Ballooning over Capadokia. 2013 Study-Tour to Turkey. Photograph by Mark Ziese.


Courses of Study

It is difficult to appreciate that which is distant unless one first appreciates that which is near. Study in advance of travel is important. Language, geography, history, art, science, and literature must be pursued with the same rigor with which we pursue theology. If the Great Quest is reduced to an "either-or" enterprise, we devalue the complexity of both the Creator and the Created.

This portion of the website provides primary assistance to traditional and nontraditional students. Non-traditional learners may peruse and use this information, although only a partial range of materials are made available. For more information on current online course offerings and registration information, contact Bible Land Explorer here. For other videos prepared for a variety of reasons see our YouTube channel here.

Bible Lands (Undergraduate)

This course offers a study-abroad experience in Israel and Palestine, regions integral to the historic development of biblical literature and home to three text-oriented communities of faith, namely, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Observation, engagement, and contemplation within these contexts allow learners to explore Christian ministry in an increasingly complex world.

bible lands (Graduate)

This course offers a study-abroad experience in Israel and Palestine, regions integral to the historic development of biblical literature. Students are challenged to consider reconstructions of the past and interpretations in the present for the sake of personal and ministry formation.

A study of the book of Isaiah

This "fifth gospel" sketches the contours of promise against the cold realities of an age of empires. The message of the Servant goes out to the ends of the earth; it offers transforming peace for the People of God and destructive judgment for God's enemies.