Books

My pile of physical books.

Rick Steves says "Guidebooks are $25 tools for $4,000 experiences."  In my case, closer to a $12,000 or more experience.   As a devotee of Rick's method of travel, I'm doing a lot of preliminary research for a number of reasons.  One, of course, was to do sufficient research to make sure my numbers in the Lilly Endowment application were correct.

Another, and more important, is that I firmly believe, from my experience of travel, that the more prepared I am, the easier it is to understand and truly experience the places around me.   If I know, for example, what is authentic and what is traditional, but probably not authentic, allows me to place myself in the time of Jesus (this is what Jesus saw) or perhaps the time of later pilgrims (this was holy to later pilgrims, even if it was not was Jesus saw.)

So these are the books I've been looking at.   Kind of an annotated bibliography.   If you have done this kind of trip and have some recommendations, by all means add them!  I have seven months left to go!     If you are never planning to do such a trip, feel free to stop after the first set.    If you are interested in doing a pilgrimage of some sort yourself, please feel free to read the whole set!

In all cases I've listed the books in the order of my itinerary.

Hard Copy Books

Some of the books I have gotten as e-books, but there are many, especially those which I am using for preparation, which are either only available as hard copy books, or which I want as a hard copy book, because I don't want to be constantly staring at my phone.   These are the hard copy books.  I've done Amazon links, because those are usually convenient for people.  However, I do urge you to find them somewhere else, especially a small business if possible.   Hearts and Minds Bookstore in Dallastown, PA can order at least all of the religion books, and there are a variety of travel stores where you can order the travel guides.   Order Rick's guides directly from his site, or the Lonely Planet books from that site!  

>The most critical 5:

1. Chasing the Divine in the Holy Land by Ruth Eberhart (Amazon).   I picked this up from Hearts and Minds during a clergy convocation four or so years ago.   Its a memoir of Ruth and her pilgrimage to the Holy Land, and it was the book that most inspired me to want to go to the Holy Land myself.  It's a very easy read, and it is the book my church book group will read while I am on the road. 
2. Jesus> by James Martin, S. J. (Amazon).  Another memoir, this one has a lot more information about Galilee, which is a big draw for me, and a lot of connection to the biblical story.   Also an excellent read, but longer than Eberhart's  book.  My copy of this was lent me by a friend, and I need to get her a new copy  because Audrey got it one day. . . . .(Audrey is my granddaughter, who is almost 3 years old.)
3. Walking the Jesus Trail: Nazareth to the Sea of Galilee by Anna Dintaman and David Landis.  You can get this directly on the Jesus Trail Website.   This is the trail guide, and something I want to have with me as I walk.  It includes almost all the logistics for doing the Jesus Trail, and really detailed maps.   Some of the information is updated on the web site.  I think this book is likely to be badly dog eared before I leave.  
4. In the Steps of Jesus, by Peter Walker.  (Amazon) This book goes step by step through the life of Jesus, looking at the story in scripture (Peter is partial to Luke), then at the setting in the time of Jesus, then in the setting today.   A pretty big, heavy book, it is written by a scholar of classical and ancient history, and full of pictures.  It will NOT go with me on the plane, but has been great for prep.   Walker is a bit more traditional and takes the sights more at face value and scripture more literally than I do, but we've been able to figuratively walk together with these two books, which leads me to. . . 
5. In the Steps of St. Paul, by Peter Walker. (Amazon)  Same as the last, but following St. Paul into Turkey and Greece, and finally Malta and Rome.  This was essential for understanding the sights in Malta, and for feeling a little sad to be skipping Turkey (more on that in a later post.)  Again, this one is not a travel guide, and is large and heavy and full of pictures.   It would help any Christian feel closer to the places where the New Testament happened. 

Other hardcopy Books

1. Jesus Trail and Jerusalem, by Jacob Saar. (Amazon) Another guide to the Jesus trail, this one with really detailed topographical maps.  It takes you by foot to Jerusalem on the Israeli National Trail and has a lot of detail on the Old City in Jerusalem.  This one will go with me as a secondary resource for the hike. 
2. A Pilgrim's Guide to The Lands of St. Paul by Raymond Goodburn and David Housefly. (Amazon) - Great for Greece, and especially Malta, this provided more detail of locations and travel information than the Walker books did, though it is a bit dryer.    A second edition came out in March, but is unavailable, so I am waiting with the first Edition.
3. Streetwise Jerusalem by Michelin. (Amazon) I like Streetwise maps when I'm going to be in a city for a while.  I have 7 nights in Jerusalem's old city, so I expect this clear map to be helpful. 
4. The Story of the Holy Land by Peter Walker.  Walker does for the entire biblical history what he does for Jesus and Paul in his other books, with drop dead gorgeous photos.    This was great to connect with the story in the TaNaKh, which of course, was THE Bible for Jesus and Paul. 
5. Atlas of the Bible, by Jean-Pierre Isbouts.  (Amazon) This special edition of National Geographic is great for the story and for maps.  It also focuses on the time before Jesus more than the time of Jesus, and is a bit bulky to carry. 

