From April 20th to May 10th, Acadia Divinity College is sponsoring an educational tour of Israel and the Palestinian Territories for students, pastors, and interested lay people. All participants will register for the tour as a credit for ADC or for transfer to another institution, or will register with ADC as a course guest. Hosted by Dr. Glenn Wooden, the group will move from Galilee in the north, at Dan and Caeserea Philippi, to the region of the Sea of Galilee (complete with a boat ride), on to Nazareth, Megiddo, and Bethlehem, and from there to the Wilderness and Dead Sea region where we will visit Jericho, Qumran, Masada and swim in (float on) the Dead Sea. Before heading north again to Jerusalem, we will visit the southernmost part of the traditional boundary of ancient Israel, Beersheba.
Along the way, we will visit sites like the Valley of Elah, where David defeated Goliath. In Jerusalem we will wander the excavations of the City of David, explore Hezekiah’s Tunnel, pray at the Western Wall, and visit the temple Mount. Finally, we will take in some of the traditional sites of the last days of Christ: the Mount of Olives, the Temple Mount, Garden of Gethsemane, Church of the Holy Sepulcher. On the last day we will take in Yad Vashem (the holocaust museum), and the Israel Museum and see some of the Dead Sea Scrolls. For those willing to pay more, there are extended tours either to Egypt and the Sinai or to Jordan and Petra, or a chance to stay in Bethlehem to volunteer for ministry work through Bethlehem Interdenominational Bible College.
If you have never been to Israel or want to return, this will a truly memorable learning and spiritually fulfilling experience. Dr. Wooden, an Old Testament scholar, will work with another Biblical Studies professor from a US seminary, who will be the official tour guide. We will even worship on the Sunday in Bethlehem, and meet with “living stones” in Bethlehem and Nazareth and hear their stories about life as Christians in the midst of Jewish and Islamic cultures.
If you want more information you might want to visit the tour Facebook page (www.facebook.com/ADCIsrael2012) and “Like” it. If you are interested, then please contact Dr. Wooden ([email protected]).
