The Plan

| Thesis | Activities | Bibliography |

Standing in Caesarea, Israel a few years ago while leading a group of students from Eastern Mennonite University, with my back to Jerusalem and my face toward Rome, I experienced Paul's desire to sail from the land of Israel to the heart of the Empire, to Rome. I wanted to sail with Paul.

So for the past 2 years we have been preparing for a sabbatical that will begin in May 2004 and end in late summer 2005. For 15 months my wife Janet and I are planning to sail the routes of St. Paul in the Mediterranean, visiting every site mentioned in the Book of Acts along the way.

By traveling at the speed of the ships that carried grain and passengers, among them Paul, sailing the routes, worrying about the same winds, pulling into ancient harbors that once were dominated by pagan temples, and talking with people at every place Paul visited, we will be searching for new insights into the incredible story of Paul in the Book of Acts. Could it be that Paul was an explorer, an experimenter? Did his discovery and experience of the power, the glory and the scope of the Roman Empire during his mission travels around the rim of the Mediterranean give him a new understanding of the message of Jesus and the Kingdom of God. Did he envision this Kingdom as some day being even more powerful, glorious and universal than the Kingdom of Rome?

We will try to find out answers to these questions and insights into Paul and his work that are relevant to Christians today. I believe there is something new that Christian American citizens can learn about the mission of the church today in the age of globalization and the war on terror from Paul, the Roman citizen working in a time of Romanization and war on terror.

We plan to sail from May ‚ October of 2004, and again from April ‚ Augus in 2005. During the first summer, we plan to work our way slowly counter-clockwise around the Aegean (Turkey and Greece) ending in Corinth, in October. During the early winter months we plan to live aboard the boat in Israel and work on the sabbatical writing and teaching projects, fly back to the US for about 3 weeks over Christmas, then return to the boat for the rest of the winter to complete the writing projects.

The second summer, we plan to begin by sailing from Ceasarea in Israel on the route of Paul's final journey to Rome, In May, 2005 Janet and I will break the Rome journey in order to lead a study seminar of 12 EMU students in the Aegean, then resume in June toward Rome arriving there by mid to late July, 2005.

Beginning in May, 2005 we will be updating this website weekly, beginning in Greece where we will get the boat ready for the voyage, head east, and then move slowly west up the Mediterranean. We will post photos of every place, discoveries, reflections, and commentary on the people we meet, descriptions of our experiences and encounters.

We invite you to travel with us by using this website for your own personal and group study in the Book of Acts. We invite you to learn with us, to creatively engage our own world dominated by Western culture, in ways that Paul did as he explored the Mediterranean.

We hope that our interactive journals will facilitate communication in both directions.

Background:

THESIS

Paul's understanding of the Lordship of Jesus and the Kingdom of God is developed in his discovery of the power, glory and scope of the Roman Empire. This awareness shaped his mission understanding and practice during his mission travels and activities on and around the rim of the Mediterranean. The Mediterranean world of the First Century was dominated by Roman interests and influence. Understanding how Paul adapted his mission message and practice as he experienced the Roman Empire will give new missiological insight into mission within the twenty-first-century world dominated by Western global interests and influence.

ACTIVITIES

At every site we visit, we will do:

Site research that includes looking at the geographical situation, and new archeological discoveries in the search for new insights into biblical accounts and Paul's understanding and actions in mission.

Cultural and social research at every location that includes interviewing local and regional experts of history, religion, and mission, and interviewing local inhabitants in order to explore traditional and current perceptions of Paul and his legacy.

Experiential/reflective research by sailing the sea routes, anchoring in the harbors, and traveling overland to the sites in ways that parallel, as closely as possible, the experiences of Paul described in the Book of Acts.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

For some fascinating background reading into the world in which Paul moved the following are some of my favorites.

Casson, Lionel. The Ancient Mariners: Seafarers and Sea Fighters of the Mediterranean in Ancient Times. 2nd ed. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1991.

Casson, Lionel. Travel in the Ancient World. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1994.

Gill, David W. J. and Conrad Gempf, eds.: The Book of Acts in its First Century Setting. Vol. 2. Bruce Winter, series editor. Grand Rapids, Mich.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1994.

Horsley, Richard A, ed. Paul and Empire: Religion and Power in Roman Imperial Society. Harrisburg, Pa. : Trinity Press International, 1997.

Horsley, Richard A, and Niel Asher Silbermann. The Message And The Kingdom : How Jesus And Paul Ignited A Revolution And Transformed The Ancient World. Minneapolis : Fortress Press, 2002.

Jeffers, James S. The Greco-Roman World of the New Testament Era: Exploring the Background of Early Christianity. Downers Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 1999.

Meeks, Wayne A. The First Urban Christians: The Social World of the Apostle Paul. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1986.

Morton, H.V. In the Steps of St. Paul. New York, Dodd, Mead & Company, 1937.

Ramsay, William M. St. Paul, The Traveler and Roman Citizen. (From 15th ediion published by Hodder & Stoughton, London, 1925) Mark Wilson, ed. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Kregel Publications, 2001.

Wangerin Jr, Walter. Paul, a novel. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan, 2000.

White, Jefferson. Evidence & Paul's Journeys. Hilliard, OH: Parsagard Press, 2001.