E-Books

So, most of the books I'll be carrying with me will be e-books.    Indeed some of the most critical books for this journey will be on the kindle app on my phone.   I'm even considering buying a low end kindle, just for guidebooks!   These are the ones I'm working with:

1. Israel and the Palestinian Territories - Lonely Planet (here) - exhaustive travel guide for Israel and the Palestinian territories, includes all the logistics for my first three weeks.
2. The Holy Land: An Oxford Archaeological Guide, by Jerome Murphy-O'Connor.  James Martin recommends this exhaustive Archeological guide in his book, and having gotten it I can agree.   It is a bit dry, but has helped me find a lot of little things.  It's pretty much limited to places where there is archeological evidence and ruins to visit (so things like the Bay of Parables is not on it) but it is exceptionally helpful.   I will be glad to have this on my phone, and it is a book I am spending a LOT of time with.  One neat thing is that it is written from the point of view of archeology, not necessarily religion, which is a fresh break from most of the books on this list. 
3. The Christian Traveler's Guide to the Holy Land, by by Charles H. Dyer and Gregory A. Hatteberg.   I knew as soon as I opened this book that I would struggle with it, since it is published by Moody Press, and I'm a fairly progressive Christian.    And I did.   It takes far too seriously ANY site that might be traditional (the archeological guide is very good about saying, this tradition is from, say, the 11th century and therefore not very likely) and it takes scripture way too literally for me.   Also, there was nothing new in it.   I can't recommend it.  (And therefore did not give you a link!)
4. The Holy Land for Christian Travelers: An Illustrated Guide to Israel by John A. Beck, (Amazon) by comparison, has a lot to offer.   It lists more obscure sights and identifies when they are probably authentic as opposed to traditional (and most likely not so authentic.)  It was the first book in which I read the controversy over which of three or four sites was Emmaus, for example.   A highlight of this are great illustrations, which are simple enough to navigate on my phone, and which really give me a feel for things like the setup of churches, or a neighborhood.

Then and Now Bible Maps.  Eh.  What you would expect.  I think that Google Maps and other apps will be just as useful. But it's on my phone just in case. 

A Guide to Biblical Sites in Greece and Turkey, by Clyde E. Fant and Mitchell G. Reddish.  (Amazon) I'm just getting started with this one, but it's particularly helpful for Patmos, which was not in the St. Paul Books. 

Greece:Athens and the Peloponnese, Italy, France, Germany all by Rick Steves et. al.   (here)  I wasn't kidding. He's my travel hero.     In addition to the books, there is media, but I'll do a separate post on media at some point.  

A Pilgrim's Guide to Italy: A Guide to the Saints, by James Heater. (Amazon) A VERY quirky book, it helped me clarify what I'd do for the period between the death of Paul and the Reformation.  Originally I thought to go visit the sites of the great counsels of the church, but they are in Turkey, which I am skipping.  So I settled on Rome and a couple of saints that mean something to me.  Benedict, who defined monasticism can be studied in a day trip from Rome to Subiaco, and a couple days in Assisi, where Francis and Claire were centered.  

I continue prepping and reading.   Some of my inspiration (especially for Reformation and Puritan sites) came from other sources.   I will write shortly on Footsteps, on Media, and on Turkey. 

Gear

So I am going to be hiking from Nazareth to Capernaum, and carrying with me everything I need for 15 weeks.  This requires some specialized gear!!!!

Now, some I have (hostel sheets, travel clothesline, Moneybelt, travel shirts). Some I can borrow (water bottles), but some I needed to buy. 

Like an internal frame backpack, hiking boots, socks, poles.  (backpack and boots are a gift from my wonderful husband!)  Since I’m not the richest person around, and since some of these things are better worn in a little, I am carefully balancing and slowly acquiring things.   A Tilly hat.  A map of Jerusalem.  

You will note 2 pairs of pants (there will eventually be a third pair in black) and a skirt.  This is because since I started planning, I have lost almost 70 pounds.   I can indeed use existing shirts in my travel wear collection, but the bottoms just fall off me.   So, new bottoms, but by bit (this lightweight, quick dry stuff with security pockets is not cheap, so I’m not getting many, or very fast).   

By next April I’ll have all I need ( or will not need what I don’t have :-). )

Yeah, this post was supposed to post later in the week, but I think some of you saw it early.   I was trying to post from my phone.   Later, maybe next week, I'll talk about apps. 

The Jesus Trail

Photo by David Landis from www.jesustrail.com.

He left Nazareth and settled in Capernaum, which lies alongside the sea in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali. (Matthew 4:13, CEB)

So Jesus had a home as an adult (Mark 2:1), and that home was in Capernaum.   He grew up, and presumably his parents more or less stayed, in Nazareth (though after Joseph's death, Mary could have followed him.)  Which means that the distance between Nazareth and Capernaum was likely crossed multiple times by Jesus' feet.

