Today We Stood on Holy Ground...

Lutherstadt

Wittenberg

What more can I say? (Above: Luther's house)

Today we stood on holy ground. It was like stepping into a sacred part of history that changed so much of church history.

I was telling Amity that I feel like all this week we've been jumping back and forth between present time and history. We've seen some of the history of Berlin and also some of the ministry sites where we will be at. But that is so much of what Berlin is about. A city with so much history and yet at the same time so vibrant with present day coming and going. (Left: Inside the church where Luther nailed his 95 thesis)

But Lutherstadt.

How does one describe what it's like to step into a place that is about 500 years old, talked about so much in history textbooks and even written a few papers about and not feel like your world has been shaken? And I'm not even sure if I can find the right words to describe the whole experience today.

Somewhere in my last theology paper, I made a comparison between the rise and fall of Lutheran theology and Communism. Both started well-intentioned until someone in their brokenness decided to take that too far and mess a well-intentioned ideology up. All throughout history, even during the Old Testament times, we find people mixing the wrestle between faith and religiosity with politics. And we find this even in the US today. Somehow, in the wrestle between faith and religiosity, the brokenness of man creeps in and suddenly it becomes a power struggle and about selfish ambition and personal agenda rather than about the common good anymore. (Right: Inside Luther's church)

Stepping into Wittenberg today was a reminder again of that. In spite of all the twists and turns that Lutheran theology has taken, I couldn't help but wonder, how does one meet God like Luther did and not find their liberation that has been transformed into joy spilling over and wanting that to reach the ends of the earth?

Even stranger was the fact that Luther found freedom even during his time. Even though the freedom he found during his time isn't exactly the same kind of freedom we've been talking about this week, it's still strangely comforting to know that a theme like that transcended time, context and culture. On the left is a picture of Kelley lighting a candle at the vigil for peace held in the church where Luther nailed his thesis. Is it just me or does there appear to be a recurring theme of candle lighting and freedom?

Those are just a few thoughts from today. Hey, in case you were thinking all that we're doing is study, process, and theologize, here are a few pictures just so you know there's plenty of ridiculousness going around as well.

Aaron, Kelley and the Happy Cherries of their eyes.

And of course, the AU raven (it's not a crow, Kelley) makes its way around.