Study Abroad @sjdoorly-blog - Tumblr Blog

My Study Abroad Experience

I knew my life would never be the same after studying abroad in Europe for three months. Having dreamed about this as a high school student, I had no idea what was in store and the extent of travel I would embark on. I would say this has not only been the best experience of my life, but also the most I have ever learned in such a short amount of time. Through this program I have learned German history in depth, gained deeper confidence and independence, become much more open minded and aware of God’s presence and feel more directed in the my future aspirations.

Before entering this program I was not thrilled about Germany. In fact, I knew very little about the country’s history and was unaware of all the amazing sights and cities in the country. After taking a German history and culture class and a Theology of the Reformation course where we toured around the major historical cities of Germany, I can say that Germany’s history is incredibly significant for people today. Germany has been the home of the Reformation, the Thirty Years War, World War I, World War II and the Cold War. This country has been through some incredibly heart wrenching times, as well as flourishing times.

Visiting the concentration camps was incredibly eye opening, and I have never seen a better picture of the devastating outcome of not upholding human beings as being made in the image of God. When people are degraded to the point of being considered the same status as animals, destruction is inevitable. These prisoners were completely stripped of their humanity and dignity and were treated like animals. Some strove to keep whatever pieces of their humanity they had left by taking care of their hygiene when possible, making eating utensils or producing art work in secret. When mankind is taken into the darkness, to the point where they are stripped of their humanity, they continue to strive to be set apart from the rest of creation. God created mankind with a sense of dignity and uniqueness in comparison to the rest of creation. Having the opportunity to see the very place where Bonheoffer was executed at Flossenburg Concentration camp was incredibly inspiring. This man who laid down his life willingly to stand up for human dignity and God’s Word has a profound legacy and has been inspiring for me to stand up for what I believe in the midst of a counter-Christian culture. Having the opportunity to visit these places in person that we have learned about for years in textbooks was remarkable and unforgettable.

Not only were we able to visit places in Germany, but we were also able to hear first hand from the German’s themselves about their experiences. Our director invited professors from the local university to speak to us about issues in Germany, Europe and in the Church. Many talked about evangelism and how to reach German college students who are so scientific, intellectual and logical. Religion in German is seen as merely a state institution. One of the speakers who met with us explained how religion is like a vaccine injection that makes them immune to the true Gospel later on in life. Bavaria is very heavily Catholic, and Christianity has very little affect on the personal life of Germans.

In addition to understanding German culture intellectually, I was also able to develop relationships with some Germans at the church we attended and was even invited into their homes. I approached some of them myself and asked questions about the culture and their view of Americans. It is interesting to compare and contrast the two. Some of the most obvious differences are that German’s are much more private, disciplined, and punctual whereas Americans are more open, laid back and proud of their country. Having the opportunity to experience this new culture really helped me get outside of myself and understand what it means to be a German. It also gave me the opportunity to lay aside my preferences and customs for the sake of another culture.

Learning about the spiritual struggles of Germany also helped me to become more aware of how the culture and history of a nation has a profound impact on how people view the Gospel. In order to share the Gospel with people effectively, it is very important to understand and embrace the culture in a way that forces you to come outside of yourself and genuinely love and care for the people. Paul echoes this idea in his letter to the Corinthians:

“In the same way, when working with Gentiles, I live like a Gentile, outside the Jewish Law, in order to win Gentiles. This does not mean that I don't obey God's law; I am really under Christ's law. Among the weak in faith I become weak like one of them, in order to win them. So I become all things to all people, that I may save some of them by whatever means are possible. All this I do for the gospel's sake, in order to share in its blessings.”

(Corinthians 9: 21-23)

I hope to take these skills of studying the culture and history of a country to wherever else in the world I travel and seek to share the Gospel with, whether it be in the United States, a third world country, or Europe. And as Paul said, all this is to be for the sake of the Gospel.

Not only was I able to experience German culture, but I was also able to take three weeks throughout the semester to travel anywhere in Europe. I was able to spend a week in Spain, a week in Switzerland, and a week in Northern Germany in the Friesian Islands. Having this experience to navigate plains, trains and buses throughout my travels gave me a new sense of independence and confidence. I was able to stay in Hostels as well as people’s homes, and really experience these different cultures and languages. I got to know people all over Europe and live among people who had drastically different beliefs and lifestyles than I did. This challenged me to be in God’s Word more each day, and to really seek Him so that I could be prepared to answer anyone who asks for the hope in me (1 Peter 3:15). These independent travel weeks also caused me to put my times and plans in God’s hands and trust him for his leading and provision.

Each time I traveled with different class mates, and when I went to Switzerland I was able to go by myself and stay with a pastor and his family. I was able to learn so much about doing life in a different country and it gave me a much more open-minded perspective. My little world became much smaller, and everyone else’s became much bigger.

In addition to my independent travels, I was also able to do a significant amount of travel outside of Germany for my classes. For my Art History tour we were learning on the go in Salzburg, Austria, as well as Venice, Florence, and Cinque Terre, Italy. Throughout my travels I had the incredible privilege of seeing the art of Vermeer, Rubens, Hans Holbein, Durer, Titian, Lucas Cranach Donatello, Bellini, Giotto, Michelangelo and Caravaggio up close in person. I have studied these artists for years, and being able to see it in person really moved me and gave me a deeper appreciation for art.

