Special
ACP Membership Benefit
An exceptional benefit of
ACP membership for the past four years is the annual press
trip to help U.S. religious journalists gain familiarity
with the Kingdom of Jordan and to see first-hand some of the
remarkable Biblical and archaeological sites in that land
east of the River Jordan. For many of the participants in
the most recent trip – 20 members of the Associated Church
Press and the Evangelical Press Association – the experience
was just the beginning of a continuing interest in Jordan.
Politics and history
There is no escaping the
political questions. The recent ACP/EPA familiarization trip
to the Kingdom of Jordan was an opportunity for 20 writers
and editors to experience “the other Holy Land,” visiting
Biblical sites including the bend in the River Jordan where
Jesus was baptized. But at a lengthy panel briefing the
second day in Amman – the first was consumed by a half-day
flight from New York, relaxation and a delicious welcome
dinner – the discussion turned to the Iraq war and U.S.
support for the region.
The crush
of Iraqi refugees in Jordan is straining the capacity of the
government, religious institutions and other
non-governmental organizations to respond adequately, said
some of the Jordanian government, religious and cultural
officials who briefed the group and answered questions.
The larger conflict in the
Middle East, exacerbated by the Iraq War and the seemingly
stalled peace process in Israel-Palestine is
jeopardizing Jordan’s status as “an oasis of tolerance,
acceptance and mutual respect,” said Sen. Aqel Biltaji, a
longtime government official and official advisor to the
late King Hussein and now his son, King Abdullah II.
“This is a sad time for us
because it was the Americans who brought us education,
democracy, medicine and critical thinking,” Sen. Biltaji
(photo above) told the group. “Now those doctors and
teachers have been replaced by soldiers …” (For a complete
report of the briefing, see Going it too much alone:
Jordanian church leaders say international community must do
more to alleviate Iraq War-bred problems, by Jerry Van
Marter, Presbyterian News Service, at
http://65.173.210.46/pcnews/2007/07724.htm)
The frank discussion didn’t
dampen the U.S. press group’s enthusiasm for Jordan’s
historical and cultural riches. The “tourism” part of the
trip got off to a memorable start in large part because of
the modern capital city of Amman and its Grand Hyatt hotel (http://amman.grand.hyatt.com/hyatt/hotels/index.jsp).
Highlights of the week
were:
The Citadel of ancient
Rabbath Ammon, capitol of the
Ammonite Kingdom, known in Greco-Roman times as
Philadelphia. The archaeological museum there houses one of
the finest collections of ancient artifacts in the Middle
East, including some of the copper Dead Sea scrolls.
Visitors can stand atop the fortress where David sent Uriah
the Hittite to his death. Photo shows a fragment from one
of the copper scrolls.
Ajloun, outside of Amman.
The castle of Ajloun was built in 1184 by Saladin’s
nephew. A fine example of Islamic architecture, the fortress
dominated a wide stretch of the north Jordan Valley and
passages to it. From its hilltop position, it protected the
communication routes between south Jordan and Syria, and was
one of its chain of forts, which lit beacons at night to pass
signals from the Euphrates as far as Cairo. On the way to Ajloun,
travellers follow in the footsteps of Mary, the mother of
Jesus, who is reported to have passed through the
neighboring ancient town of Anjara to rest in a nearby
cave. The cave, which has long been a holy place for
pilgrims, has now been commemorated with a modern shrine and
church of Our Lady of the Mountain. The cave was designated
by the Catholic Churches of the Middle East as one of the
five pilgrimage sites for the Jubilee Year 2000.
The ancient Greco Roman
city of Jerash, by bus from Amman
through pine forests (referenced in the
Bible as the Forests of Gilead) and olive groves. The
colonnaded street, amphitheater, churches, temples and the
vast Roman forum impresses visitors with the march of
civilizations that has trooped through the region. Jerash
(noted in the Bible as in the “region of the Garasenes”) is
remarkable for its unbroken chain of human occupation since
Neolithic times. Jerash is considered one of the
best-preserved Roman provincial towns. A large
ecclesiastical complex within the city houses a fountain
where Byzantine citizens once annually celebrated Jesus’
miracle of turning water into wine. Today, the “Fountain
Court” within Jerash is a popular destination for modern
pilgrims who want to commemorate the travels and teachings
of Jesus in the most spectacular remains of a city of the
Decapolis. The route passes near Mahanaim (near the
Jabbok River), where Jacob wrestled with the Angel and where
David sought refuge during his son Absalom’s rebellion.
Madaba, known throughout
the world as the City of Mosaics (mentioned in the Bible
as the Moabite town of Medeba).
The
group visited the contemporary Greek Orthodox Church of St.
