Queries & Comments

Lukewarm Laodicea

Water as Metaphor

Congratulations to Mark Fairchild on his spectacular photos of Laodicea and to the Turkish excavators who are doing an amazing job of restoration (“Laodicea’s ‘Lukewarm’ Legacy: Conflicts of Prosperity in an Ancient Christian City,” BAR, March/April 2017). However, I was surprised he did not fully explore the metaphor of “lukewarm” Laodicea. With five nymphaea and four Roman baths, clearly water was both a source of pride and expense.

Laodicea was dependent on outside sources for its water, brought in by aqueduct. Nearby Hierapolis was famous for its hot springs, which you can still enjoy today in the ruins of a Roman bath. There were cold springs in Colossae, also nearby. So whichever the source, by the time the water got to Laodicea it would be lukewarm (even in the church).

Learning About Laodicea

Congratulations to Mark Fairchild for his outstanding article on Laodicea. I suspect I’m not alone in wanting to learn the historical story behind the many places, people and practices mentioned in the Bible. This article is a fabulous example of revealing just such historical detail and context. Kudos!