I was also able to travel to famous German towns liked Dresden, Berlin, Wittenberg and Worms for my theology of the Reformation course. Being able to learn on the road like this and experience a variety of cultures made me fall in love with learning and allowed me to grasp the history of these countries more in depth because I was actually seeing these things in person.

I am so thankful for this unique program and the opportunity to learn and grown spiritually in my faith. My classmates that I was able to travel and learn with were all like-minded Christian’s fom all different places in the US. We always sought to encourage each other and have fun wherever we found ourselves. The weekly Bible studies, chapels, and fellowship we had were times I will always hold on to, and I consider them to be lifetime friends in Christ. The Christian community we had really felt like family, and I am so thankful that the Lord really knit us together that allowed our experience to be rich and worthwhile.

With the ever-changing scenery and travel locations, God taught me a lot about himself, and my strengths and weaknesses. God really gave me a deeper sense of his unchangeable character and made me so much more aware of his sovereignty. It was clear throughout my travels that my times were in his hands and that he was leading me and guiding my steps. He made me aware of areas of sin in my life as well as spiritual strengths in my life. One of the main reasons I wanted to study abroad was to see how I functioned in a different cultures and countries. I am pursuing a degree in education and have had desire to teach over seas for a while. Though this travel experience, God has really shown me my desire for travel and how he has made me flexibly and willing to adjust readily to different cultures. These experiences abroad have really confirmed my desire to travel and teach overseas and I know that God will use what I have learned wherever I end up in life.

I am so thankful to the Lord for leading me to this opportunity. I also want to thank the people who have made this incredibly unique program, AMBEX, possible. My thanks go out to the director Jerry Orr and his daughter Kelley who not only organize and run this program so well, but love and care for us all deeply. I thank my family and friends for their support and for the openness of Cairn University to allow me to embark on this journey in a way that still benefits my academic program. I am excited to see how God uses these experiences to further his kingdom and bring glory to his name.

Soli Deo Gloria,

Sarah Doorly

#study abroad #europe #ambex

Reflection on my time in switzerland

Staying in Switzerland ended up being a perfect conclusion to the Reformation tour I took the week before. I took in so much information, and now it was time to digest it all and process the things I’ve learned so far this semester. This has been my first time traveling on my own and I think it was much needed after a very active week of socializing and jumping around to five major cities in Germany. I contacted a missionary family my home church is connected with in Switzerland and asked if I could stay with them for the week. I had never met them before, but I thoroughly enjoy the thrill of being thrown into a new situation, new language, and meeting new people. They were so eager to show hospitality and make the arrangements for me to stay with them. Olivier and Denise live in the countryside of Switzerland, in a town called Payerne. It’s about an hour from Geneva. This is the French speaking side of Switzerland, which was unfortunate for me because I don’t speak a lick of French! Thankfully they speak English quite well. Their church is a small Reformed Baptist church in their town with around 35 members, and lots of little kids! (This seems to be a trend among Reformed Baptist Churches) Of course they were all very welcoming and people were more than willing to translate the messages for me in English. The church gave me a little taste of my home church, with the excellent preaching and warm fellowship. Denise says it’s rare not to invite or be invited over someone’s house after the service. I had a nice visit with one of the families from the church and enjoyed playing with the three little children they have. What’s great about kids is that you don’t have to speak their language in order to play and have fun!

One thing that really impressed and encouraged me about their church is that they do an excellent job reaching the community. They own a small store down town where they hold a soup kitchen, display artwork, and hold inquiry classes for people who want to learn more about the Gospel. For the classes they go through the book of Mark and open the floor for questions and discussion. They have been getting a good turn out, and many people have come to know Christ through this ministry. Many of the people in the congregation are new believers. Olivier and Denise are eager to take anyone into their home and disciple them. Denise also holds a ladies Bible study for women in the community. They have a weekly Bible study and prayer time on Wednesday evening for their congregation, and typically have the Lords Supper every other Sunday morning. For the Lord’s Supper they pass around a goblet to share that has real wine—not grape juice! I found that exciting.

One woman in the church grew up in Indiana and I enjoyed spending time with her. She also studied abroad in Europe while she was in college and we had a lot in common to talk about. She took me out to visit a chocolate factory called Cailler, which was the very first chocolate brand in Switzerland. At the end of the tour they let us try as many different chocolates we wanted. It was by far the best chocolate I have ever had!

One of the days this week I had the privilege of visiting Geneva with Olivier, Denise and an English girl who was visiting a family in the church this week. We got to visit Calvin’s church, the Reformation Wall, the Geneva Lake, and a Museum of Geneva’s history. Seeing the town of Geneva with my own eyes was amazing after studying Calvin in depth with my History and Theology of the Reformation course. I thoroughly admire his perseverance with the people in Geneva despite the fact that he originally didn’t want to be there in the first place, and the people disrespected him and his work. I know Calvin probably wouldn’t have wanted to be venerated for his work today, but I can’t help but admire him as one of my favorite theologians.

I had a wonderful week overall. From discussing eschatology at the dinner table with Olivier, trying cheese fondue for the first time, and getting to explore Payerne and Geneva, I have had a robust and refreshing time. The more I travel, the broader my experiences and perspective on life becomes. I know I will not return to America the same as I left! Praising God for these wonderful opportunities.

