Monday morning I woke up a little early - about 7:45, which was early considering we didn't have to leave until 9:30 and I had packed the night before. My intent was to hit the pool before breakfast. So, not having a swim suit with, I threw on some shorts and headed downstairs, hoping to hit the pool right when it opened at 8:00. I stopped at the hotel bar, first, to buy a bottle of water. No sooner had I stopped, when this guy in the lounge made a line straight for me. "Hey," he said, "so where are you from?"
"The U.S., but living in Germany these days," I replied.
"Oh, working in Germany making lots of money for no reason," he said.
"Actually, no, I'm a student," I said, a bit shocked at his boldness.
"Oh! What do you study?"
"Theology," I answered.
"Theology? What's that?" he asked.
"The study of God, religion," I answered.
"Oh! Are you a Christian?" he inquired, further.
"Yes."
"Are you a devout Christian?"
"I think so." I answered. The questions were coming too fast to really think about how strangely this conversation had begun.
"Going to become a Muslim?" he asked.
"No. But I am here to learn about Islam."
For the next 20 minutes he drew comparisons between Islam and Christianity, between the Koran and the Bible, while I did my best to explain what we did in fact believe - there are many common misconceptions that Muslims in the Middle East have about Christians, most of which are errors in the Koran. He mentioned the first man, Adam, and I was able to explain original sin and why God had to send his son, Jesus Christ... and it was right about that time he had to go. "My colleague is asking for me to come," he said. He did tell me that he had been in a Christian church before. "Really, where?" I asked. "Here in Istanbul (he's from Istanbul). It was a nice experience." "Good" I responded. "Good."
After a quick 10 minutes in the pool - the sun had not yet crested the buildings and the water felt great - I grabbed breakfast. Then it was back to the university for more seminars and discussion on Islam.
After two morning sessions, we were treated to lunch in the cafeteria and then invited to sit in the back of the mosque on campus during afternoon prayers. That was a surreal experience - unnerving and confusing. I'd been in Buddhist temples before in Japan and Korea, but this was really unnerving. Hard to explain why... Part of it may have been hearing the call to prayer for the first time in more than three years while on this trip, each time being reminded of hearing the same sounds drift in over the rooftops and walls in Baghdad several times a day for a year. Part of it, too, is that as a Christian, my faith excludes all other religions and their gods - as they do not lead to life and salvation. So it was hard to operate in the different roles as tourist, student - trying to learn about Islam in an academic way - and as a man training for the office of the holy ministry...
All in all, it was an amazing experience. There was a wide range of emotions to match the various and unique experiences. Istanbul is a beautiful city. I'd go back at a moment's notice. But like Aydin said that first evening, "this will take more than four days." I think it will likely take years to fully understand and appreciate what I learned and experience in four days in Istanbul.
[Mosque on campus, Maramar University]
[Closing remarks by the vice-dean of the theological faculty, Maramar University.]Peace to you.
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