temple Model, Overnight Bethlehem
Day 8 Old city walking tour including the Western Wall, Temple Mount/Harem esh Sharif, St. Ann’s Church, Via Dolorosa, Lithostratos, Church of the Holy Sepulchre (Mt. 27-28; John 20), free time at your leisure, optional visit to the so-called Garden Tomb, Overnight Bethlehem
Day 9 Free Day or Optional Touring-The Judean Wilderness Optional Field trip ($125 p/p based on 10 enrolled): Wadi Qelt overview, Masada, The Dead Sea, Overnight Bethlehem
Day 10 Transfer to Airport, departure and return to USA.