FootprintsofFaith

Our Path of Luther Ends in Augsburg

We’re on our way to Dinkelsbuehl for a lunch stop as we pick up our Luther tour in Augsburg. There was time for some eating, shopping and visiting local churches. Many from our group found an exceptional wood carving store where the work of Holzschnitzerei Buckl is sold. His mostly religious carvings highlight Catholic saints, Christ, crosses and nativities. We bought a cross with a carved vine and leaves—“I am the living vine and you are the branches.” We also bought a small nativity with Joseph, Mary and small baby Jesus that fits in Mary’s lap to complete the scene. We fell in love with them both. You can see samples and order from his website at www.rosa-buckl.de, and you will find many fine works to choose from.

 

Unfortunately, Anna, one of the older members of our tour, fell in the street. She already was using a walker. We fear that she may have broken her leg, but it turned out that it was her hip. The ambulance came to take her to the local hospital. Her husband Carl and her bus followed to find out the extent of her injuries. She had surgery that night and was in recovery when we went to bed. Pastor led us on a prayer for healing for Anna. We hope to hear more as we continue on the trip. I shared information on Medjet to Carl so that he might check out how to get Anna home if needed. If you travel a lot, look into Medjet as it is an inexpensive insurance to fly you home on a medical jet with full care for free if you are injured away from home. Lorie and I have the coverage.

 

There was also time for lightness. During a long local traffic jam, Rosey had a few stories to share. When a US traveler asked a Swiss train conductor where the “restroom” was? He, thinking that they were asking for a restaurant said that there was not one on this train but that they would drive a cart up the aisle many times. They all laughed. Another Swiss hostess was asked about where the “restroom” was, and she replied, “You can sit and rest anywhere.”  

 

Augsburg was a metropolis during Roman times and famous for old trade dynasties during the Middle Ages. Luther visited twice, first on his trip to Rome 1510-1511 that soured him on the church’s use of indulgences and relics. While in Augsburg, he stayed with the Augustinian lay-friars in the Church of the Holy Cross.

 

His second visit was in 1518 when he was called by the emperor to recant his 95 Theses and other writings. It was in the Fugger villa where he was expected to revoke his teachings. Luther stayed for his half-month stay at the Carmelite Friary next to the Church of St. Anne.

 

It was a frustrating trip for Luther. He was expecting a discussion, but at his three meetings with the Legate Cardinal Cajetan, Cajetan kept interrupting his statements by saying that all that was necessary was to recant and nothing more. After the third meeting, he left secretly by night to make his way back to Wittenberg. He said of his interrogator, that he was no more likely to understand his arguments than a donkey is to play a harp.

 

We saw the St. Ann’s Church where Martin Luther took refuge while dealing with Cardinal Cajetan. There is now a street there named after Luther, and St. Anne Church is reportedly the oldest Lutheran Church. It was under repair at the time of the visit, but it was still a joy to see.

 

Our guide also showed us the Fuggerei founded by Jakob Fugger in 1521 as a home for needy Catholics who through no fault of their own had fallen into poverty. The cost even today is 85 cents a year for those over fifty citizens who are in need. The units have been updated but the cost remains nominal. The only cost, besides utilities, is the promise to account for a certain number of hours of prayer daily for the founders. The Fuggers were Catholics who at the time believed in purgatory and sold indulgences. They felt that the prayers of all the needy would help them minimize their time there. Described as the richest man of his time, Jakob certain put some of his money to work.

 

We also saw the magnificent Golden Hall in the City Hall. Bombed in World War II, the city has renovated the hall to match the original built between 1615-20 by Elias Holl. It is one of Germany’s finest examples of Mannerist architecture and is used for city events and concerts. So we went from welfare through the ages to opulence on one walk.

 

We are now in our room at the Dornt Hotel in Augsburg. It is said to be modeled after the Marina Towers Hotel in Chicago. It is very nice. This tour has been very well organized with fine meals and hotels throughout. It’s again time for eating, devotion and maybe a little resting on our balcony.

