It looks as though I’ll be able to take the time away from work that I need for upcoming classes. That class list includes this course, titled Orthodox Trail: Byzantine Spirituality:
This course helps the doctoral student understand the Eastern Orthodox Church history, spirituality, worship, liturgy and mission.
The course will introduce students to the ancient and modern Churches of the Asia Minor (Turkey) and Balkans (Bulgaria and Romania), in their historic contexts.
We will be in dialogue with Church leaders with differing perspectives on contemporary issues � mission and globalization.
This course will include a tour of the old city of the Istanbul and a visit with the Ecumenical Patriarchate. We will see the walls of the old city of Istanbul as well as visit local sights of tremendous historical significance (ancient churches that used to play a role in the life of the Eastern Roman Empire).
We plan to leave Constantinople/Istanbul by bus to see interesting sites in Cappadocia connected with St. Basil the Great, St. Gregory of Nazianzus (the brother of St. Basil the Great) and St. Simeon the Stylite. We also plan to see Laodicea and the island of Patmos and following that visit the temple of Artemis in Ephesus.
I’m looking forward to this class! It will be a similar model to the Celtic Trail class I took last August which was so transformational for me, and I’m hopeful that this experience will be a tenth as fun. or more.
pat loughery 
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