Athens

The archaeological sites in Athens were the oldest we have seen yet, dating back to the 5th century BC. It is amazing how much original material still exists from that time. The Parthenon and several other temples and monuments on the Acropolis (literally, "highest hill in the city") are reconstructed from original material to their original forms.

 

It was also very cool to see the site of the first moden Olympics in 1896 (a replica of the ancient olympic stadium from 474 BC) as the 2012 Olympics are taking place.

 

Seeing Mars Hill, right next to the Acropolis, where St. Paul preached and led many to belief in God, was powerful. Paul would have been able to see the monuments to different gods who had been worshipped for centuries. He knew belief in these gods was a deep-seated part of their culture, but he boldly gave a culturally-sensitive explanation of the gospel standing in the shadow of this religious center of the city. It is a reminder to me not to distance myself from the secular culture I live in, but to see, and discuss with others, how God is working within the culture.

- Andy