The Diet of Worms Had Nothing to Do with Losing Weight

Our Luther quote for the day has to be, “I cannot and will not recant anything, for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. Here I stand. I can do no other, so help me God. Amen.” Luther said that statement in Worms, Germany.

 

We weathered a rainstorm and the Frankfurt traffic for an hour on the way across the Rhine to Worms. As we got off the bus, the rains stopped and the tour begin. They say in Germany that when angels tour the weather cooperates. Now, our tour guide Rosey said that, yes, when angels tour, they are often little devils on the bus. Of course that did not apply to us….except the angel part.

 

Now, last night we held our devotions in the hotel bar…to the dismay of the bartender. After all, when your patrons are praying in the bar, it tends to do something to the drinkers…they leave. But I must confess, all have agreed that the devotions as a small group have been a special blessing and a way to grow in our faith and as a family.

 

The bus trip gave us a chance to sing happy birthday in English and German to Joe Bulock! People think that all Westlake Lutherans were born in August—Craig, Kristine, Joe… Hey, we like to celebrate.

 

We started our tour outside the St. Peter Cathedral (Dom St. Peter) in Worms. Luther never was able to enter because when he visited he was on the verge of being labeled a heretic. He was made to come to the Diet of Worms in 1521, and Luther was asked to recant of all his works in front of the Emperor Charles V. The Bishop Court or Emperor Palace is no longer there, but there is a plate we saw where Luther was to have said his famous “Here I stand” statement and refused to recant.

 

Frederick the Wise was wise enough to remind the emperor that Luther was very popular with the people, and it would be wise to let him have a day to get out of the area and then release the edict condemning him and those who protect him. That way someone else would have to capture or kill Luther.

 

It is on the road away from Worms that Luther was kidnapped and taken into hiding at Wartburg Castle. There was very little else to see in Worms directly related to Luther’s life. We saw the Cathedral that is the only Catholic church to have a stained glass frame in a window honoring Luther and his stand on the authority of Scripture. Today, this is no longer a cathedral because it is a church that combines both catholic and protestant members. Now, that is bridging a divide!

 

We also saw the Reformation Memorial in Worms that has the largest statue of Luther. It was done in the 19^th century (1868) from contributions from around the world. Much was given from Scandinavia and the US. Although the statue of Luther is at the center and dominates the memorial, it is really a tribute to the entire Reformation. The memorial captures images of Luther, Knox, Frederick the Wise, Hus, Melanchthon, and many others. The cities that are important to the movement are also honored.  

 

We left Worms for Heidelberg to see the Heidelberg Castle and a plaque which honors the Augustinian Monastery where Luther came to debate his 95 Theses in April of 518. The monastery no longer stands, but the debate was still important in the emerging drama around Luther. Luther thought he would not be received well, but he found many in agreement and even those who disagreed warmly debated him. To the public, he was like a rock star, and many came from miles away to see Luther. He was not to return, but many of the future reformers were impacted by the debate they saw in this city.

 

It is however a very beautiful city and the ruins of the castle were enjoyable to see. We found it interesting as the guide talked about keeping them ruins because it is more romantic. Yes, artists like to paint and do poetry about ruins not restored buildings. So, the current scaffolding at the ruins were not to return it to its original grandeur but to restore the ruins. Only artists would call this a mission worthy of work.

 

What was memorable was the gigantic wine barrel in the castle that apparently even Thomas Jefferson was impressed with. He had taken measurements of the barrel when he visited the castle while serving as a diplomat to France. I didn’t take measurements; it was too big to even capture on camera. I settled for a drink of wine!

 

We had time for shopping. The biggest purchase was done by Karen—a very large white German cuckoo clock. She had been waiting for the opportunity to find the right one. Now, we settled for a small Christmas ornament and were very happy.

 

It’s another night of eating, devotions, sleep and maybe even a walk downtown. Dan Daigle was hoping to go to the Cave—a jazz joint in town. Now, if only he had is sax! Enough for today!