Overview of my Reformation tour around Germany

2/22

Visiting Dresden was an incredible opportunity. On the way, we stopped at the Waldsassen Monastery and got to see the historical library there. The monastery was founded in 1133 and the library is the oldest part of the monastery The monastery is also a school. The library has four thousand books currently and the oldest book was made in 1554. The style of the library is a combination of late Baroque and early Rococo. The woodcarvings in the library are incredibly ornate and took around twenty-two years to make (from 1704-1736).

Next stop: Dresden

Dresden, Germany belonged to socialist East Germany, and is near the border of Czech Republic. One of the central places in Dreseden is the Zwinger. This rococo style palace served as an outer and inner wall to protect the city as well as a place for festivities. Today it contains a few well-known museums, such as the Old Masters Picture Gallery. This gallery contains Raphael’s famous “Sistine Madonna” as wells as works by Vermeer, Rubens, Hans Holbein, Durer and Titian. The Church of Our Lady is a Lutheran church in Dresden that had been destroyed in 1945 during WWII. Sixty percent of the renovations came from private donations, and a new church was built that stands today. A famous statue of Martin Luther is displayed in front of the church. The style of the church is Baroque. This church seemed drastically different from many of the other churches we visited because it has bright lighting as well as light pastel colors to accent the interior.

2/23/14

Visiting Berlin was quite surreal. Reading about the communism of East Germany in a textbook is one thing, but seeing the wall up close in person was a completely different story. It was almost as if we got to live a day in their shoes as we studied the history of Berlin and heard first had from a couple what it was like to live in communist Germany of that time. After WWII, Germany was divided into four parts: Russia, England, France, and USA. The city of Berlin itself was also split up into these four parts. In 1961, communist Russia put up a wall in order to be separated from the rest of the country. One half of Germany was a socialist dictatorship while the other functioned as a free democracy.

A couple that lived in East Germany during this time shared with us some details of what it was like to live in communism. The wife shared how mothers were required to work, so the children had to be sent to day care for the majority of the day. Women only had one day a month at home. Everything a person did in their free time was regulated. In school, everyone learned the same thing at the same time. At eighteen years old a person can vote, get married and order a car. However, it took three to five years to obtain a license and even longer to wait for the ordered car to be delivered. And after waiting years for the car to arrive, you were given one made out of plastic and paper-- not metal. The couple shared how there was hardly enough of anything and one always had to wait in long lines to obtain specific items. People were stripped of their individuality. Even everyone’s shoes were the same. Reunification was an extremely emotional event because people had forgotten what it was like to make their own choices and embrace their own individuality. Having to do everything themselves and make their own choices must have been a shock and hard to adjust back in to. Being in such an individualistic society today, it is hard to imagine living in a communistic society. The couple shared that growing up in a restrictive environment makes them all the more grateful for the freedom they have today.

Berlin is Germany’s current capital as well as the most populated city in Germany. On our city tour we first saw the famous Berlin wall. Hundreds of people were killed during the cold war trying to escape the wall, which was lined with automatic firearms. Guarded towers were put in place so that any disturbances in the wall were directly sent to the soviet guards who could quickly annihilate the trespasser. The structure of the wall consisted of a cement wall, a barbed wire fence, sand, a “death strip” and a larger cement wall. This trap made it impossible to cross, especially since the sand left behind the footprints of any trespasser. I could imagine it was difficult for those who lived right next to the wall and could breath in the air of freedom from the other side, yet they were so far from experiencing it. The wall started to be demolished in 1989 and reunification began to take place.

Another central location in Berlin is Potsdamer Platz. This place is famous for being where the Huguenots fled to from France and hid. In the late 1800’s it was the biggest intersection and is known for having the very first traffic light. The Berlin wall also came down in this intersection, as it had once divided it in half. A Holocaust museum also lies in the center of the city near the United State’s embassy. An American architect designed this memorial to represent the idea of being lost and uncertain. He depicted this with 2,711 concrete slabs and arranged them in a grid pattern on a sloping plane. This memorial did an excellent job depicting the loss of human reason during the time of the Holocaust and the remembrance of the many Jews who lost their lives. The slabs of concrete look as if they are tombstones themselves, and wandering through them on the sloping ground made it feel like I was going on a journey through their memories of loss and uncertainty.

2/25/14

The reformation tour went into full force when we arrived in Wittenberg. Martin Luther moved in this town in 1511 and received his doctorate of theology in this town. The Castle Church, where Luther nailed his 95 Thesis, still remains in Wittenberg although it is undergoing much construction. St. Mary’s church, also known as City Church, is known as the mother church of the Reformation. Martin Luther preached in this church and the first mass in German instead of Latin took place in this church. The church is one of the biggest protestant churches and is currently undergoing reconstruction. One of the interesting, but also disappointing aspects of the church is the sculpture of a Judensau, which is Jew’s in obscene contact with a large pig. Pigs were seen as unclean animals to the Jews, and thus this was a highly anti-Semitic symbol. This sculpture dates back to the 12th century. Underneath the statue next to the church lies a Jewish memorial. It seemed fitting to put the memorial in that spot as a symbol of respect and sorrow for past prejudices. The church contains an altarpiece painting by Lucas Cranach. The front panel of the painting shows the protestant sacraments. The painting represents how the authority of the Bible should be held in highest importance, even over the traditions of the church. This painting encapsulates the essence of Protestantism. Lucas Cranach is also famous for painting portraits of Luther and his wife Katherine von Bora.

