The King’s College Students Tackle Political, Biblical Discussions in Israel

For Christians, a pilgrimage to the Holy Land is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to understand the story of the Jewish people, and to trace the steps of the biblical narrative of creation, fall, redemption and restoration.

Fifty-three students from The King’s College participated in this journey May 21-June 1 made possible through a generous grant from Passages, a new program by Steve and Jackie Green’s Washington, D.C.-based Museum of the Bible and the Philos Project in New York City.

“The Passages trip to Israel was truly transformational for our students. The whole experience was incredibly thoughtful, well-executed, and provided deep learning about both Biblical history and the modern day challenges of the state,” said Dr. Kimberly C. Thornbury, Vice President of The King’s College, who accompanied students on the inaugural trip. “Though the trip itself is over, our conversations on campus about next steps will certainly be ongoing.”

During the 10-day trip, students covered most of the country’s geographical area – from overlooking the Syrian border from the Golan Heights in northeast Israel to taking a dip in the Dead Sea, the lowest point on earth.

The trip began in Tel Aviv with a tour of Jaffa and Nazareth and made a few days for touring around the Sea of Galilee – including a tour of Capernaum and cruise on a fishing boat. The majority of the trip explored the Holy City of Jerusalem, where students participated in a Shabbat dinner hosted by an Orthodox Jewish family, heard from Israeli parliament members at the Knesset and toured biblical sites like the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Garden of Gethsemane and the Garden Tomb.

Students were able to recite the Lord’s Prayer in Aramaic with Israeli Aramaic Maronite pastor Shadi Khalloul, visit the Dead Sea Scrolls caves at Qumran and pray in a private garden at the Garden of Gethsemane.

“Prior to the trip I had trouble grasping the reasons of why Jesus had done what he did,” said Religion and Theological Studies major Victoria Bevill, ‘19. “Walking through the beautiful terrain of Israel and studying Scripture alongside my peers, something just clicked!”

In addition to touring, students heard from more than a dozen speakers throughout the trip, including Israeli academic and former peace negotiator Dr. Tal Becker, Israeli Arab journalist Khaled Abu Toameh and a panel of Israel Defense Forces soldiers.

“The aspect of Israel that caught me most off-guard was the strength of the people who live (and choose to move) there. It takes sober patriotism and resignation to live in a tiny country, surrounded by nations that constantly threaten your very right to exist as a state,” said Media, Culture & the Arts major Jon Adler, ’19. “Though there are countless essays, articles, and even books written on Israel and the rest of the Middle East, I could not register how complicated (and delicate) every aspect of Israel’s existence is until I saw it firsthand.”

“The Passages program exceeded most of my expectations. Over the ten days, the biblical terrain and events crystallized into a three-dimensional map of lifetime knowledge,” said The King’s College Associate Professor of Biblical & Theological Studies Dr. Dru Johnson. “Even more, the fuzzy dimensions of Middle East politics were clarified through visits to the Syrian and Gaza borders, which was pared with lectures from experts in missile defense, peace negotiations, religious studies, and more. As a professor, this kind of condensed learning—learning that both causes long-term reflection and offers nuanced interpretation—is priceless.”

After completing the trip, Passages offers students resources for further education and leadership opportunities, including additional trips to other countries important to Israeli history. For more information, visit www.bloggingpassages.com.