Reformation History

Blog post assignments for Reformation History. 

[thatisthepointepeople]

St. Giles Cathedral

St. Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh has a rich connection with the reformation, most notably for its connection to John Knox. Known today as the Mother Church of World Presbyterianism, it is visited daily by hundreds of tourists. I chose this Cathedral because of its connection with John Knox. In 1124, St. Giles was founded. After Scotland wanted to become independent from England, in 1558 Protestantism was building momentum, but the church was still Catholic. John Knox was born around Edinburgh in 1514, and became ordained in 1536. After seeking refuge in Geneva, we have him to thank for his desire to make an English translation of the Bible.

In 1559, John Knox started the Scottish nationalist movement. He became the minister of St. Giles, and was an example for the church until he died in 1572. He believed in the church being run by presbyters instead of bishops, which is where we get the name Presbyterian from. It is sad to see that even though he had such an impact on the reformation that he is buried where parking spot 23 is now.

One thing that surprised me was that some fight scenes were filmed on top of the roof of St. Giles for Infinity War. I guess I just never paid that much attention to the geographical locations in the movie.

[thatisthepointepeople]

Comparison

I picked these because these were some of my favorite churches in one of my favorite towns that we have visited so far. St. John’s was very plain, simple, and dull. It was a somber atmosphere with gothic theming. The Basilica of St. Servatius was more elaborate with a darker color scheme. However, in my opinion, it was not as finely decorated as what I was expecting.

The connection to the reformation has to do with the Dutch Reformation. The Church of Saint John was originally a baptistery for St. Servatius. In 1633, the church changed from an autonomous parish church to the Dutch Reformed Church. The first service was held there on January 1st, 1634. All of the Catholic decorations were removed from Saint John’s, which is why it feels more like a shell and not what we would expect to see from a. former Catholic Church.

One thing that surprised me during our tour was the Belfry’s wind viewing platform at St. John’s. I did not know what I was getting myself into when I bought my ticket. Climbing was a free-for-all going up and down the tiny cheesecake stairs. At times, we looked like monkeys climbing over the people to get up the stairs. There were several windows that were big enough to step into, and hold on to the wall, while letting other people pass in the tight quarters. Attached is a picture of the stairs from the top. There is a very large step that you have to climb down to get to the first step going down—it was quite scary for a graceful klutz like myself. The view was worth the breathlessness and sore knees.

[thatisthepointepeople]

Aachen, Germany - Aix-la-Chappelle Cathedral

The Aix-la-Chappelle Cathedral, also known as Charlemagne’s Cathedral, was beautiful beyond belief. I picked this place because I fell in love with the stain glass towards the front of the cathedral. This cathedral is connected to the reformation through Charlemagne the Great. He wanted to create a capital city with a learning emphasis. He invited monks and other intelligent people to come stay in Aachen. The Cathedral was started in the early 800’s and is still here today. Charlemagne was buried in the chapel in 804. 

One thing that surprised me was the amount of mosaics and images inside the building. When people could not read, images and stain glass were used to teach the common people major Bible stories and concepts. For example, the rooster represents Peter’s betrayal, and the dove represents peace. Often times, the stained glass will tell a famous Bible story. Saints and other notable features are also featured in the stained glass. As a visual learner, I appreciated getting to see all of these beautiful images, and I know that I will never forget them. 

[thatisthepointepeople]

Westminster Abbey

Westminster Abbey is a prime tourist spot in London, with crowds gathering around the building for a selfie or two before moving on to their next location. The reason I choose Westminster Abbey is because of its magnificence on the outside. I love how the golden clock situated on the right side (our left) gleams in the sunlight. Beautiful, just beautiful. Westminster Abbey’s connection to the reformation are the people who were associated with it. Henry VIII is known for creating a new church because he was not allowed to get a divorce. Buried or recognized here are lots of people who were of historical significance, including Charles Darwin and William Booth. Also buried here are Henry’s children, as well as his 4thex-wife. One thing that surprised me is that through the years, Westminster Abbey has stood strong and remained.