Next we got to see the place where Martin Luther burned the papal bull given by Pope Leo X. He wrote this in response to Luther’s teachings against the authority of the pope and he threatened to excommunicate Martin Luther unless he chose to recant his writings. This was a very important moment in history because it was when Luther declared his renunciation of Catholicism. Luther spoke so strongly against the Pope that he even called him the antichrist.

Shortly after we had the privilege of stepping into Luther’s shoes as we toured his house. The house was surprisingly large to me, and I learned later that he had always had many guests in his house, so the large size was necessary. The house used to be a monastery and university where Luther himself studied, but it was later abandoned during the Peasants’ War and given to Luther’s family as a place to live. Luther had his famous “Table Talks” here where he would invite young people over and discuss theology. The talks are quite humorous and were recorded by the students and later developed into a book. Today, the basement of the house contains different facts about how the house was run by Luther’s wife—Katherine Von Bora. She amazingly fed the many guests that were always at their house, and brewed beer among many other things. Her faithfulness to Luther and her family as well as to the Word of God is very inspiring. So much of what Luther did would not have been possible had he not had such a supportive and helpful wife.

Wittenberg church, also known as Castle Church, is famous for being the place where Martin Luther posted his 95 Thesis. Although we were unable to enter the church, standing in front of it was pretty profound because of the important event that took place at the front door. The church used to be a castle. During the Seven Years’ War in 1760, the church was badly damaged by a fire. The church was rebuilt, but the original door where Luther posted his Thesis is no longer there. The tomb of Luther and Philipp Melanchthon are inside of the church.

Next stop: Luther's Monastery

Luther lived in an Augustinian Monastery in Erfurt from July 17th 1505 until 1511. Luther first studied law in Erfurt and studied the church fathers there. However, when he had his radical conversation experience he decided to become an Augustinian monk in Erfurt. He chose this monastic order for several reasons. First, it was the poorest monastic order. Second, it was strict in adherence to rules in comparison to others. And third, the vow to poverty was strong. As a monk in this monastery you would have nothing. Lastly, the monastery was known for theological study. Luther was able to be a professor while being a monk. He described his experience at Erfurt as being marked by three things: prayer, fasting, and being cold. Being a monk at this monestary was an extreme process of denying oneself and surrendering to God. They got no more than four hours of sleep and would beg for food as penance. They only received two small meals a day.

After doing some research on the Augustinian order, I came to discover that the order came to North America not far from where I live in Philadelphia. The Olde St. Augustine’s Church in Philadelphia came to found many different universities that are near where I live, as well as Malvern Prep School, where my dad taught Spanish to middle school students. I found this to be an interesting connection.

The Erfurt cathedral is where Luther was ordained as a Priest. This cathedral had one of the most amazing altars I have ever seen. The stain glass windows were extremely elaborate. The church is nearly 12000 years old and is of the gothic style.

2/26/14

The next destination in the Reformation tour was Johann Sebastian Bach’s house in Eisenach. He was born in Eisenach in 1685 and comes from a large family of musicians during the Baroque period. The Bach family had over a hundred professional musicians. Bach’s music drastically influenced the world of classical music, and he signed the end of each piece with “Sola Deo Gloria”—to God alone be the Glory. He was well educated in the Scriptures and the teachings of Martin Luther. We had the privilege of hearing a man play some of Bach’s instruments, an Organ, harpsichord. There has been quite a dispute over what Bach looked like, and many portraits were done of him after his death. An excavation of Bach’s bones was done in order to do a facial reconstruction of what he could have possibly looked like. After evaluating his bones, it was discovered that Bach had “Organist Disease” from playing the organ from a young age. Bach was once hired as the organist at Weimar, but was jailed and then forced to leave.

Next stop: Warburg Castle

The Wartburg castle was where Luther sought asylum after he refused to recant his writings at the Diet of Worms. He stayed in the castle for about ten months by request of Frederick the Wise. It took him only ten weeks to translate the Bible into German. This is where he translated the New Testament into the common German language of the people. This translation became known as the foundation for German grammar and vocabulary. Here it took on the under cover name of “Knight George.” The castle was not built as a fortification, but rather for show and display of great wealth. The famous story behind the founding of the castle involves a young man who when he saw the hill exclaimed, “Warte, Berg—du sollst mir eine Burg tragen,” which means “Wait, Mountain—you shall bear a castle for me!” The castle contains 1,800-year-old oak beams as well as elaborate mosaic designs in one of the rooms. Goethe also displayed some of the artwork he purchased here. King Ludwig, the creative mind behind Neuschwanstein, visited Wartburg and liked the hall so much that he had it copied for his castle. Frans Litz also visited the castle. Visiting this castle was extremely interesting because it linked so many historical people together. The view was also very impressive. If anyone was ever seeking my execution, this would certainly be the ideal place to go.

