So, why would you want to go on a pilgrimage to Turkey? I use the language of pilgrimage on purpose, as in the embodied expression of a spiritual practice. Turkey may not be at the top of your list if you’re a follower of Jesus, but it absolutely should be. Not only is it incredible, magnificent, and beautiful, but you cannot overstate the impact that country had on the development of both the New Testament and the early church.
Of course, you have the letters of Paul and the missionary journeys of Paul. But many of the early councils and conversations in the first centuries of the church took place in Turkey. Conversations like what does it mean for Jesus to be the son of God? Who is the Holy Spirit? What is the Trinity? All so many important Christian doctrinal realities came from Turkish ground. So that’s one really good reason.
Another good reason is simply the incredible preservation of the archaeological sites in Turkey. What is so often the case is you have historical sites that get destroyed over time and rebuilt. And so the versions that we have now are much newer, but when you are in Ephesus, you are walking on the pavement that St. Paul walked on himself. And that’s pretty cool.
Last but not least, both From Russia with Love and Skyfall were filmed in Istanbul. So if you’re a James Bond fan, you really can’t do any better than Turkey.