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Reformation / Germany Trip
Day 1: SATURDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2024 – DEPART USA FOR BERLIN, GERMANY
Overnight flight to Berlin – dinner on flight.  

Day 2: SUNDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2024 – BERLIN
Arrival in Berlin, Germany. Transfer to local hotel is the responsibility of the traveler and at their own expense.
DINNER AND OVERNIGHT IN BERLIN

 

THOUGHTS AS WE ARRIVE

As we arrive in Berlin and work through the first few days of jet lag seeing important sites in Berlin, let us ponder a chapter in Luther’s life that we haven’t talked about and is rarely addressed in biographies. 

When Martin Luther was 61, in the summer of 1545, he had grown very frustrated with his hometown of Wittenberg.  So frustrated, in fact, that he left Wittenberg and stopped preaching for close to a year! The moral failures in his hometown and a lack of care for the poor were at the top of his list of frustrations but the biggest fault was what he saw as a profound lack of appreciation in his fellow Germans and in his Wittenberg congregation for the newly restored Gospel.  We have come to Germany to grow in our appreciation of Luther and our Reformation heritage and theology.  I think Luther would be please if we come to marvel not at him but at how God used a sainted sinner to recover the Word and Gospel.  Click below to see an excerpt from The Resilient Reformer by Lull and Nelsen. The section picks up after Luther had finally been convinced to return. I think it will help us get off to a great start.   

Resource: The Resilient Reformer

Day 3: MONDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2024 – BERLIN
Tour Berlin.
• Kavala (ancient Neapolis- Acts 16:9-11)
• Phillipi (Acts 16:9-40)
• Lydia’s Stream (Acts 16:13-15)
• Amphipolis – (Acts 17:1)
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Resource:  Prep For our Day in Wittenberg

Day 4: TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2024 – WITTENBERG
Today we begin our tour in the city known as the birthplace of the Reformation. Luther lived here from 1512 until his death. Upon arriving, he lived in Lutherhalle (Luther House) with other Augustinian Monks. Later, Luther and his wife raised six children here. We will visit All Saints Castle Church where Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door launching the Protestant Reformation and which contains the graves of Luther and Philip Melanchthon, a life-long collaborator with Luther to reform the Catholic Church. Visits to Wittenberg University where reformers Luther and Melanchthon taught and the temporary exhibition from Luther House, which is the largest and greatest museum of Reformation history in the world. (Luther House is undergoing renovation). We will also visit the Stadtkirche of St. Marien (Town Church of St. Mary) where Luther married, preached, baptised his children, and where the bread and wine of communion was first distributed to the congregation. It is considered the mother-church of the Protestant Reformation.
BREAKFAST, DINNER AND OVERNIGHT IN WITTENBERG

It was a great day in Wittenberg! We spent a little time in the Lutherhaus museum and then the amazing “Town Church” where Luther preached 500 years ago. Especially moving was seeing the Baptismal font where Luther bapized his children and so many other parishoners as well as the amazing altar piece. We spent time too in the “Castle Church” where Luther is buried. We finished the day in a small chapel and shared in Holy Communion. Our singing was beaufiful! A great day all around. Thanks for the prayers!

Day 5: WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2024 – HALLE / EISLEBEN / ERFURT

For our Day in Halle, Eisleben, and Erfurt 

Today, since we will be at both the place of Luther’s birth and death, I want share an excerpt from his last sermon in Wittenberg and also his actual last sermon in Eisleben and a little about his death from Martin Brecht’s great three volume biography. Luther had traveled back to his home town to help resolve a conflict between two civil magistrates/Counts.  

