Faulkner University

Faulkner University

Spring 2016 Semester Program

(January 28-April 26)

DAY 1, January 27 – WEDNESDAY: DEPART ATLANTA

Depart from Atlanta & transatlantic flight to Greece

DAY 2, January 28 - THURSDAY: ARRIVE ATHENS

Welcome to Athens Greece! You will be met by our representative and transferred by private bus directly to the Hotel in the seaside suburb of Glyfada which will be your campus & home for the semester.

DAY 3, January 29 – FRIDAY: ORIENTATION & CLASSES

DAY 4, January 30- SATURDAY: FULL DAY ATHENS FIELD TRIP

At 8:00 am we depart for Athens and begin our full day sightseeing tour in Athens (Acts 17:16-34). We will visit Mars’ Hill (or Areopagus –Acts 17:22) where the Apostle Paul delivered his well known sermon to an “unknown God” The world famous crown jewel of Athens, the Acropolis with its many buildings; the Temple of Nike, the Temple of Athena, the Propylaea, and the Erechtheion. Next on to the New Acropolis Museum which houses more than 3,000 famous artifacts and narrates the life of the Acropolis from prehistoric times until the end of antiquity.
After lunch at a local restaurant in Plaka we will visit the Temple of Olympian Zeus and have a short photo stop at the Panathenian Stadium for photos. Our tour continues with a panoramic sightseeing drive of the city viewing the highlights of the modern city of Athens; passing by the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the Parliament House, the Academy, the University and the National Library. Return back to Campus

DAY 5, January 31 – SUNDAY: WORSHIP

At 5:30 pm we depart to worship with local Church of Christ in Glyfada

DAY 6, February 1 – MONDAY: BENEVOLENCE WORK

DAY 7, February 2 – TUESDAY: CLASSES

DAY 8, February 3 – FULL DAY ATHENS FIELD TRIP

Breakfast and at 8:00 am we depart for Athens. Our first visit is to the ancient Agora which was the heart of ancient Athens, the focus of political, commercial, administrative and social activity, the religious and cultural center and the seat of justice. This site was occupied without interruption in all periods of the city’s history. Here we will see the Doric Temple of Hephaestus (or Thesseion) and the Stoa of Attalos; an arcade built by Attalos II, king of Pergamum, used as a retail market and now a fascinating Museum. We continue on to visit the Roman forum, built by Roman leaders beginning with Julius Caesar as an extension of the Greek agora. We see the Roman Agora's most endearing monument, the octagonal Tower of the Winds (Aerides), with its relief sculptures of eight gods of the winds, including Boreas blowing on a shell. After lunch at a local restaurant in Monastiraki we continue to visit the National Archaeological Museum, the largest archaeological museum in Greece and one of the most important museums in the world devoted to ancient Greek art. It was founded at the end of the 19th century to house and protect antiquities from all over Greece, thus displaying their historical, cultural and artistic value. Return back to Campus.

DAY 9, February 4 – THURSDAY: CLASSES

DAY 10, February 5 – FRIDAY: BENEVOLENCE WORK

DAY 11, February 6 – SATURDAY-CLASSES & AFTERNOON FIELD TRIP TO SOUNION

Morning Classes.
In the afternoon we drive along the picturesque coastal road past the beautiful beaches of Voula, Vouliagmeni and Varkiza with its countless coves and the beautiful blue waters of the Saronic Gulf only feet from us to Cape Sounion. Here we visit the Doric white marble Temple of Poseidon that overlooks th Aegean Sea and also to view one of the famous radiant sunsets. Return back to campus in the evening

