ISRAEL: Faith, Friction and firm Foundations
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>> This is the January 2015 issue containing the February Bible Study Lessons BETHLEHEM: Not so little town of great challenges 30 baptiststoday.org ISRAEL: Faith, friction and firm foundations SEE ROCK CITIES: Indeed, these stones can talk 5 WHERE WAS JESUS? Historical evidence vs. holy hype 28 NARRATIVES: Voices from both sides of the Israeli-Palestinian divide 34 MODERN ISRAEL: Politics, peoples and prophesies 36 PILGRIMAGE: Images and reflections from Israel and the West Bank 38 FA TH™ BIBLE STUDIES for adults and youth 17 John D. Pierce Executive Editor [email protected] Julie Steele Chief Operations Officer [email protected] Jackie B. Riley Managing Editor [email protected] PILGRIMAGE: Tony W. Cartledge Contributing Editor IMAGES AND [email protected] REFLECTIONS Bruce T. Gourley Online Editor FROM ISRAEL [email protected] AND THE WEST David Cassady Church Resources Editor BANK [email protected] Terri Byrd Contributing Writer Vickie Frayne Art Director 38 Jannie Lister Customer Service Manager [email protected] Kimberly L. Hovis PERSPECTIVES Marketing Associate [email protected] For good or bad: the witnessing dilemma 9 Gifts to Baptists Today Lex Horton John Pierce Nurturing Faith Resources Manager [email protected] Remembering Isaac Backus and the IN HONOR OF Walker Knight, Publisher Emeritus importance of religious liberty 16 BETTIE CHITTY CHAPPELL Jack U. Harwell, Editor Emeritus Leroy Seat From Catherine Chitty DIRECTORS EMERITI Thomas E. Boland IN HONOR OF R. Kirby Godsey IN THE NEWS Mary Etta Sanders CHARLES AND TONI Nearly one-fourth of American families Winnie V. Williams CLEVENGER turn to church food pantries 10 BOARD OF DIRECTORS From Barry and Amanda Howard Donald L. Brewer, Gainesville, Ga. (chairman) Court rejects atheists’ demand to end Cathy Turner, Clemson, S.C. (vice chair) tax break for clergy housing 10 Edwin Boland, Johns Creek, Ga. IN MEMORY OF Mary Jane Cardwell, Waycross, Ga. Nonbelievers’ ‘commandments’ Bob Cates, Rome, Ga. NATHAN BYRD JR. Jack Causey, Statesville, N.C. not written in stone 11 From Frieda Byrd Anthony D. Clevenger, Pensacola, Fla. Kenny Crump, Ruston, La. Evangelicals give mixed reactions to Doug Dortch, Birmingham, Ala. Obama’s immigration move James M. Dunn, Winston-Salem, N.C. 11 Jack Glasgow, Zebulon, N.C. Frank Granger, Athens, Ga. Pastors opposed to same-sex marriage vow Cynthia Holmes, St. Louis, Mo. not to participate in any civil ceremonies 12 David Hull, Watkinsville, Ga. Becky Matheny, Athens, Ga. Tommy McDearis, Blacksburg, Va. FEATURE Andrew McGill, Chattanooga, Tenn. William T. Neal, Stone Mountain, Ga. Roger Paynter, Austin, Texas Kathy B. Richardson, Rome, Ga. Teaming with Oprah Charles Schaible, Macon, Ga. 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Baptists Today (ISSN 1072-7787) is published monthly by: Baptists Today Periodical postage paid at Macon, Ga. 31208 and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address corrections to: Baptists TodayAll rights reserved. !"#$% &'( )*#"#! +% ,#*' )-.$/. ISRAEL Faith, friction and firm foundations The sunset over Nazareth is nothing short distinctively dressed Jewish men rush through been so frequent and intense for so long, how- the Muslim Quarter of the Old City in order ever, that no part of the shared facilities can of spectacular when viewed from high atop to reach the Western Wall before sunset. There be rearranged without the consent of all the Mount Precipice. Every turn of the head gives they pray fervently and faithfully — and, as groups. the night grows late, yeshiva students and This conflict-over-cooperation environ- a worthy perspective on grandeur. young soldiers break into joyful dances in the ment is most subtly noted in a wooden ladder he gathered Christian pilgrims ponder expansive plaza. that has remained unmoved from a church the words — taken from the prophet Physically, this ancient retention wall is as window ledge since 1852 — out of fear that T Isaiah — that Jesus spoke in a syna- close as one can get to the beloved Temple that someone’s view of hell might break loose. gogue below some two millennia ago to launch was destroyed