Today we left the Colleg of Wittenberg and headed for the big, beautiful city of Berlin. Wittenberg provided us an opportunity to truly see how Martin Luther had such a large effect on this town. It was where he and Katharina von Bora had their family and also where Luther worked so diligently on praising and defending the word of the Lord. He did so with his famous posting of the ninety-five theses. This indeed shows someone who was ready to stand for his faith and speak out against the Holy Roman Empire. We must realize that although Luther was ready to place his fate in God’s hands, the outcome could have just as easily swung the other way and ended in a tragedy. And if that was so, we might not even be speaking his name today or calling ourselves Lutherans. I think that makes evident just how much he was willing to give up for God and and to stick to what he believed in. I believe that God calls for us to test our faith and see how much control we are willing to place in his hands. It does not mean you have to take on the whole Roman Empire or the Pope himself; but it does question when the situation arises, what would you do for your faith? Would you stand up for it? Would you trust it? Would you be willing to die for it? These are tough questions to think about. And in the moment, many of us are unsure of what we would do. It is a measuring stick of our devotion to God; it varies and we will always struggle to find where we fit with our faith in God. Luckily, Martin Luther was able to find those who gave his belief a chance. They were pivotal in helping him shed light on a genuine interpretation of the Bible. This also went along with highlighting how the bureaucracy of the Catholic Church misused their positions by abusing the view of God through his children’s eyes, making them pay worthless indulgences. You cannot pay your way to heaven.
On another note, Berlin is the large capital of Germany that does not have so much to do with Luther, but is very historic as a place where faith was also tested. Fast forward a few hundred years and Jews are being persecuted for their faith at the head of Adolf Hitler and his regime. Fortunately while viewing the many places to see in Berlin, I had a chance to visit the, “Topographie Des Terrors” which is still being constructed, but had an amazing photo gallery with captions and unbelievable stories. It had in-depth descriptions of the Nazi SS force which committed horrible, unbearable crimes against innocent persons. It was very disheartening and humbling to wind my way around the exhibit, to read about those who were in charge of carrying out these violent actions. It included their photos as well as those of the persons they were executing just because of ethnicity, citizenship, faith, or sexuality. This place was definitely the most informative of the ones we have been to thus far because you could read how each country of Europe was affected by Nazi authority. It was mind-blowing how Hitler was able to brainwash the German people into believing what he was doing had merit and was in their best interest. Right outside of the museum is what remained of the Berlin Wall that divided East and West Berlin. Just to see a physical boundary that separated families and the lives of the German people was pretty powerful.
After seeing and empathizing with so much humiliation and suffering, I realize how difficult it can be to stay strong for your faith. But I am truly thankful God has blessed me and led me to a great group such as LCM. If they had not found me during my first year at Carolina, I am not sure how much of a presence God would have for me, if any at all. Sadly enough, this is true, but I look back and see this, as Katie Hill calls it, my “God Heat Flash.” This trip has allowed me to strengthen my relationship with God and feel his greatness. I hope he continues to let me see his love whether it be in Germany or back home.
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