2/28/14

Worms

The city of Worms is where Luther famously refused to recant his writings. Here lies the largest Reformation monument. The city also contains the oldest Jewish cemetery in the world. Jewish people have a custom of leaving rocks on the grave stones instead of flowers. This symbolizes unchangeableness and how their life will be a memory never forgotten. This cemetery contains over 600 grave stones. The oldest dates from around 1058. The Worms Dom of St. Peter was an impressive church. It was built in 1110.

Next stop was a survey of the history of the Gutenberg printing press at the Gutenberg Museum in Mainz. Johannes Gutenberg was born in Mainz around 1298 to an upper-class merchant family. He started out as a successful metal worker. In 1440, while he was in Strasbourg, he did research that led to him perfecting the secret to printing. He took out loans from a wealthy moneylender named Johan Fust in order to fund the expensive project. In 1455 he completed his forty-two line Bible, know as the Gutenberg Bible. About 180 copies were printed. At the museum we were able to view a few of these Bibles. They were vacuumed sealed and kept in special care in a dark room. Seeing the variety of printing presses as well as the elaborate illuminated manuscripts was incredible. The moveable type had a profound impact on spreading biblical truth for the lay people, and thus helped jump-start the reformation.

Heidelberg

Heidelberg is known as Germany’s Paris. This is the romantic city of Germany has a large medieval castle ruins that was destroyed during the thirty years war. The church of the Holy spirit is a protestant church in Heidelberg. The Jesuit Catholic church in Heidelberg is Baroque style with a very clean and minimalist style. Most of the interior is painted white. This was one of my favorite Cathedrals we visited because of the brightness inside. It gives it a meditative kind of mood with minimal distractions. Heidelberg is connected to the reformation because Martin Luther lived and taught in Heidelberg for a time. Luther also came to Heidelberg shortly after posting his 95 thesis in order to defend them. He explained his beliefs at the Heidelberg Disputation where he defended his views of human depravity and the bondage of the will.

Looking back at my History and Theology of the Reformation course...

Learning more about the history and theology of the Reformation in depth was incredibly fascinating and eye opening. Professor Quiggle from Moody Bible Institute was our professor for the past two weeks and was very knowledgeable on the subject. Since the class size is small here, and our professor lives with us as well as tours with us, discussions and questions are always welcome. We particularly focused on the lives and teachings of Luther and Calvin.

One of the things we discussed in class that particularly struck me as new and interesting about Luther was his view on faith. According to Luther, faith is not simply human trust. Today we often hear the analogy that faith is like trusting that the chair will hold us up when we sit on it. Luther would think this analogy to be preposterous. Faith is, according to Luther, a gift from God. To Luther there is nothing similar to having faith in sitting on a chair and having faith that Christ is the son of the living God. One happens by mere human exertion, while the other is a supernatural work. Faith is something God graciously gives to people that allows them to understand the Gospel. It takes a supernatural work to believe that God took on human form, was born of a virgin in a poor town, lived an ordinary life as a carpenter, and then died a humiliating death on a cross in order to save humanity. This is a wild story that takes God given faith to believe. Faith happens from the top (God) down (humanity)—not from the down up.

So how is this Faith received? Luther would say it is through the Word of God. Romans 10:17 says, “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” This theological truth had a profound impact on his views of the sacraments, especially baptism. Because he saw faith as being a gift from God through his Word, he saw faith as proceeding understanding. Receiving faith is unconditional; therefore one does not need to intellectually understand in order to receive this gift. As a result, Luther believed strongly in infant baptism. Luther saw the essence of Baptism as receiving the Word of God, which would be appropriate for an infant to take part in. Baptism was not a symbol of sanctification (the common view of believers baptism) in his eyes, but rather a symbol of justification by faith. Luther did not believe baptism had power in and of itself to save, but was rather a symbol of the Word of God being imparted to the infant in a way that could bring about salvation later on in life. I found his views on this subject to be thought provoking since I have always accepted the view of believer’s baptism and have never studied the belief of infant baptism in depth.

Luther contributed much to the protestant faith. He was practically a genius. By the age of thirty he had memorized the entire bible in three different languages. He was a gifted writer, writing nearly one title every two weeks, as well as a superb musician.

Calvin’s life and thought was also thought provoking. Today he is seen as a very controversial figure and is known mainly for his views on predestination. However, Calvin wrote much more on other subjects, and never wrote a large volume on predestination. It was people after him who came up with the famous acronym TULIP in order to create an argument against followers of Arminius. In fact, Calvin may not even agree with all the aspects of TULIP. In Switzerland he is mistakenly known today as being a grave man who was somewhat of a kill joy and who is responsible for executing the heretic Servetus. With all that aside, I thoroughly enjoyed studying Calvin’s story. What struck me the most was his emphasis on embracing and reforming the culture. Unlike Luther, he was very keen and hopeful in reaching the culture around him. In fact, he would lock the church doors in order to force the people of the congregation to get out and minister to the people in the community. Calvin also suffered from many physical ailments. He suffered immensely from Gout, Kidney stones, tuberculosis, migraines and hemorrhoids. However, through it all he said, “my ministry is dearer to me than life.” Calvin always had a deep sense of homelessness and deep sense that life cannot be controlled. He often said “we are always on the road” and “we have no other place of refuge but the providence of God.” I can identify strongly with Calvin’s conviction of this because part of the reason I love traveling so much is that I constantly feel like a sojourner, looking to my eternal home.