	The plan Route Background Journals Photos EMS Home The Plan \| Thesis \| Activities \| Bibliography \| Standing in Caesarea, Israel a few years ago while leading a group of students from Eastern Mennonite University, with my back to Jerusalem and my face toward Rome, I experienced Paul's desire to sail from the land of Israel to the heart of the Empire, to Rome. I wanted to sail with Paul. So for the past 2 years we have been preparing for a sabbatical that will begin in May 2004 and end in late summer 2005. For 15 months my wife Janet and I are planning to sail the routes of St. Paul in the Mediterranean, visiting every site mentioned in the Book of Acts along the way. By traveling at the speed of the ships that carried grain and passengers, among them Paul, sailing the routes, worrying about the same winds, pulling into ancient harbors that once were dominated by pagan temples, and talking with people at every place Paul visited, we will be searching for new insights into the incredible story of Paul in the Book of Acts. Could it be that Paul was an explorer, an experimenter? Did his discovery and experience of the power, the glory and the scope of the Roman Empire during his mission travels around the rim of the Mediterranean give him a new understanding of the message of Jesus and the Kingdom of God. Did he envision this Kingdom as some day being even more powerful, glorious and universal than the Kingdom of Rome? We will try to find out answers to these questions and insights into Paul and his work that are relevant to Christians today. I believe there is something new that Christian American citizens can learn about the mission of the church today in the age of globalization and the war on terror from Paul, the Roman citizen working in a time of Romanization and war on terror. We plan to sail from May ‚ October of 2004, and again from April ‚ Augus in 2005. During the first summer, we plan to work our way slowly counter-clockwise around the Aegean (Turkey and Greece) ending in Corinth, in October. During the early winter months we plan to live aboard the boat in Israel and work on the sabbatical writing and teaching projects, fly back to the US for about 3 weeks over Christmas, then return to the boat for the rest of the winter to complete the writing projects. The second summer, we plan to begin by sailing from Ceasarea in Israel on the route of Paul's final journey to Rome, In May, 2005 Janet and I will break the Rome journey in order to lead a study seminar of 12 EMU students in the Aegean, then resume in June toward Rome arriving there by mid to late July, 2005. Beginning in May, 2005 we will be updating this website weekly, beginning in Greece where we will get the boat ready for the voyage, head east, and then move slowly west up the Mediterranean. We will post photos of every place, discoveries, reflections, and commentary on the people we meet, descriptions of our experiences and encounters. We invite you to travel with us by using this website for your own personal and group study in the Book of Acts. We invite you to learn with us, to creatively engage our own world dominated by Western culture, in ways that Paul did as he explored the Mediterranean. We hope that our interactive journals will facilitate communication in both directions. Background: THESIS Paul's understanding of the Lordship of Jesus and the Kingdom of God is developed in his discovery of the power, glory and scope of the Roman Empire. This awareness shaped his mission understanding and practice during his mission travels and activities on and around the rim of the Mediterranean. The Mediterranean world of the First Century was dominated by Roman interests and influence. Understanding how Paul adapted his mission message and practice as he experienced the Roman Empire will give new missiological insight into mission within the twenty-first-century world dominated by Western global interests and influence. ACTIVITIES At every site we visit, we will do: Site research that includes looking at the geographical situation, and new archeological discoveries in the search for new insights into biblical accounts and Paul's understanding and actions in mission. Cultural and social research at every location that includes interviewing local and regional experts of history, religion, and mission, and interviewing local inhabitants in order to explore traditional and current perceptions of Paul and his legacy. Experiential/reflective research by sailing the sea routes, anchoring in the harbors, and traveling overland to the sites in ways that parallel, as closely as possible, the experiences of Paul described in the Book of Acts. BIBLIOGRAPHY For some fascinating background reading into the world in which Paul moved the following are some of my favorites. Casson, Lionel. The Ancient Mariners: Seafarers and Sea Fighters of the Mediterranean in Ancient Times. 2nd ed. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1991. Casson, Lionel. Travel in the Ancient World. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1994. Gill, David W. J. and Conrad Gempf, eds.: The Book of Acts in its First Century Setting. Vol. 2. Bruce Winter, series editor. Grand Rapids, Mich.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1994. Horsley, Richard A, ed. Paul and Empire: Religion and Power in Roman Imperial Society. Harrisburg, Pa. : Trinity Press International, 1997. Horsley, Richard A, and Niel Asher Silbermann. The Message And The Kingdom : How Jesus And Paul Ignited A Revolution And Transformed The Ancient World. Minneapolis : Fortress Press, 2002. Jeffers, James S. The Greco-Roman World of the New Testament Era: Exploring the Background of Early Christianity. Downers Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 1999. Meeks, Wayne A. The First Urban Christians: The Social World of the Apostle Paul. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1986. Morton, H.V. In the Steps of St. Paul. New York, Dodd, Mead & Company, 1937. Ramsay, William M. St. Paul, The Traveler and Roman Citizen. (From 15th ediion published by Hodder & Stoughton, London, 1925) Mark Wilson, ed. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Kregel Publications, 2001. Wangerin Jr, Walter. Paul, a novel. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan, 2000. White, Jefferson. Evidence & Paul's Journeys. Hilliard, OH: Parsagard Press, 2001.

	Linford and Janet Stutzman •