Come Travel with Us for the Birthday Party! 

Martin Luther and I are traveling to his and his buddies old stomping grounds! As part of my doctorate program at Columbia Theological Seminary, I’m taking the travel seminar to Germany celebrating the 500th anniversary of Luther nailing the 95 thesis to the door of Wittenberg church (or so legend has it). I’m leaving two days early to spend time in Basel, Switzerland where Erasmus and the O Reformer (whose name I can’t spell or pronounce) influenced the church in their own ways, as well as Strasbourg, France where Bucer, Capito, and even Calvin himself preached and taught. Then I’ll head to Berlin to catch up with the class where we will spend 8 days walking in Luther’s footsteps and 2 days walking in Bonhoeffer’s footsteps. Afterward, Luther and I will fly down to Geneva to explore Calvin’s hometown and then travel through the Swiss Alps to Zurich to pay homage to Zwingli before heading back home. It will be 17 days total, and it all begins tomorrow after an overnight flight.

So come join me! I hope to blog as much as possible to share the stories and pictures of the trip with anyone who is interested. I’ve had the chance to read three books, several articles and watch a few movies in addition to a couple papers and a Reformation sermon series to get ready for the trip. I have lots of Information on the Reformation. Feel free to catch up on Sermons 1 and 2 (Sept. 17 and 24) if you missed them at https://youtu.be/Eb9-mV8XUBQ (sermon starts at 27:15) and https://youtu.be/UXGcGzekGuQ (sermon starts at 30:00). The first gives an overview of the context of the Reformation and the second attempts to condense a semester’s worth of Reformed Theology in one sermon. Hope you can be part of commemorating this world changing event. Happy 500th Birthday, Reformation!