Resource: From Luther’s last Sermon in Wittenberg … 

We start the day in Halle, visiting the Market Church to see the special exhibition showing Luther’s death mask and a collection of Luther Bibles, many with his own handwritten notes. We later drive to Lutherstadt Eisleben, where Luther was born and where he died. This charming medieval town remains much the same as in Luther’s time. Enjoy visiting where Luther was born, St. Peters Church where he was baptized and St. Andrews church where he preached his last sermon shortly before he died in 1546 at the age of 62. Enjoy visiting the birthplace of composer Georg Frederick Handel as well. A short drive takes us to Erfurt for dinner and overnight.
BREAKFAST, DINNER AND OVERNIGHT IN ERFURT

Day 6: THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2024 – ERFURT
This morning our tour begins at the important Augustinian Monastery and Church built in 1277 and where Luther was a monk from 1505 until 1511. Luther studied at the university here but took a break from his education to serve as representative in Rome for the German Augustinian monasteries. See the austere cell where Luther spent his formative years as he struggles with his theological demons. Our tour includes a visit to the Cathedral, the Church of St. Severin, and the famous merchant’s Bridge. A special “Luther Meal” with dishes from the area and live music will be a special treat for dinner tonight!
BREAKFAST, DINNER AND OVERNIGHT IN ERFURT

We have had a great day in Erfurt. We visited the Augustinekloster, the monastery where Luther became a monk and was ordained. Now a Lutheran church, we also joined in their very special Reformation Day worship service in the morning – a beautiful service. The stained glass is over 600 years old. It was taken down during World War II to preserve it. One of the few places in Europe that has stained glass this old.

 

 

Day 7: FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2024 – EISENACH / MAINZ
Leaving Erfurt this morning, we soon arrive at Wartburg Castle overlooking the town of Eisenach. This castle provided a refuge for Martin Luther for 10 months where he completed a translation of the New Testament into German. When Luther spoke out against corruption in the Catholic Church, he was declared an outlaw and needed to hide. His friend, German prince, Frederick the Wise, helped him into disguise and gave him a refuge here. After our visit, we continue to Eisenach, not only where Luther spent some formative years but also is birthplace of composer Johann Sebastian Bach! Some free time here to visit the Luther House or the Bach House before we drive to Maintz on the Rhine River.  BREAKFAST, DINNER AND OVERNIGHT IN MAINZ   

Had another awesome few days – yesterday we visited the famous Wartburg Casle where Luther was hidden away for 11 months after the Diet of Worms. Speaking of that…today we were in Worms and PB taught about Luther’s “stand” and its significance on the very spot where it happened! One more full day and then we prepare to head home. Oh and yes of course we are enjoying some good German beverages along the way .  

Resources: Sample Wartburg Letters Luther           Diet of Worms Support Ltrs & Writings         Luther at the Diet of Worms

Day 8: SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2024 – MAINZ / WORMS / HEIDELBERG
We begin today driving to Worms, one of the oldest cities in northern Europe. In Worms, Martin Luther appears before the assembly (Diet) of the Holy Roman Empire to answer questions of heresy. Standing before the Roman Emperor Karl V, he uttered his faith-affirming, death defying proclamation – “Here I stand, I can do no other. God help me.”
Spend the afternoon in the beautiful city of Heidelberg. Visit Heidelberg University where Luther put forth his “theology of the cross” which advanced the growing realization that Luther’s Biblical theology was fundamentally and essentially at odds with late Medieval Roman Catholicism.
BREAKFAST, DINNER AND OVERNIGHT IN MAINZ.

Day 9: SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2024 – RHINE CRUISE / MAINZ
This morning visits Rhine River city of Mainz. Enjoy a tour of the city.
• Rhine River Cruise
• Guttenberg Museum
BREAKFAST, DINNER AND OVERNIGHT IN FRANKFURT

Day 10: MONDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2024 – RETURN TO USA FROM FRANKFURT, GERMANY

Luther’s Last Sermon Eisleben Curated Version     Heidelberg Disputation     Babylonian Captivity of the Church Exerpt     

Luther’s focus on Forgiveness & Justification      Who was Rev. Dietrich Bonhoeffer?     

 

Recordings of previous sessions:

 
Questions?  Contact pastor[email protected].