Calvin’s ministry is defined by being against his own personal preferences and desires. Calvin was originally planning on living a quiet life of studying and writing in Strasbourg, but one his way he passed through the town of Geneva and was forced by the pastor there named William Farrel to stay. Calvin wanted anything but to stay in Geneva, but Farrel told him that God would curse him if he did not stay. Calvin was terrified and stayed despite his shyness and timidity. His ministry there was anything but glamorous. The people often despised him and threw stones at him; they even named their dogs after him. He was exiled from Geneva for a short time, and then reluctantly came back, beginning preaching exactly where he left off without saying a word. This man was incredibly faithful. He was always very humble and at the end of his life requested to be buried in an ordinary cemetery with an unmarked grave so that he wouldn’t be venerated. His Institutes, Commentaries and Sermons have had a profound impact on Protestantism today.

Sometimes ministry today is viewed as somewhat of a glamorous calling where a person is loved and accepted for sharing the Gospel to a poor and lost community. However, some of the most influential ministers have been those where were rejected and who ministered in places where they did not originally feel called to go. I am continually reminded that God’s work is God’s work—not mine. Sacrifice and laying down one’s own wants and desires is where God gets the glory. That is what true ministry is, and I believe these reformers put this on full display in a way that we can learn from today.

Judging others makes us blind, whereas love is illuminating. By judging others we blind ourselves to our own evil and to the grace which others are just as entitled to as we are

Bonhoeffer

#bonhoeffer

Reflection on my visit to Flossenburg and Buchenwald Concentration Camps

Buchenwald:

After visiting the Flossenburg and Buchenwald concentration camps, I have a totally new understanding of what it means to be made in the image of God. These prisoners were completely stripped of their humanity and dignity and were treated like animals. Some strove to keep whatever pieces of their humanity they had left by taking care of their hygiene when possible, making eating utensils or producing art work in secret. When mankind is taken into the darkness, to the point where they are stripped of their humanity, they continue to strive to be set apart from the rest of creation. God created mankind with a sense of dignity and uniqueness in comparison to the rest of creation. However, this privilege is often abused, and the Nazi’s are a prime example of this. The question is, what went wrong? How did the Nazi’s fall prey to such barbaric behavior? Part of the answer is that WWI caused so much destruction and disillusionment for Germany. Thirty-seven million people died in the war and Germany struggled significantly to get back on their feet when the war was over. The economy and government was devastated and they had no national identity. Then Hitler enters the scene with answers. He starts talking about German pride, excellence and hope for the future. The German’s were hanging on by the last thread and simply held on to Hitler as their only hope. As a result, Hitler tries to reestablish Germany’s power by taking over Europe. His thirst for power becomes so strong that he takes drastic measures. Concentration camps are used for manual labor where Jews, who were seen as inferior and a detriment to the German race, would be executed. He wanted Germany to be “fit” to survive and evolve to become a powerful nation. The means no longer mattered, only the end. He traded in power at expense of people who are created in God’s image.

Often time humanity takes the fact that we are created in God’s image for granted. We are desensitized to the fact that humanity is set apart from the rest of creation. It’s a slippery slope that anyone can fall into. The Germans are not the only ones to have fallen prey to this mistake—it has always been a sin struggle for humanity and will continue to be so.

The thing that captured my attention the most at the Buchenwald concentration camp was the art gallery. Artwork from former prisoners as well as other artists involved with the Holocaust are displayed in what used to be the disinfection building of Buchenwald. This is where prisoners were commanded turn in their civilian clothing and possessions. Their heads were shaved and their bodies were bathed in disinfecting chemicals. This was used as a way to prevent epidemic plagues. This process was humiliating and completely stripped the prisoners of their humanity. I think it is ironic that the art exhibit is displayed in this building because art is a way for humans to express their uniqueness and humanity, whereas the disinfection building did the complete opposite.

Much of the art displayed in the exhibit was a means of survival for the prisoners. This was a way for the prisoners to remember their experiences and capture evidence that could be used by authorities later. These visual testimonies of the prisoners were often created with inadequate materials since they could hardly find ones that would be sufficient. These artists risked their lives by creating, and would have been killed if the SS found their works. This was a way for the prisoners to hold on to their humanity and express their emotions on paper. One of the paintings depicted the Goethe Oak, representing hope for the prisoners. Some modern artists have taken the idea of the holocaust as inspiration for their work. For instance, artist Jenny Stolzenberg did a ceramic display of shoes that is displayed in the art exhibit at Buchenwald. The ceramic shoes were created as a memorial for those who lost their lives in the Holocaust. Solzenberg wanted to evoke the memory of them in a tangible way. She made each shoe very detailed and unique, some of them not matching correctly. The title of the piece is “Forgive and do not Forget.” Here she emphasizes the importance of remembering the suffering and death that had taken place as a way to remember and not forget what we can learn from it. The last thing we should do is forget what happened and keep silent about it. When people speak up and wrestle with these issues-- real change happens.