George, which features the masterpiece sixth-century
Byzantine mosaic map of the Holy Land. Afterward, they enjoyed a
brief walking tour of the town on the way to lunch at Haret
Jdoudna, which served a variety of local specialties. On the way to Madaba, there are mosaic workshops and gift stores, where you may see
craftsmen creating mosaics. Other souvenirs include
ceramics,
Dead Sea health and beauty products, jewelry,
clothing and handicrafts. Photo shows a painting at St.
George Church.
Mount Nebo. Sixty years
of excavation on the hilltop of Mount Nebo, where Moses
arrived after his long Exodus journey and viewed the
Promised Land he would never enter (he is said to be buried
nearby), have revealed a basilica and one of the most
magnificent mosaic floors in the world. From the platform
nearby the church, there is a breathtaking view across the
Jordan Valley and the Dead Sea to the rooftops of Bethlehem
and, on a clear day, Jerusalem. A huge serpentine cross
creates a stirring silhouette against the panorama of the
valley.
You can spend more than a
day at the Red Rose City Petra. Petra was first
established sometime around the 6th century BC by the Nabataean Arabs, a nomadic tribe who settled in the area and
laid the foundations of a commercial empire that extended
into Syria. Despite successive attempts by the Seleucid king
Antigonus, the Roman emperor Pompey and Herod the Great to
bring Petra under the control of their respective empires,
Petra remained largely in Nabataean hands until around
100 AD, when the Romans took over. It was still inhabited
during the Byzantine period, when the former Roman Empire
moved its focus east to Constantinople, but declined in
importance thereafter. The Crusaders constructed a fort
there in the 12th century, but soon withdrew, leaving Petra
to the local people until the early 19th century, when it
was visited by the Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt.
Upon arrival you will begin an unforgettable trip on horse
back to the siq and then by foot until you reach the
Treasury, a huge carving at the entrance of the valley. Among other monuments are Pharaoh's
Castle, the Triumphal Arch, the Amphitheater and Monastery.
Jordan abounds in archaeological riches, but few places in
the world can rival this city, featured in Steven
Spielberg’s “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade,” and
connected to the Scriptural Exodus journey. Moses and the
Israelites are said to have passed through the Petra area in
ancient Edom. Photo shows the Treasury at Petra, carved
out of a limestone cliff.
Wadi
Rum, which T.E. Lawrence described as “vast, echoing and
God-like,” takes you off the beaten path to explore the
desert. The ACP/EPA group travelled by jeeps and off-road
trucks through the sand dunes, and enjoyed a hearty lunch at
Captain’s Camp, a popular stop designed in the authentic
style of a Bedouin camp.
Wadi Rum a vast, silent
landscape of ancient riverbeds and pastel-colored mountains.
It is the
largest and most magnificent of Jordan's deserts.
Aqaba is Jordan’s
playground on the Red Sea and is home to
what may be the world’s oldest church. A year-round resort
with some of the best coral reefs in the world, Aqaba
provides many options for water sports enthusiasts or those
seeking a more relaxing sunbathing experience. The
group enjoyed a free
afternoon to relax, scuba dive and shop the extensive market
district. Above, Jerry Van Marter buys spices, coffee
and incense from "Omar the Spice Dealer" at the market in
Aqaba.
Bethany-beyond-the-Jordan
(Baptism Site)
There is a profound simplicity
at Bethany-beyond-the-Jordan, the area between the Jordan
River and Tell el-Kharrar, where John the Baptist came in
the spirit of Elijah to preach and baptize, and where his
baptism of Jesus marked the first recorded manifestation of
the Trinity. Tell el-Kharrar’s other name, Tell Mar Elias
(Elijah’s Hill) is reminiscent of the prophet Elijah, who --
according to tradition -- ascended from here to heaven on
the famed chariot of fire (and whose ministry and
proclamations were parallel to John the Baptist’s, thus
underscoring the close connection of the two prophets). The
group visited
the remains of Byzantine churches, large baptism pools and
an extensive water system -- all part of the Byzantine
tradition linking this place with Jesus’ baptism.
The Dead Sea, the
lowest point on Earth, was the group’s last
stop of the week before returning to Amman, then home. The
weary travelers relaxed at
a palatial Marriott on what is billed as the world’s largest
open-air spa. The Dead Sea is a one-of-a-kind body of water,
417 meters (1,373 feet) below sea level with mineral-rich
waters. The mud is said to carry natural health and beauty benefits,
and is sold globally. Recognized as a mini-universe with its
own microclimate, the Dead Sea is the saltiest and most
mineral-laden body of water in the world. The unparalleled
buoyancy and warmth of the water allows bathers to float
effortlessly, almost on top of the water. Photos show the palatial Dead Sea Marriott
and "floaters" in the sea itself.
ACP member Jerry Van Marter
and the Jordan Tourism Board contributed to this report. All
photos by Joe Thoma.
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