Luther’s Dearest Eisenach and Wartburg Castle

Here is a Martin Luther quote for the day: "We are not made righteous by doing righteous deeds, but when we have been made righteous, we do righteous deeds." Oh how he lived that and challenge us to do the same.

 

It was off from Erfurt to Eisenach. Now, if you are like me, I have no German background, and these names are a little hard to get used to. Thankfully, I can check the spelling, and you probably won’t know if I am wrong. Ah, but I waste time.

 

Eisenach has two important roles in Martin Luther’s life. As an older child and young teenager, he attended Latin school in this city. His family expected that Martin could stay with family while there, but that was not to come to pass. As a result, Martin had to earn his lodging by joining a traveling boys coral group that would sing throughout the city wherever they could perform and people would play. Often that would entail singing for wealthy citizens outside their homes.

 

One particular benefactor was so taken by this bright young student with the wonderful voice that she welcomed into her home to stay for free. This was a wonderful time in his life, and this was one of the reasons that later in his life he would call this place “his dear Eisenach.” This time certainly contributed to his love of music and his skill that he would use to compose hymns later in life.

 

We spent the morning looking at the Luther House and the museum associated with the home where the benefactor had invited Luther to live. We saw what would have been his room and saw exhibits highlighting his role in transforming education for young boys and girls. That later led to women studying to become pastors in the Lutheran church. We saw pages from a Gutenberg Bible and a New Testament that Luther had written from hand.

 

We visited the St. George Church where Johann Sebastian Bach had been baptized and Luther had attended as a young teen and preached as a later reformer and priest. Some from our group remained in the church to hear a morning organ concert. For others, there was time to walk the marketplace or to visit Bach’s early home and the added museum. Those who did were able to hear samples of his music and see and hear ancient instruments that were played in Luther’s time.

 

Of course, Luther would later leave here to study law and receive his call to become a monk and study theology in Wittenberg. Interestingly, Fredrick the Wise also controlled the area in Eisenach. In fact, it was years later, after the Diet of Worms where Luther refused to recant and the emperor branded him a heretic that again Luther returned. On the way back to Wittenberg, Frederick arranged to have Luther kidnapped and taken to the seldom used Wartburg Castle in Eisenach.

 

People did not know he was there, assuming that he had been taken and possibly killed as a result of the emperor’s actions. There were as few as three people living in the seldom used castle, but Luther remained busy.

 

The castle has been renovated since and is quite impressive. It was steep hike up to the castle from our bus. One man counted over 800 steps. I believe it. You’d be proud of Pastor Craig and Kristine; they led the way. Some rode a van a bit closer to the castle entrance, but it was understandable, as we needed to save strength for the tour through the castle and the many steps there. There is no question that the walking and cobble streets added a strain on those not use to it.  

 

We saw the impressive Festival Hall on the top floor where to this day they do special concerts and local graduations. We saw the room dedicated to St. Elizabeth who, in her short life, transformed her position as a princess into a platform to serve the poor and build hospitals for those less fortunate. There were some 99 documented miracles involving Elizabeth. When her husband died, she left her children with the family in the castle and went into service to God in the few years before she died. As a result, she was canonized and honored by many in the area.

 

Being on a Path of Luther Tour, we took time to see the small room, Luther’s tube, where he lived in hiding for ten months. It is during this time that Luther translated the Bible from the original Greek into German in eleven weeks. That translation was to fuel the Reformation and become the formal tool for transmitting a common German language for the next 400 years. God used Luther at the right time and in the right place to bless a religious and secular transformation. 

 

What comes up has to come down, so we returned down the 800 steps to the bus. It went much easier going down, but time will tell which muscles will be sore tomorrow. We took off on a 170 kilometer trip to Frankfurt for our next hotel. We were ready for a restful night of devotions, eating….and sleep!

Worshipping Where Luther Was Born

We got to sleep in an extra hour on Sunday, the day of rest. But let’s not get carried away. This was a day to visit Eisleben, the city of Luther’s birth and death. Yes, he was born on November 10, 1483 and baptized the next day in this small German town’s St. Andrews Church.

