Ataturk put the beauty of the Hagia Sophia on exhibition for the world to see, but in 2020, Erdogan repurposed the space to display Islam. As a result, a visit hides multiple Christian sacred items once displayed for touring. This write-up will detail the hidden Christianity that the Hagia Sophia now shuns. In January 2024, the status and entrance of the site changed. Before, the balcony was off-limits, but now the ground floor and courtyard are no longer accessible through a normal entrance.
[Read more…] about The New Hidden Items in the Hagia SophiaSearching Below the Surface – Look at unexpected Islamic ideas.
In reading, Searching Below the Surface: A Deeper Look at Covenant and Contract, one expects simple answers to complex issues. However, exploring a much-needed contrast between how the God of the Bible functions in a covenant manner and the Islamic Allah in a contractual way will take the reader into a Scripture dig. The foundations help one to understand marriage as an outcome of these beliefs, leading each of us to discover why biblical marriage is a covenant, not contractual – like Islam.
[Read more…] about Searching Below the Surface – Look at unexpected Islamic ideas.How God uses Dreams of Jesus?
I can testify that I have heard over 200 testimonies of believers from a Muslim background. As I listened to them, one thing was clear: Faith comes by hearing, and hearing through the Word of Christ. (Rom. 10:17). I observed that the dramatic did not save them, but God’s word did. So what about all these dreams of Jesus?
[Read more…] about How God uses Dreams of Jesus?A Walk in the Chisinau Jewish Cemetery
Walking through this Jewish cemetery, I feel deeply moved by the shared human desire for hope and peace, especially for those who have endured profound turmoil. The Jewish cemetery in Chisinau, originally called the New Cemetery, proves the long history of the Hebrew people in this region. The city’s cemetery offers a unique view of its 200-year history, including pogroms and evidence of its destroyed section.
[Read more…] about A Walk in the Chisinau Jewish CemeteryHidden Crosses over the Cafe Terrace
The Archeology Museum of Istanbul hosts over 1 million historic pieces in three main buildings. There is no religious Byzantine historical section in the three buildings; the religious Byzantine section lies in the courtyards and the exterior of the Museum area, which is open to the elements of nature. From the wall of the Archeology Cafe, a terrace oversees a storage section below. Let’s look at what hidden crosses lay there.
[Read more…] about Hidden Crosses over the Cafe TerraceHidden Crosses in Archaeology Museum Istanbul – Storage Section
On the far end of the courtyard of the Archaeology Museum is the office building where Istanbul Christian ruins remain dormant in the corridor. All too often, I find the Christian ruins in corners stacked side by side and/or outside in a gathering area of ruined remains.
[Read more…] about Hidden Crosses in Archaeology Museum Istanbul – Storage SectionAntalya Bell Tower – Whoops! Clock Tower Walking Tour
The Antalya Clock Tower, recently renovated in 2024, centers in a prime location on the edge of the old city of Kaleici. The tower displays a mix of Seljuk, Ottoman, and Greek influences on the city. Within the tower are marble pieces, most likely from Byzantine buildings, which the Seljuks placed within the tower.
[Read more…] about Antalya Bell Tower – Whoops! Clock Tower Walking TourIs Jihad in the Bible?
Jihad is an Arabic word that means struggle. In many circles, it refers to the allowance to fight and conquer those who do not follow the Islamic path. In the Old Testament, many wars, as well as the conquering and destruction of other peoples, occurred that seem to be similar. Is Jihad today like the Old Testament? Let’s analyze some differences between judgments in the Old Testament and Islamic Jihad.
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