Summary:<\/p>\n
Peter Frankopan, an accomplished academic at Oxford, where he is director of the Centre for Byzantine Research, has introduced us to a new path “the Silk Roads.” \u00a0He has changed the centre of history to a new path, changing from the historical path, the that is traditionally followed. \u00a0He has done this\u00a0through the timely lens of east-west interaction. \u00a0He doesn’t look at things in the\u00a0way that so many other historians have in the past. \u00a0 He takes a very long view at the path that so many have followed and retraced. \u00a0 His belief is that this path through the Mediterranean and western Europe is the real road that led to so many changes and interactions in the world,\u00a0He writes\u00a0that it should be recognised as the centre of history. \u00a0This makes him a very fresh author with access to a world of knowledge from being at Oxford. \u00a0 All of the roads that he explores even up to this present time are very revealing how so many things that happen in the world are centered around this geographical location. \u00a0I thought his scholarly approach to this was very engaging and brought a whole new perspective for the spread of Christianity as well as another lens to look at the other world religions through. \u00a0 What a great read especially after just spending the time in London and Oxford.<\/p>\n
Overview<\/p>\n
Christianity has long been associated with the Mediterranean and western Europe.[1]<\/a>\u00a035. \u00a0Part of this had to do with the location of the leadership of the church.\u00a0 The church was based in Rome, Canterbury and Constantinople.\u00a0 Rome basically left alone the Christians.\u00a0 Two things stood out to me as I read through this section of the book.\u00a0 First was the dream of Constantine.\u00a0 It seems to mirror the exact same thing that is currently happening in this part of the world for people to become followers of Jesus Christ.<\/p>\n When Constantine made his conversion to Christianity it had to do with his dream.\u00a0\u00a0 He saw \u201c a cross-shaped light\u201d above the sun, together with the Greek words declaring \u201cby this sign, you will conquer.\u201d[2]<\/a>\u00a041. This dream pointed to an encounter with Jesus Christ who explained to him that the sign of this picture is that it would help him to defeat all his rivals.\u00a0\u00a0 I find it fascinating as I am reading through this account that I have not necessary heard this explained like this before but after interacting with our missionaries in the part of the world where conversion to Christianity is a very difficult thing because of the family and life issues that it brings up.\u00a0 But there are people today who are making the same conversion journey because of dreams of Jesus Christ interacting within their personal world and life journey.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The change that happens within a community when someone has this encounter is marked and leads families to have to choose what they will do.\u00a0\u00a0 When Constantine accepted Christ, \u00a0it clearly brought a sea of change to the Roman Empire.[3]<\/a>\u00a041. \u00a0 Interesting how this one event was such a pivotal moment.\u00a0\u00a0 The author takes us on a fascinating journey of this moment in Christianity. \u00a0\u00a0After spending time as we did in Christ Church and hearing of the incredible endowments that the whole operation functions off of it brought a whole new view on this thought from our book.<\/p>\n \u201cAs resources were lavished on supporting Christianity across the empire, Jerusalem was singled out for massive building works, complete with extravagant endowments.\u00a0 If Rome and Constantinople were administrative centres of the empire, Jerusalem was the spiritual heart.\u201d[4]<\/a>\u00a042. \u00a0This picture reminds me of Oxford.\u00a0\u00a0 But just as this was the beginning of the mark of Christianity there is history that lets us know that this didn\u2019t continue.\u00a0 It was not sustained.<\/p>\n Second<\/p>\n Syria is such a focus of our attention in the world right now.\u00a0 I heard in every service that I attended from Hillsong London, to Westminster Abbery, and even at Christ Church that there is a need for Christ\u2019s help for Syria.\u00a0\u00a0 As I was exploring and reading Silk Roads I found it fascinating that this one part of the world from the very beginning has rejected Christianity and Nazarenes. They were even deported by Shapur I.[5]<\/a> (35) He accelerated a hostile reaction to Christian thought and ideas brought by merchants and be prisoners resettled in Persian territory after being deported from Syria.[6]<\/a> (35)<\/p>\n One thought that jumped off the page to me in the middle of this report of the conflict between Syria and it\u2019s leaders and Christianity was these simple words.\u00a0 These new teachings were intoxicating and dangerous<\/strong>.\u00a0 Interesting!!\u00a0 Is our faith or our belief \u201cintoxicating?\u201d\u00a0 I wrote all over the margins on this page.\u00a0 What have I presented or written or maybe even spoken that was intoxicating to those who heard it?\u00a0\u00a0 That they wanted more of it because it affected their future and their present.\u00a0\u00a0 I was so challenged by this book about this one simple thought. \u00a0\u00a0Christ followers have been hunted down, killed, persecuted and so many more things because there is a quality and substance to this faith that causes reaction.\u00a0\u00a0 It causes severe reaction and as I was reading through this I was challenged to consider what form of the gospel of Christ do I present.\u00a0\u00a0 One that is so passive or one that is considered dangerous or intoxicating.\u00a0\u00a0 I believe after hearing Steve Chalke speak, that his message of hope and how they are delivering it has an intoxicating factor to it.\u00a0\u00a0 Hearing about adoption and how Krish Kandiah is doing ministry, it has that intoxicating factor.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 How do I get to a place that my ministry and what I am taking on has the same factors and feel?\u00a0\u00a0 I have been challenged to focus in on the things that really matter and would make a difference to the \u201cworld.\u201d<\/p>\n Conclusion<\/p>\n Last thoughts.\u00a0 Let my journey of following Christ included dreams of what is possible and the passion that makes it intoxicating to those who hear the message and want to follow.\u00a0\u00a0 Let my passion and my drive to follow him override my fears and help me to stay above the toxic pool of complacency.\u00a0\u00a0 I want to make this type of difference in my world.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n [1]<\/a>\u00a0Peter Frankopan, The Silk Roads: A New History of the World, \u00a0New York, Alfred A Knope, 2015, 35.<\/p>\n [2]<\/a>\u00a0Ibid., 41.<\/p>\n [3]<\/a>\u00a0Ibid., 41.<\/p>\n [4]<\/a>\u00a0Ibid., 42.<\/p>\n