The practice of baptism was done as close as possible to birth to avoid possession by the devil. With only 2/3 of children surviving the first year, parents tried to have them baptized quickly to avoid the cost of original sin. After reading about what was entailed in baptism, it was amazing any even survived being baptized. Even in the cold of winter the baptism started outside of the church with the priest doing a type of exorcism, blowing three times on the babe’s eyes, makes the sign of the cross on the child’s forehead and breast, placed consecrated salt on his tongue and a combination of saliva and dirt up his noise and ears. Once in the church the child was fully immersed in water. I get the feeling by now they would be thinking that being born was not such a great idea. We are glad Luther survived.

It was clear that Luther who valued the authority of the Scripture defended the tradition of infant baptism though it is not mentioned in Scripture. He did get rid of some of the more bizarre aspects of sacrament that had crept into practice. There were touching references to his father and respect for a man who had been a strict but religious father. Luther later acknowledged that his father had been right about the value of monks, and that he had wished he had reconciled with him sooner. It was clear that Luther expressed strong support for the family and parents.

The Luther birth house on the Langen Gasse (Long Alley) is one of the world’s oldest museums. It has been recently renovated as they prepare for the 500^th anniversary of the Reformation. There are family trees, town artifacts, and displays on the silver mines where Luther’s father worked.

The highlight of the day was having the opportunity to have a worship service for our group in St. Andrews Church. We sat almost immediately under the pulpit Luther had used just three days before he had died in the city. We were able to have a picture with Luther standing in the elevated pulpit. We would have liked to hear him preach. But there was no match for the opportunity to sing “Amazing Grace” and “A Mighty Fortress” supported by the church organ. The acoustics in the room were exceptional, and it made us sound like a great choir. It was also nice to have Lynn Bulock have the opportunity to do a reading from the Ephesians 2 as part of the service.

There was time for walking or eating. We chose eating, but many took the time to enjoy the city streets.

But now it was on to Erfort and the University of Erfurt, where Luther received his bachelors and masters degree.  He was a student there from 1501 to 1511 and a monk in the monastery there from 1505-1511. It was in coming back here from visiting his family that his near-death encounter with lightening caused him to promise to become a monk. This is also the same city that both Goethe and Bach had walked.

We walked the city of Erfurt, saw the stone dorms where the students stayed, and the Augustinian Monastery Chapel where Luther was ordained. We learned that the first ten minutes of the most recent movie of Luther was shot in Erfurt. The wife of our guide was actually an extra in the movie.

It was the stained glass of the rose from the monastery chapel here that inspired the Lutheran symbol Luther later created. As a monk, they would get one meal a day and be forced to attend seven services. It was suggested that the monks would endure the services by meditating on the glass images. Later he would remember one of his favorite images—the rose.

It was also noted that the place in the chapel where Luther lay prostrate as part of his ordination was the burial place of the priest professor that had been instrumental in attacking the “heresy” of Hus who had been burned at the stake 100 years before Luther. Hus had said that they could burn the goose but in years to come a man greater than he, a much bigger swan, would come that Rome could not stop. Later, Luther was seen as the swan that Hus had predicted, and Luther embraced the name as one of the more positive labels given him.

There was less on the Reformation today and more on the early upbringing and study that made the man. Luther would return to Erfurt many times to preach as part of his ministry. The chapel today is part of a protestant cloistered nunnery. We didn’t know we had any, but if you have a sense of calling, you could come here join in.

We had a fright at the end of the tour. When dropped back at the hotel, Lorie’s carry-on was not there for us to pick up. Apparently, it had been unloaded with the bigger luggage. We were making plans on how to proceed, when her luggage and our larger one were both delivered to our room. We thanked God for this special blessing….and my goose was not cooked!

The stores are all closed on Sundays in Germany by law. We would have had to wait until Monday to purchase what was needed. There however is a wine festival going on today just five minutes from the hotel. Many of us plan to take part after dinner. Now, we can celebrate our good fortune. Enough for today.