Blog #1: In Search of a New Perspective
What on earth am I doing? In February I will be in Israel, and the question is "why?'
The travel agent sent me documents with headings like "Is Israel safe?," "A spiritual land for Jews, Muslims, Christians and Baha'is." And le piece de resistance "A Pilgrim's map of the Holy Land."
I admit to heightened nerves at the announcement of the illness of Ariel Sharon, but you must believe me that it was only then that I checked out the travel warnings by the Department of Immigration on Israel " I had been fine till then. But in the space of 30 minutes I had found the travel advisory and registered with the department as an intended traveller to the holy land, giving them details of next of kin and a myriad of contact information. Fortunately, other parts of the travel agent's literature have been a comfort. For instance, tourism to Israel is on the increase (20,000 in 2005 from Australia/ New Zealand), further if you are on a private bus operated tour (as we will be) then that is the safest way to go.
Security issues aside, you might still wonder what I'm doing. A close (French) friend of the family was out here just before Christmas and I learned that as a leading lay Catholic in the church in Bordeaux he will charter a commercial plane full of sick, disabled and healthy Catholics on a pilgrimage in March. " Yet, I had never thought of my trip as a pilgrimage. I never for a moment thought that it would bring me closer to God, or that it would deliver healing, or that it would prove my devotion to God. Besides if Israel is a spiritual place for everyone then I wonder what's unique for the Christian pilgrim? So " why am I going?
The catalyst for me going was provided by Moore College. Yes! The MA course was offering a guided tour of the Holy Land by the former Bishop of North Sydney, Paul Barnett. His reputation as a leading first century historian precedes him and the opportunity to learn, in situ, from him was sufficient motivation for me. Fancy getting a subject credit for a trip to Israel! (Oh " and the 7000 words of assessable writing required.) I look forward to being able to read my Bible with a greater sensitivity for things geographical, political and cultural. So for example my sermon passage this Sunday climaxes with Mark 3:6 "Then the Pharisees went out and began to plot with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus." The theological significance of the verse is not lost on me, but surely Mark also thought it was full of political significance too, but what is it? You could say that I am in search of a new perspective!
There will be 16 of us on the trip, some of whom are along for the ride and some as part of the MA course. Dave Lanham (on the course) and I will keep you posted on the change, if any, in our perspective.
Antony Barraclough
18/1/06