The Jesus Trail is a 40 mile pilgrimage trail that takes the pilgrim from Nazareth, where Jesus grew up, to Capernaum, on the shores of the sea of Galilee.    Along the way you pass a number of important 1st century sites: the Roman city of Sepphoris (Zippori), the town of Cana (Kafr Kanna), the opportunity to walk on 1st century Roman Roads, Magdala, home of Mary Magdalene (Migdal), Ginosaur, where an extant first century boat still exists.  And in a fairly easy day of walking within Capernaum, the ability to see the Bay of Parables, the Mount of the Beatitudes, the site of Simon Peter's house, Tabgha, where the loaves and fishes were multiplied.    And, I hope, take a boat trip on the Sea of Galilee.

According to the Synoptic Gospels, this area of Galilee, and a little further west, into the Decapolis, is where the majority of Jesus' ministry was done.  Even John, who has him spending more time in Jerusalem than the other three, only has him going there for festivals, then returning north to his home base.

For my spirituality, Jesus life, Jesus very human life, is central.   And to walk in the places that he walked, sail on the Sea he sailed (and walked) on, be in the places he taught, is a great opportunity.

When I was beginning to plan this Sabbatical, I was thrilled to find the Jesus trail.   And I was glad to adjust my plans to include it close to the beginning of the Sabbatical, to set the tone for the entire trip.   After 2 days in Akko (Acre), and Caeseria Maritima, I'll head for three nights in Nazareth, hopefully giving me enough time to see this place where Jesus grew up as well as nearby Mt. Tabor, and I will set off on a four day, 40 mile journey, with all my things in a single backpack, staying in hostels and other pilgrim accommodation (both Israeli and Palestinian) along the route.   While traveling I plan to listen to the Gospels, especially focused on the Galilean ministry of Jesus.

For more on the Jesus Trail, look here.

Beginning the booking process.

Fauzi Azar Inn in Nazareth, from their Facebook page.  

It is so exciting to start booking things for my SabbaticalI  I have the travel advance from my congregation, now that they have the check.   I'm booked for a week at at the Citadel Hostel in the old City in Jerusalem, and three nights at the Fauzi Azar Inn (pictured above) in Nazareth.  That gives me two full days in the city that Jesus grew up in, and will allow me time to get out to Mt. Tabor, where the Transfiguration is traditionally thought to take place.

Luke 10:4 The Message (MSG)

“Travel light. Comb and toothbrush and no extra luggage.

I'm in a female dorm room, which I think is the one in the picture.   Pretty place, huh?  Other places I enquired via email, and began hearing back on this morning.

My accommodation preference is hostels, like Fauzi Azar.    One place where that will not happen is in Caparnaum - I arrive on Friday, and I think the hostel there is closed Friday night.

One location seems to be full the night I need, so I'll email and also look for alternatives.   Otherwise I am excited.   I've also found a good set of flights and am watching them via a couple of flight booking sites.   Hopefully I'll find a good price on them in the next month or so.

I've added a couple days onto the beginning of my trip to explore a location that a friend recommended: Akko, so that I will have 3 days to explore Akko and Caeseria Maritima at the beginning of the trip, also giving me some time to adjust to the new time schedule, before heading out on the trail.

It is exciting to book things, even though some (like the inn above) require prepayment.    I think this is where it begins to become real.  I'm working down through my itinerary, starting with places with fewer options and going to some with more options.    Next, I need to work out the rest of the Jesus trail and Bethlehem accommodation.   Then I can start booking Greece.

Headed to the Holy Land

So I can now announce that my church community and I are recipients of a 2019 Lilly Endowment Grant (Link is here to the official press release.)   I'll leave sometime around the 21st of May and return the 1st of September for a dream sabbatical, and my community will journey with me via reading, study and prayer.

My plan is to do a pilgrimage, walking in the steps of Jesus, Paul, the early church, the Reformation (both Evangelical and Reformed) and the pilgrims, to experience more deeply the context of the scriptures I love and the church I also love.   I will spend a lot of time walking where Jesus walked, including walking the 40 mile Jesus Trail from Nazareth to Capernaum in Galilee, where Jesus did most of his ministry.   I will, literally, walk where Jesus walked, as I follow first century Roman Roads on this endeavor.

While I will do a report, do talks to everyone when I get back, and keep a journal, this blog will be the primary place where I share, as it is happening, what is going on: the planning, the experience, day by day, and my initial reactions.   So if you want to follow me, this is the place to follow.

In the next couple of days I will share my feelings on the grant and on starting my journey.  Between now and May I will try to blog at least weekly, while on the journey I will do my best to blog daily.

Join me here for my journey of a lifetime!

Julie

Photo Credit: Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash