BIBLICAL ISLANDS: Revised

The Bible likes mountains, rivers, and deserts, but makes few references to islands.  As it happens, the Hebrew word for “coastland” appears to be the same as for “island,” which suggests that the ancient Israelites were not sailors, or even beach-goers.   Many biblical passages suggest that they were afraid of the ocean. Does the Bible say anything about an Israelite navy? No wonder they had little interest in islands.

Other than a few more passing references in the Hebrew Scriptures and in Acts, the most significant biblical island is the Isle of Patmos, where the Book of Revelation was composed. A quick reference to Wikipedia confirms my recollection that Patmos, one of the multitude of Aegean islands, was used as a penal colony by the Romans, particularly for the confinement of political prisoners. The island itself does not appear anywhere in the narrative, however, except to say, in Revelation 16:20, that “every island fled away” when the seventh angel poured out his bowl of wrath.

There is a fine monastery on Patmos, established in 1088 by a fellow named Christodoulos, known to the Orthodox Church as “The Wonderworker.”

                                                                     Holy Island

So what if the Bible isn’t interested in islands? I will take Christadoulos as my patron, along with island-hopping Irish monks like Aiden and Cuthbert, early residents of Holy Island, and having located myself in a place with water on all four sides, wait to see what happens. 

  

                      Abba Jonathan says: “An island you seek? To Coney Island

                                                                     I once went. Or was that a hot dog?"