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<\/a>\nDave Armstrong\u2019s day-by-day journal of his October 2014 pilgrimage to the Holy Land \u2014 Caesarea Philippi, the Sea of Galilee, the River Jordan, Bethlehem, the Holy Sepulchre, the Temple Mount \u2014 interleaved with five Archaeological Interludes on the current state of the evidence for biblical sites.<\/p>\n The front cover photograph was taken by Margie Prox Sindelar on 23 October 2014 at Caesarea Philippi: the stunning location where Jesus designated St. Peter as the \u201crock\u201d upon which He would build His Church, and gave Him the \u201ckeys of the kingdom of heaven\u201d (Matthew 16:13-19).<\/p>\n I\u2019ve written 47 books so far, and this one is my honest-to-God favorite. It\u2019s special and unique, due to the subject matter, and because it was the result of a dream trip of a lifetime.<\/p>\n Secondly, I like it because it\u2019s thoroughly soaked in the Bible<\/em>, and that is my specialty as an apologist. This is a book for Bible lovers: a feast<\/em>!<\/p>\n Thirdly, I am thrilled to be able to present some sections of my wife Judy (a very spiritual and \u201cdeep\u201d person) explaining her intensely spiritual experiences at holy sites in Israel, as well similar expressions from Margie Prox Sindelar. These I consider (far and away) the best portions of the book, because they are extraordinarily descriptive: akin to the great Catholic mystics (whose works I recently compiled into a quotes book).<\/p>\n This was a central goal for me in this volume: to convey to readers exactly<\/em> what it felt like at these holy places. The ladies did a far better job at that than I did, which is fine: as long as the goal is met (I love working with a \u201cteam\u201d)! You can read examples of that in the online content for \u201cDay Three,\u201d but their reports \/ comments for Day Eight and Nine in Bethlehem and Jerusalem are (trust me) astonishing beyond words. They send a chill up and down my spine every time I read them.<\/p>\n This is also the book above all my other ones, where I really want to reach and touch readers\u2019 hearts<\/i> and souls<\/i>.<\/p>\n Introductory Facebook post<\/a> about the pilgrimage and my conception of this book. [8-11-14]<\/p>\n Highly related paper: My Wedding Ring: Third-Class Relic<\/a> [4 November 2014] [lists the 100 holy places I touched with my ring]<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<\/div>\n Dedication<\/b> (p. 3) <\/b><\/p>\n Introduction<\/b>: Anticipating and Reflecting Upon the Pilgrimage Three Months Ahead of Time (p. 7) [read online<\/a>] <\/b><\/p>\n Day One<\/b>: 18 October 2014 [The \u201clay of the land\u201d] (p. 15) <\/b><\/p>\n Day Two<\/b>: 19 October [Mt. Carmel (Elijah) \/ Caesarea] (p. 21) <\/b><\/p>\n Day Three<\/b>: 20 October [Transfiguration \/ Cana \/ Nazareth] (p. 23)<\/p>\n [featuring Judy and Margie\u2019s profound spiritual experiences at Mt. Tabor and in Nazareth (read online<\/a>) ] <\/b><\/p>\n Day Four<\/b>: 21 October [Sermon on the Mount \/ Feeding of the 5,000 \/ Capernaum] (p. 33)<\/p>\n [Sermon on the Mount: Striking Topographical Facts<\/a>: book excerpt] <\/b><\/p>\n Archaeological Interlude No. 1<\/b>: Has St. Peter\u2019s House in Capernaum Been Discovered? (p. 37) [read online<\/a>]<\/p>\n Day Five<\/b>: 22 October [River Jordan \/ Mount of Temptation \/ Ancient Road from Jericho to Jerusalem] (p. 43)<\/p>\n Archaeological Interlude No. 2<\/b>: \u201cBethany Beyond the Jordan\u201d: History, Archaeology, and the Location of Jesus\u2019 Baptism on the East Side of the Jordan (p. 45) [read online<\/a>]<\/p>\n Day Six<\/b>: 23 October [Caesarea Philippi and the Primacy of Peter] (p. 69) <\/b><\/p>\n Archaeological Interlude No. 3<\/b>: Sodom and Gomorrah: the Current Archaeological Trend of a Location North of the Dead Sea (p. 71) [read online<\/a>] <\/b><\/p>\n Day Seven<\/b>: 24 October [Feeding of the 4,000 \/ Miracle of the Demoniac and the Swine] (p. 85) <\/b><\/p>\n Archaeological Interlude No. 4<\/b>: Has Joshua\u2019s Altar on Mt. Ebal Been Discovered and Verified by Archaeology? (p. 87) [read online<\/a>] <\/b><\/p>\n Day Eight<\/b>: 25 October [Bethlehem and the First Christmas] (p. 101) <\/b><\/p>\n [read my article, The Spiritual Joy of Visiting Bethlehem<\/a> (The Michigan Catholic<\/i>, 26 Dec. 2014) ] Day Nine<\/b>: 26 October [Church of the Holy Sepulchre] (p. 107) <\/b><\/p>\n [read my article, What It Feels<\/em> Like to Visit Golgotha<\/a>]<\/p>\n Archaeological Interlude No. 5<\/b>: The Locations of Jesus\u2019 Crucifixion, His Tomb, and the Route of the Via Dolorosa (p. 115) [read online<\/a>] <\/b><\/p>\n Day Ten<\/b>: 27 October [Ascension \/ Gethsemane \/ Mary\u2019s Tomb \/ St. Stephen \/ City of David \/ Melchizedek \/ Hezekiah\u2019s Tunnel \/ Pool of Siloam \/ Rachel\u2019s Tomb \/ Mary\u2019s Resting Place] (p. 133)<\/p>\n [see the video of the sunburst and remarkably flowing water at the Pool of Siloam<\/a>; also a photograph of the sunburst below; also my article about our visit there<\/a>, in Seton Magazine<\/i>, 17 Dec. 2014] <\/b><\/p>\n Archaeological Interlude No. 6<\/b>: City of David and Related Finds: The Exciting Cutting-Edge of Biblical and Jerusalem Archaeology (p. 141) [read the introductory portion and related comments<\/a>, on Facebook] <\/b><\/p>\n Day Eleven<\/b>: 28 October [Khirbet Qeiyafa \/ David and Goliath \/ Gamaliel and Paul] (p. 155) <\/b><\/p>\n Day Twelve<\/b>: 29 October [Temple Mount \/ Pool of Bethesda \/ Birthplace of Mary \/ Fortress Antonia \/ St. Helena\u2019s Church \/ Wailing Wall \/ Temple Archaeology] (p. 157)<\/p>\n [\u201cWhy I Walked on the Steps That Jesus Walked On (Holy Places, Relics, and the Sacramental Principle)\u201d: (read online<\/a>) ] <\/b><\/p>\nMore from Dave about this book<\/summary>\n
Continue reading (28 more)<\/summary>\n
<\/b>[see also a video of the actual manger<\/a>, which is currently located in Rome]
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