Della Shenton is an anthropologist with a Master’s Degree in Theology who has taken more than one thousand pilgrims to the Holy Land of Jordan, Palestine and Israel over recent years. She arranges bespoke, reflective pilgrimages to seek God and to support Christians in the Holy Land and all who work for peace.
Della Shenton led a study day at Brentwood Cathedral Hall on Saturday 7th March 2015, with the title ‘Jerusalem: the Spiritual Heart of the World: Recognition and Responsibility for the Holy Land’. The day was a chance to reflect on our spiritual heritage and the forgotten saints of the Holy Land.
The study day considered the Jewish, Christian and Muslim heritage of Jerusalem, and surveyed thousands of years of history. She stressed that Jerusalem is a city of peace, but that it has experienced so much violence. The power of holiness will always be attacked. Christians must lead the way to peace.
After a survey of Jerusalem in the Old Testament, and its place in the story of Jesus and the early Church, Della explained the role of Helena, mother of Constantine, the finding of the Cross, and the building of the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre. The arrival of Muslims, Turks and Crusaders is also considered. As more people visit the Holy Land in modern times, and scholarship discovers more about the history, after the founding of the state of Israel and amid the conflicts of the present day, it is our task to build the peace which only God can bring about.