Neuschwanstein Palace

1/25/14

So far nothing has compared to the amazing experience of seeing the Neuschwanstein palace in the alps of southern Germany. This magnificent castle was commissioned by Ludwig II of Bavaria as a place for him to be isolated from the rest of society. He was said to have a family history of mental illness and doctors diagnosed him to be mentally ill as well. He thus lived a life as a recluse—sleeping during the day and working frantically all night.. He only spent 172 days in the castle, and was found to have drowned suspiciously in two feet of water. No one knows if his death was the result of murder or suicide. The palace was used as an inspiration for Disney’s castle. The king’s room alone took four years to finish the intricate woodcarvings. The palace was planned to have 200 rooms but only a third of them were finished. The finished rooms are elaborate and decorated with gold and large paintings of biblical stories and legends.

Unity in Christ

1/24/14

Today we got to hear about the German culture first hand! Matthias (Matt) is a computer programmer and pastor in southern Germany. He talked much about the spiritual state of Germany and how Christians can better understand the lies that permeate the culture so that one can more effectively evangelize. Christianity has a 2,000 year old history in Germany, yet believers make up only 2% of the population.

Being a part of the church in Germany is not much of a spiritual matter. They simply pay the taxes to the church and are paid a lump sum for believing in what the church professes. The members then hardly attend the church. Matthias said that it is like the people are injected with a vaccine of gospel light that makes them immune to the true Gospel later on in life. When people are approached with the Gospel they quickly write it off and say “I’m Catholic.”

14,000 years ago Germany was blessed by the Gospel through thirteen Irish monks who settled in the country. Matthias speculates that one of the reasons they were so successful in spreading the Gospel is that they were so unified as brothers in Christ. Spiritual unity is a witness to others to come to Christ because they can see how it is lived out in everyday life. The monks were also very focused on sanctification. They spent hours upon hours in prayer and in song everyday. Matthias compared it to a smoker who would have to leave the room every two hours to get his nicotine fix. In our Christian walk, we should be so addicted and reliant on the Gospel that we constantly need to step back from our circumstances and re navigate our minds towards the word of God. In fact, Jesus made it a habit to leave and go pray alone. In an American culture were FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) is prevalent, the Christian must view the importance of getting away and communing with God as better than any social experience the world has to offer and necessary for sanctification. The discipline and methodologies these monks had in constant communion with God made them successful in portraying the Gospel to the German people.

Matthius also made the point that God uses means to convey the Gospel to people. In fact, the reformation was so successful because of the invention of the printing press. Without it, the Word of God would have never been spread as vastly. Likewise, we need to be looking for means to spread the Gospel today. The Internet could be seen as the contemporary version of the printing press for spreading the Gospel. Perhaps there could be a way to unify Christians all around the world via the Internet as a way to better share the Gospel. Food, sports, business, and television are all avenues of international connections. Shouldn’t the Gospel be an even greater commonality that could connect Christian’s together around the world? Uniting together would be an astounding and powerful witness to others and is what Christ called us to do:

“Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one.” (John 17:11)

Café Sofa - Kaffee, Wohnzimmer, Kneipe

I went to this Cafe in down town Regensburg! It has such an underground vintage feel to it. I described it as a hipster without actually trying to be hipster. The menu was hand written and there were vintage couches scattered throughout the little rooms and small tables for groups of people. The barista spoke fluent english which made it much easier to communicate. I got Chai tea which was delicious!

1/22/14

The next major place we visited was the medieval town of Rothemburg. This is a favorite spot for tourists and I understand why. The city was a self-ruling city and a major trade town. The walls built around it were used to protect its great wealth and was built in the 12th-13th century. Hitler called this the quintessential German town. The criminal museum in the town was very interesting. It contained all sorts of torture devices and shame masks that were implemented on criminals and those who disobeyed the law.

#rothenburg

Regensburg (My home in Germany)

The town of Regensburg is beautiful and full of history as well. It was originally the first capital of Bavaria and it’s famous bridge was once considered the eighth wonder of the world. And I only live in walking distance of all of this! One of the most obvious highlights is the Regensburg cathedral, or St. Peter’s Cathedral. This cathedral looks similar to the Notre Dame cathedral and is the second tallest German cathedral. One third of it is underground in order for the foundation to be strong enough to support its massive height. This cathedral was finished in the 19th century. The organ, which was added later, is around 10,000 lbs. The stain glass windows were the most ornate I have ever seen. Apparently people have written their whole dissertations on just one of the windows—that’s how much thought and detail goes into just one.

The city also contains a famous statue of Don Juan who was a military leader in Austria. He was born in Regensburg, but is most famous for his victory in the Battle of Lepanto against the Ottoman Empire in 1571.

St. Peter's Cathedral in Regensburg. Walking distance from where I live!

Some other interesting sidelights about Regensburg is that Schindler lived there at one point and the city contains the oldest wood house in Germany. We also visited the new Parish church, which was founded in 1542 as a result of Luther’s protestant revival. Lastly, we visited the Catholic church of Bavaria. The rococo style of the Cathedral made it unforgettable as much of it was lavished with gold décor. We closed our tour with enjoying some delicious cake at a German bakery since it is Katie’s birthday!

On our second trip to Regensburg we passed a commemoration to Kepler, a famous German mathematician, astronomer and astrologer who lived in Regensburg. He is most famous for the invention of optical instruments.