DAY 12, February 7 – SUNDAY -WORSHIP

At 5:30 pm we depart to worship with local Church of Christ in Glyfada

DAY 13 February 8- MONDAY: Benevolence work

ARGOLIS FIELD TRIP FEBRUARY 9-11

DAY 14, February 9 - TUESDAY: CORINTH – ACROCORINTH – CENCHREAE – NAFPLION
Breakfast at the hotel & Check out. Our luggage will be stored while we are on our 3-day field trip. At 08.00am we begin our drive to the west of Athens by the Saronic Gulf, where in 480 BC history’s root was changed! The small Grecian fleet managed to defeat the enormously powerful armada of the Persians. From here, via the historic Corinthian Canal, which cuts through the narrow Istmus of Corinth and separates the Peloponnesian peninsula from the Greek Mainland, we arrive at ancient Corinth (Acts 18:1-18). It is the city where Paul stayed for one and a half years during his first visit, the longest he stayed in any of the cities he visited except Ephesus. Paul wrote at least four letters addressed to the church of Corinth two of which are found in the New Testament. From Corinth he wrote three and possibly four epistles addressed to the first Christians in Rome, Thessalonica and Galatia. You will visit the ancient Agora (forum), the Temple of Apollo, the Roman Odeon, the Bema where Paul stood in front of Gallio (Acts 18:12-17), the Roman pro-consul of Achaea. You will see the inscription of Erastus, the treasurer of the city, mentioned in the epistle to Romans (Acts 19:22; Romans 16:23; 2 Timothy 4:20). The small local archaeological museum here is an absolute must! In Romans 16:23 Paul mentions his friend Erastus and we will see an inscription to him at the site. After lunch at a local restaurant we drive up to visit Acrocorinth the acropolis (citadel) of Corinth which is situated to the southwest of the ancient city and rises to an elevation of 1883 ft. [574 m.].Today it is surrounded by walls that are about 1.85 mi. [3 km.] long. The foundations of the fortifications are ancient—going back to the Hellenistic Period. The current walls were built and rebuilt by the Byzantines, Franks, Venetians, and Ottoman Turks. The entrance to the Acrocorinth is from the west where the approach is most gentle. Writing of days prior to Paul, Strabo said that the Temple of Aphrodite owned one thousand temple–slaves andprostitutes! Thus the reputation of Corinth was well–known. Our last visit is to the ruins of early Christian 5th century basilica in Cenchreae. We continue to the hotel in Nafplion for Check-in, dinner and overnight stay
DAY 15, February 10 - WEDNESDAY: NAFPLION – EPIDAURUS-MYCENAE- OLYMPIA
Breakfast at the hotel and check-out. Our day begins with a visit to the ancient Theater of Epidaurus, the Sanctuary of Asclepius the ancient god of healing. We see the best-preserved ancient theater in all of Greece, famous for the harmony of its design and the perfection of its remarkable acoustics, easily accommodating 12,000 people. We then continue to Mycenae, to visit the remains of the prehistoric citadel fortified with the Cyclopean Walls, the Lionesses' Gate, the remains of the Mycenaean Palace and the Tomb of King Agamemnon.
After lunch at a local restaurant in Mycenae we drive through the Central Peloponnese area passing the commercial provincial towns of Tripoli and Megalopolis through the mountains of Arcadia, home of Pan and the Nymphs, onwards to Olympia. Upon arrival check-in at the hotel. Dinner and overnight.
DAY 16, February 11 - THURSDAY: ANCIENT OLYMPIA – ATHENS
Breakfast at the hotel and check-out. This morning we will visit Ancient Olympia, the most important sanctuary of Zeus, father of all gods and goddesses and birthplace of the Olympic Games which first took place in 776BC and thereafter held every 4 years. The starting line is still visible etched on the marble in the stadium, inviting you to runn and in your imagination compete with the ancient athletes. Enjoy the play of light on the soft greenery and dappled ancient columns in this wonderful and peaceful setting. We visit the archaeological museum beside the ancient site which contains most interesting exhibits such as the pediments and the metopes of the Temple of Zeus, the Statue of Nike and of Hermes. Return to Athens and check into our hotel for dinner and overnight stay .

