Joel Thornton

Interesting Times in Bulgaria

May 24, 2020 by Joel Thornton

This trip to Bulgaria, my fourth, was the most interesting one so far. First, we were in three cities. Usually when we travel we are in one or two cities. We were working with local ministers in Sliven where there is a thriving Christian community. One of the things I learned in Sliven is that homeschooling is considered illegal in Bulgaria. Also, Christian private schools are not allowed, except for Orthodox schools.

This is not unusual in an Orthodox country. In these countries it is considered normal for the church to have much greater influence than is typical in America and Western Europe. This is a two-edged sword. It means that there is teaching regarding Christian principles in the schools. At the same time, there is less tolerance for evangelical beliefs in public.

It is one of the ideals our founding fathers did not want when they envisioned a church that was free from state influence and a world where the state was free from denominational church influence.

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Touring Germany (and Poland) in 2021

May 14, 2020 by Joel Thornton

We are currently talking to folks about a possible Germany and Poland tour in the next year or so. So, it seems like a good idea to talk about it. Germany is one of my favorite countries in the world. A good friend of mine once described Germany as the Disney World of Countries because it is so clean and so organized. I have to agree with him.

Germany is a country full of differing geographies. It has the Alps to the south and the ocean to the north. It has plains and river valleys that are like nothing you have ever seen. Castles from centuries ago, homes that are taken straight out of fairy tales, and sausages everywhere. On top of that, there is a local beer and huge, fresh pretzels in every town. Germany has the best beer in the world and there is a festival in late September and early October known as Oktoberfest to celebrate the beer in a way that only Germans can celebrate.

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Ugly Americans, We Seem To Be Everywhere!

May 10, 2020 by Joel Thornton

Everyone who has ever traveled international and many who have not, have heard the term ugly Americans. It comes from the way some of us act when we travel abroad. We are louder than most people, we are more outgoing, and many things that are not strange here stand out in other cultures.

I have traveled a lot internationally and I can tell you that while I am willing to admit that many of the things for which we are labeled ugly are merely cultural differences there is plenty that we need to change when we travel abroad. On the other hand, many times I have seen people behaving in ways that are not inherently American but are inherently ugly.

My first trip to Europe was in the summer of 1980. I spent eight weeks in Munich, Germany and one week in Oxford, England. In Munich we stayed in an apartment at Number 7 Hertzog-Wilhelm Strasse. It was right off the main entrance at Karl’s Platz, see my blog on Munich for a photograph of the entrance. I lived just a block and a half from there.

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Strasbourg–the Hidden Jewel of the Alsace Region

May 9, 2020 by Joel Thornton

The first time I went to Strasbourg, France was in the late summer of 1997. I was on a fact-finding mission for my company. We were contemplating opening a European office and I was charged with determining if we should and where it should be located. That trip took me to Paris, Brussels, London, Cologne, and Strasbourg. I had only been to London before that trip.

I fell in love with Strasbourg from the beginning. Even though I was there when I received that one of my musical heroes, Rich Mullins, had been killed in a car accident, the city still holds fond memories for me.

Most people have never heard of Strasbourg, but it is the headquarters for the Council of Europe. The Council of Europe’s purpose is to uphold human rights, democracy, and the rule of law in Europe. It was founded in 1949 and has 47-member states.

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Kavala (Neopolis) and Philippi, Christianity’s Beachhead in Europe

May 8, 2020 by Joel Thornton

Greece is an amazing country. Its climate is enjoyable, pleasant, most of the year. Its people are friendly and open to travelers from America. The food is much like what you have had if you have ever eaten in any Mediterranean country, or a Greek Restaurant. Greece is also a safe country and travel within the country is easy. It is also, easily one of my favorite places in the world.

I never tire of Greece. The mountains are amazing. The sea is beautiful. The antiquities are out of this world, literally from some of the most important periods in human history.

There are two cities in the northeastern part of the country that are interesting from a historical point of view. We include them on our Steps of Paul tours in Greece. They are Kavala, which is referred to in the New Testament as Neopolis, and Philippi, which is now an ancient archeological site. Together they are worth a day on any tour you do that puts you close to them.