in 70 CE. Spiritually, it is the The drive from Jerusalem down to his public ministry: holiest site in Judaism. Bethlehem is just six to eight miles — depend- “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, Just above, on the Temple Mount, rises a ing on which Christmas Eve sermon you’re because he has anointed me to preach good golden dome with colorful mosaic features that listening to. But access is not easy. news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim defines the landscape of modern Jerusalem: the A stark, towering, prison-like wall — arbi- release to the captives and recovering of sight Dome of the Rock. trarily placed with little regard for accepted to the blind, to set at liberty those who are It is the flashpoint for ongoing conflicts territorial boundaries — isolates Palestinians oppressed, to proclaim the acceptable year of between the Muslims who have long occupied from work and travel. Even their own vine- the Lord” (Luke 4:18-19). the space and some Jewish leaders seeking the yards and other sources of livelihood can As the melon-like sun disappears, the right not only to visit but also to pray at the become inaccessible. reverberating sounds of the Islamic Call to site considered sacred by both religious groups Christians are disappearing from the Prayer rise from the many minaret-topped — as well as many Christians. birthplace of Jesus — due to Islamic pres- mosques scattered below. The city looks and Friday evening activities also occur within sures from within and political pressures from sounds little if anything like it did when the the Church of the Holy Sepulchre — regarded without the West Bank. These Palestinian young Jewish family of Mary, Joseph and Jesus by many as the crucifixion site called Calvary Christians say they are further isolated and called it home long ago. or Golgotha. Conflict among the multiple offended by the supposedly divine cover that Sabbath approaches in Jerusalem, and Christian groups that occupy the church has their American evangelical brothers and sisters provide to overreaching Israeli officials. Holy Land, at times, seems to be a mis- nomer. Yet this place is so foundational to religious faith for so many that it cannot be ignored. From its rugged, rocky hills to its fertile fields and lakeshores to its sparking coastline to its numerous and historic places of worship, this place tells story after story of faith that has endured. Such faith is often made more real for vis- iting longtime Bible readers and believers who now find a fresh context for the divine stories embedded in their minds and hearts since childhood. Whether envisioning a giant of a combatant in the Valley of Elah, a violent storm on an angry sea, or a much-needed savior praying in anguish in a hillside garden of olive trees, this place is dif- ferent from all others in the world. BT 4 SEE ROCK CITIES: Indeed, these stones can talk here’s an old rabbinic tale that goes part-goat, part-man deity playing a flute. Dan was so close to the northern border something like this: When God sent out Temples to various Greek deities were built — a border that has moved about from war T an angel with 10 bags of rocks to scatter into the rugged setting with niches carved into to war — that biblical writers would speak over the earth at the time of creation, the angel the stone walls to hold images of the gods. of the entire country by saying “from Dan to dropped nine bags on Israel and the remaining The ancient worship site became known Beersheba” (the southernmost city). one on the rest of the world. as Panyas (or Panias), also known by the Arabic A nature trail leads to the remains of the Rocks are everywhere in Israel, providing pronunciation “Banyas.” The flowing stream infamous temple built by Jeroboam after Israel such sturdy building materials that the remains is one of three tributaries forming the Jordan split into northern and southern kingdoms of ancient civilizations can be uncovered thou- River, which flows into the Sea of Galilee. in the 10th century BCE. One of Dan’s most sands of years later. impressive features is an ancient city gate con- Many archaeological sites in Israel NORTHERN ISRAEL structed of mud bricks atop basalt stones.