DAY 17, February 12 – FRIDAY – BENEVOLENCE WORK

DAY 18, February 13 – SATURDAY- CLASSES

DAY 19, February 14 - SUNDAY -WORSHIP

At 5:30 pm we depart to worship with local Church of Christ in Glyfada

DAY 20, February 15 – MONDAY -BENEVOLENCE WORK

DAY 21, February 16-TUESDAY- CLASSES

DAY 22, February 17 – WEDNESDAY- CLASSES

DAY 23, February 18 – THURSDAY - CLASSES

DAY 24, February 19 – FRIDAY- BENEVOLENCE WORK

DAY 25, February 20 – SATURDAY - CLASSES

DAY 26, February 21 - SUNDAY -WORSHIP

At 5:30 pm we depart to worship with local Church of Christ in Glyfada

DAY 27, February 22 – MONDAY- BENEVOLENCE WORK

DAY 28, February 23-TUESDAY> DAY 32, February 27 SATURDAY- FREE TRAVEL

DAY 33, February 28-SUNDAY-WORSHIP

At 5:30 pm we depart to worship with local Church of Christ in Glyfada

NORTHERN GREECE FIELD TRIP FEBRUARY 29-MARCH 3

DAY 34, February 29 – MONDAY: ATHENS - DELPHI – KALAMBAKA
Breakfast at the hotel and check out. Our luggage will be stored while we are on our Northern Greece field trip. At 08:00am we depart for Delphi, driving us through the fertile plain of Boeotia, crossing the towns of Thebes connected with the tragedy of king Oedipus; Next are the towns of Livadia and Arachova, famous for their colorful woolen rugs and carpets. Arrive at Delphi, the center of the Ancient world, the "omphalos" (navel) of the earth - whose prestige extended far beyond the boundaries of the Hellenic world. On the slopes of Mt. Parnassos, in a landscape of unparalleled natural beauty and majesty, lies the archaeological site of Delphi. We visit the Sanctuary of Apollo, the Treasury of the Athenians and the Archaeological Museum containing such masterpieces of ancient Greek sculpture as the bronze Charioteer and the famous athlete Aghias. After lunch at a local restaurant we drive to Kalambaka and check in at the hotel. Dinner and overnight in Kalambaka.
DAY 35, March 1- TUESDAY: METEORA – VERGINA - PELLA – THESSALONIKI
Breakfast at the hotel and check-out. Our morning begins with a drive up to Meteora “meaning suspended in air in Greek. These monasteries represent a unique artistic achievement and are one of the most powerful examples of architectural transformation of a site into a place of retreat, meditation and prayer. In a region of almost inaccessible sandstone peaks, monks settled on these columns from the 11th century onward. Chemical analysis suggests that the pinnacles were created some 60 million years ago, emerging from the cone of a river and further transformed by earthquakes. We will visit one of these Monasteries.
We continue driving north to Vergina, the first capital of Kingdom of Macedonia, was discovered in the 19th century. The most important remains are the monumental palace, lavishly decorated with mosaics and painted stuccoes and the burial ground with more than 300 tumuli, some of which date from the 11th century B.C. One of the royal tombs in the Great Tumulus is identified as that of Philip II who conquered all the Greek cities, paving the way for his son Alexander and the expansion of the Hellenistic world. After visiting the site we will have lunch at a local restaurant.
Then we continue on to visit Pella, the capital of the ancient Macedonian State and birthplace of Alexander the Great. This small coastal town of the Thermaikos Gulf replaced Aigai as the capital of Macedonia state at the end of the fifth beginning of the fourth century BC. The site of Pella has long been known. Excavations there by the Greek Archaeological Service begun in 1957 revealed large, well-built houses with colonnaded courts and rooms with mosaic floors portraying such scenes as a lion hunt and Dionysius riding a panther. These mosaics are made with small naturalpebblesof various colours, carefully matched and laid, and are masterpieces of their kind. They date from the late 4th centurybc. Excavations revealed the town to be laid out on a rectangular grid plan with streets more than 30 feet (10 m) wide. Under the streets are terra-cotta pipes for distributing fresh water. Continue to Thessaloniki and check-in to the hotel followed by dinner and overnight.
DAY 36, March 2 – WEDNESDAY: AMPHIPOLIS – PHILIPPI – KAVALA – THESSALONIKI
Breakfast at the hotel and check out. At 8am we begin our drive to Philippi with a short stop at the Lion statue of Amphipolis. (Acts 17:1) Continue to Philippi (Acts 16:12-40:20:1-6), the site where the apostle Paul came and worked, establishing a strong church. You will visit the river where Paul baptized Lydia, a purple fabric merchant, who became the first Christian woman to be baptized on European soil (Acts 16:14, 15, 40), the Crypt, dating from the Roman period, which according to church tradition may have been the place where Paul was flogged and imprisoned, the ancient Roman forum built during the time of Augustus and mentioned in the Book of Acts as the place where Paul was publicly punished after he healed the demon-possessed girl (Acts 16:19), the Basilicas and the Greek Theatre (4th century BC), which was converted into an arena by the Romans and used during the persecutions of the early days of the church. Paul’s letter to the Philippians was addressed to the local Christians 14 years after his first visit there. Of all the churches Paul founded, probably none was as near and dear to him as the church at Philippi (Acts 16:9-33). Philippi was named after Philip II, king of Macedonia father of Alexander the Great. The Roman road Via Egnatia crossed this city and ran from Rome to Byzantium. After the visit, we continue to Kavala, the ancient port of Neapolis (Acts 16:11), Greece’s most picturesque mainland port. Paul arrived in this city with his coworkers Timothy and Silas. After lunch at a local restaurant we return to Thessaloniki (Acts 17:1-13) and enjoy a panoramic bus tour of the city. Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Thessaloniki
DAY 37, March 3 – THURSDAY: THESSALONIKI - BEREA – DION – ATHENS
Breakfast at the hotel and check-out. We depart from Thessaloniki for Berea (Acts 17:10-13,). Paul and Silas were sent to Berea after fleeing from Thessalonica in Acts 17. They immediately went to the synagogue to preach and the Bereans were very accepting. Almost all of them believed. But when the Thessalonian non-believers heard about this, they came to Berea, stirring up crowds, starting riots, and generally hampering Paul, Silas and Timothy. Then the believers sent Paul to the coast while Timothy and Silas stayed behind. Then Paul was sent to Athens and word was given to Timothy and Silas to join him as soon as possible. We see the Byzantine mosaic in the monument commemorating his preaching. According to the local tradition it was at this place where he stood and delivered his sermons (Acts 17:10-11)
We continue to Dion, a village in the Pieria prefecture, 85km from Thessaloniki. Excavations not far from the village unearthed a fortified city that had been inhabited continuously from the sixth century BC to the fifth century AD. We will visit the archaeological site and museum which displays finds from the Dion area on the lower slopes of Mount Olympus, the home of the ancient Greek gods.
After lunch at a local restaurant we begin our drive south to Athens with astop at Thermopylae, to see the statue of Leonidas, which commemorates the historic battle between the 300 Spartans led by Leonidas and the Persian army of Xerxes in 480 BC composed of thousands. Check in at the hotel in Athens

DAY 38, March 4 – FRIDAY - BENEVOLENCE WORK