Further down the road was the House of the Thurn and Taxis, a wealthy German family. They are mainly known for their involvement in the postal services of Europe in the 16th century as well as the builders of many castles. Albert II and Princess Gloria live there today.

Close to the house of the Turn and Taxis is St. Emmeram’s Basilica. It was founded around 739 at the grave of St. Emmeram. The founding of this basilica was influenced largely by Charlegmane and it is considered to be a Baroque masterpiece. This was the place where many emperors were coronated and many believe this church to be the most important in Regensburg. One of my favorite aspects of this church is the ornate wooden painted ceiling depicting Saint Benedict of Nursia.

wooden ceiling painting^

The Church of the Holy Trinity is also a sight to see. This was one of the first evangelical churches in Bavaria. Its construction was finished in 1631 which was influenced by Luther’s protestant revival. “Solo Deo Gloria” is inscribed on the outside of the church.

Lastly, we visited the Scottish church of Regensburg. It was founded in the 11th century by Scottish missionaries. The style f the church is more simple and Romanesque compared to some of the other Rococo style churches in Bavaria. The outside of the church is protected with a class entrance that protects it from the elements since it is so old.

Church in Germany!

1/19/14

Today we experienced church for the first time in Germany. Life Stream is a new Hillsong church in Regensburg. The sermons are in German, but Kelley is thankfully able to translate them through an MP3 radio so that we can understand the message. Singing worship songs in German was quite the experience! http://www.lifestream.de

Later we went to the oldest monastery in Germany, Weltenburg Abbey, which was right along the Danube river. In the abbey there was also a brewery that has been in use since 1050-- the oldest in the world. We later viewed a prisoners castles dating back to 65 AD.

I have arrived!

1/18/14

I have arrived in Germany! Despite an eight hour flight and a drastic time change, I had enough adrenalin pumping in my veins to meet the group of AMBEX students and tour the city of Munich (the capital of Bavaria)! The city is full of rich history and one of the first places when went to was the Residenz Museum. This museum was the house of the Mittelsbach family, which was bombed in the Second World War but later reconstructed to match the original. This family had imported collections of expensive silver, paintings and décor. For more information visit:

http://www.residenz-muenchen.de/englisch/museum/

After the museum tour, we explored more around the city of Munich and visited an ornate cathedral Frauenkirche. We later enjoyed the comfort food of the Hofbrauhaus for lunch. I had the most delicious pork of my life!

Hofbrauhaus:

After the wonderful tour in Munich we arrived to our new home: Regensburg. The Youth Hostel we will be living in is comfortable and the hosts makes us feel very welcome. Not to mention the food is delicious and completely organic. I have three lovely roommates and comfortable and spacious room. The day concluded with some ice breaker games!

Greetings!

I’m excited to announce that this spring 2014 I will be studying abroad in Europe! I’ve always loved traveling and have had a desire to study abroad since high school. Seeing this dream unfold into reality is somewhat surreal, but I am incredibly thankful that God has allowed the details to fall into place.

The program I will be studying through is called AMBEX (American Bavarian Exchange), which is run by Corban University. The program is located in Regensburg, Germany, which is in southern Germany (Bavaria) near the Danube River, Switzerland and Austria. The mission of AMBEX is to “teach Christian students the vital historical and theological foundations of the Protestant, Evangelical Christian faith, through a personal, comprehensive, and life-changing in-class and on-the-road academic experience, and through involvement in the European missions activities of local churches in Amberg, Germany, and central Europe.”

The program includes classes in Christian Worldview & Apologetics, European History, Theology of the Reformation, Art History, and European Literature. Although I will not be taking these classes through my current university (Cairn University), they all transfer through as 15 academic credits.

You may ask, So why Germany and why AMBEX? Well first and foremost, through studying at Cairn University I have experienced the importance integrating God’s Word into all areas of academic study. I knew that if I studied abroad I would want the program to include a curriculum that was dedicated to the same values. AMBEX certainly holds these values in the curriculum and mission. Second, I knew I had a desire to study in Europe and see many different countries and cultures. The courses in AMBEX’s program include excursions such as a Reformation tour throughout Germany, Art History tour in Austria (Sound of Music Tour) and Italy (Florence, Pisa), and three separate weeks for independent travel around Europe. Germany’s location allows for easy travel from country to country and the program allows for freedom to explore around Europe. Lastly, the program suited my area of study and interest. I am currently a double major in elementary education (special education) and Biblical studies, and studying in Europe through this program will certainly add to my knowledge and experience in these subjects. I’m also especially excited to study art History through this program and survey famous works of art that I’m sure will inspire me as an artist. The small class sizes (AMBEX is limited to around 20 students) also suit me well as I seem to thrive best in small academic settings. Even more importantly, I will be able to study and serve alongside other believers and enjoy fellowship with students from all over America. As a group we will have many outreach opportunities in the Regensburg community such as serving the local church and missionaries, visiting orphanages, retirement homes, American soldiers and more.

Words cannot express how excited I am to grow through this experience. I will be leaving January 17th and returning April 17th. Your prayers are greatly appreciated. Updates on my class’ travel will be given on ambex-germany.blogspot.com. Thanks!

Sincerely,

Sarah

Adirondack's

Trending Blogs

Recently Viewed Blogs

Study Abroad