Izmir-acle!

5/22/15

Gabriel's Catholic Church of Smyrna- 2nd cent ad, polycarp was Paul's follower, refused to give sacrifice yesterday, executed in agora, became symbol of whole Christian community in Izmir, built in 1620s, after Ahmed the first period, money came to France, rebuilt in 18th century, largest Catholic Church in city, images all painted by French architect, also did clock tower, which is another symbol of city, feat: burning of polycarp, architect pictured crying, mother Mary's image looks like his daughter, this is one of the 7 churches (not building, but group of people) in revelations, only one still alive, Holy shroud that surrounded Jesus Christ, replica, beatam me dicent omens genrationes, tremblez devant mon sanctuare: je suis le seigneur

Ancient city of smyrna- used to be a coastal city, inner citadel, agora (open air place, either state or commercial gathering place, support arches for foundation, basilica), bouleterium (city council), theatre, fortification walls, also neocorus, 3x represented with coins, earthquakes completely devastated, roman city underneath modern city, graffiti in basement of basilica

Clock tower, 1091, ramo ferre, 

In square where the beginning of independence began from Greeks and finished

Biblical Heritage (Kamm)

The scattering of the Israelites that leads them to form synagogues throughout the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern worlds began with the Babylonian Captivity. After a period of kingdoms, the division of of the Jewish state begins with Jeroboam and Rehoboam, go north and south respectively to make Isreael and Judah. After growing decadence and fragility, an age of prophets ensues that fore warns the Jewish people of their impending collapse unless they repent. Soon after, the Assyrians conquer the northern city of Israel and deport the Jews north. Then in 586 BC, the Babylonians conquer the southern city of Judah and deport Jews go east, such as we saw at the gates of Ishtar. A diaspora, or scattering, ensues from these directions and other migrations occur with he allowance of easier travel. Since they no longer have their temple in Jerusalem, they make synagogues (meaning "coming together") in order to preserve their faith with rabbis to remind them of the law and their history. At these common places they pray, and then after the coming of Jesus, they provide Paul hospitality as he goes from anatolia through places such as Smyrna.  Before the Babylonian captivity, only Sumerians (intermarried with Canaanites) had holy places untraditionally before destruction of temple. The diaspora created three waves of Jewish communities to this land- first, Antiochus II brought Jews to Laodecia as unpaid workers, then in the Ottoman era, and lastly in World War II. We can see the ruins of the synagogue in Smyrna from the first wave. Occasionally, we can find a Christian presence, like in Laodecia. Meanwhile, Jerusalem, once a city of splendor and divinity, becomes a refugee camp. The Jews have a sense of a lost security and future, of hopelessness. They must cope with the question: What does it mean to be God's people when they don't have a nation that was promised?

Social World I (Apology)

The last time I wondered how important it was to actually define piety rather than simply being able to identify it. I'm not sure if a common thread runs through every pious action, thought, and being that would lead to a concise definition; however, this does not mean we cannot learn more about piety through the search for this unreachable destination. This time I propose to answer the question of if we know more about piety despite not reaching a conclusion about the definition but by observing in the Apology the circumstances around Socrates' death. He is charged on three counts: corrupting the youth, concerned with things above and below the earth, and making the weaker argument the stronger. His search for piety with his run-in with Euthyphro was a last hitch chance for him to figure out how to understand the charges held against him. Perhaps he is on to something, however, as he explores his search for wisdom through the analysis of other people considered "wise," only to discover that they were ignorant. The difference between him and the others is that he has neither wisdom nor ignorance; he is keenly aware of what he does not know. And this humility is a further insight to piety; however, his claim to heroism through his comparison of himself to Achilles might not be so humble. This heroic statement streams from the example that he is not afraid to die, for how can we be afraid of something we do not know. He faces his death sentence fairly well as he thinks of all the fantastic minds he will get to speak with in the afterlife, only continuing his legacy of testing and examining people. Perhaps true piety, one that leads to a fulfilling life, includes having faith in the life after life.