Antioch:

where we were first called Christians

I was in Turkey in 2012 with a group of amazing clergy friends from Albuquerque, NM. We were hosted by Raindrop House and our dear friends Necip & Rabia. They are part of the Gulen Movement that is working to build relationships across diverse faith communities. We stayed in local hotels and dined with families across the country. It was an incredible week and a half of sharing stories and faith, laughing and praying together, and experiencing the richness of Turkish culture. I’ve watched the crackdown on that richness in recent years with deep sadness. Reporters we met have been kicked out of their newsrooms and many arrested and silenced. Universities that were charting new paths of innovation and leadership have been closed. The Gulen movement has become the scapegoat of the current administration. Like all groups of people, I assume some members are less idealistic than others. I know, though, that people I met envision a country that is pluralistic, open, and free.

We visited many important Christian and Muslim sites in the country. Antioch was one of the most moving. Near Antakya is a cave where it is believed early Christians worshipped. The book of Acts says that Antioch is the place where the followers of Jesus were first called “Christians.” It was likely a slur that was meant to separate them from their Jewish communities. How far we’ve come.

During the First Crusade, in the 11th century, Antakya was captured and the cave was re-modeled. Including the new facade that was…