ML 500 - LUTHER would be "Amazed" !

_____
___________________________________

➤    F a s t    F o r w a r d     . .    500  Years
___________________________________
_____

Luther  would  be  amazed  !

______________  Growth   of   “PROTESTANT”ISM  ______________

900  Million   Christians  on  Earth   . .   40%   are  Protestant

19  million  Protestants  in   . .  INDIA

19+  million  Protestants  in   . .  KENYA

29  million  Protestants  in   . .   GERMANY  
(Luther’s  home  -  where  “ Reformation ”   and  “ Protestantism ”  began )

31+  million  Protestants  in   . .   Africa’s  CONGO

37  million  Protestants  in   . .  SOUTH  AFRICA

41  million  Protestants  in   . .  BRAZIL

58  million  Protestants  in  . . CHINA  . .  
( by  2030  China  is  estimated  to  have  more   “Christians”   than  USA )

60  million  Protestants  in   . .   NIGERIA   . .   ( AFRICA’S  largest )

(20%  of  Global  Protestantism)  . .  160  million  Protestants  in   . .  UNITED STATES

The  Lutheran  World  Federation

Headquartered 

in

Geneva,  Switzerland

  reports   “rapid”    Growth    in   Africa  &  Asia   
. .    with    . .    Declines    in  the   Americas

The  Church  of  SWEDEN   is  the  Largest  LUTHERAN  Church  in  the  World

TANZANIA   now  has  the  2nd  largest  LUTHERAN  Church  in  the  World

ETHIOPIA   has  the  3rd  largest  LUTHERAN  Church  in  the  World

Also  experiencing  fast  growth :

MADAGASCAR

NIGERIA

MOZAMBIQUE

ANGOLA

NAMIBIA

On  31  October  1999

 in

Augsburg,  Germany

 the

  Lutheran  World  Federation

 signed  the

★

Joint   Declaration

on  the

Doctrine   of   Justification

with   the

 Roman   Catholic   Church

 The  statement  is  an  attempt  to
➤     narrow   the   theological   divide

between  the  two  faiths.

_____

The  declaration  also  states  that  the

➤     mutual   condemnations

between

( 16th - century  . .  1500s )

  Lutherans   and  the   Roman Catholic Church

➤    no  longer  apply

_____

2013

 Mark Hanson,   ( 11th  President  of the  Lutheran  World  Federation )  
then Presiding Bishop of the   Evangelical Lutheran Church in America  (ELCA), 

greeted  news  of  Bergoglio's  election  with  a  public  statement 
praising   [the  new  pontiff's]   work  with  Lutherans  in  Argentina.

Pope Francis

October   2013

  

During  an  interview,    Francis stated: 

 " I  believe  in  God,

not  in  a  . .  Catholic  God,

there   is   no   Catholic   God "

Pope  Francis  emphasized  his  commitment  to 

ecumenism, 

stating: 

" For  me,   ecumenism  is  a  priority."

  

In  some  countries  they  kill  Christians

because  they  wear  a  cross  or  have  a  Bible,  and  before  killing  them  

they    don't  ask    if  they're 

✔️  Anglicans    ✔️  Lutherans   ✔️ Catholics    ✔️   Orthodox " 

Pope  Francis  on     UNITY     has  said

"Division   is  the  work  of  the   Father  of  Lies" . . 

" . .  C h r i s t i a n s    are
  Disciples  of  Christ    . .    One   . .    Brothers ! "

He  doesn't  care  if  they  are

✔️ Evangelicals   ✔️  Orthodox  ✔️  Lutherans  ✔️  Catholics  ✔️  Apostolic

    They  are    . .    C h r i s t i a n s

   

.     Keep  on  doing   ..   what  we  are  doing   ..   today :

 dialogue   " together "   
.     strengthen  bonds  of  " brotherhood "

During   the 

2016
  
Octave   of   Christian   Unity

 ★

Pope  Francis   " asked

 f o r g i v e n e s s

➤    for    the   way   Catholics   had   treated  
other   Christian   believers    over  the  years,

and  invited

  ➤    Catholics    to    pardon   those   who   
had   persecuted   them "

On     . .    31  October 2016

  Pope  Francis    
commemorated

 499th   anniversary   of   the   Reformation 

"with"     Lutherans    in    Sweden

This  event  opened  the  500th  year
since  the  Reformation  began 
with  Martin  Luther  posting  his  Ninety - Five  Theses  in  Wittenberg  in   1517.

 The  Pope  visited  the  950  year  old  Lund  Cathedral,
 located  in  Sweden's  southernmost  and  originally  Danish  province  of  Scania.

He   celebrated   an   ecumenical   liturgy    together  with    the  president  of  the  Lutheran   World   Federation   Bishop   Dr.  Munib  Younan

 Pope  Francis  expressed  his  
shared desire 
with  leaders  of  the  Church  of  Sweden  to 
achieve   full   communion
  but  stated  that

 more  ecumenical  work  needed  to  be  done  
in  order  to  work  towards  "communion". 

The  two  churches  called  for
   focusing  on  what   ..   unites   ..   their  faith   
rather  than  what  
separates  

Obviously  ..  a  topic  of  gigantic  importance !

ML500 - WITTENBERG Castle Church

WITTENBERG

is  a  highlight  for  all  Reformation  pilgrims
especially  on  this  ..  500th Anniversary

Initial  impression  surprised us  with  a
completely  unique  looking   ..   train  station

Striking  out  down   "Collegianstrasse"   ( about  3/4  mile  long )
we  think  we've  spotted  the
C A S T L E     C H U R C H
( Church  of  All  Saints )

This  Castle  Church  (Wittenberg)  was  the  site  of
one  of  the  most  important  moments  in
European  ( and  WORLD ) history: 
Luther nailing his  95  theses  to the church door
October 31, 1517  ..  the  night before  the heavily attended  ..  All Saints Day Service !

2   " Norskies "
in  front  of  the 
famous  door 
where  Luther  posted  95  Discussion  Questions
for his  ..  university students  ..  to  Debate

( little did Luther know what  storm  a  ..  simple  scrap  of  paper  ..  would incite ! )

This  news  reporter  is  gathering  info  to  bring  home  to  Norway
about  the  500th  Anniversary  of  that  seemingly  simple  deed

In  German  ..   on  the  ..   Castle Tower
the  Inscription  ..
"A   MIGHTY  FORTRESS   IS   OUR  GOD"
The  most  famous  of  all  the  many  Hymns  Luther  wrote   .. 

Castle  Church  ..   INTERIOR  NAVE
( many  tour  groups  coming  and  going  with  their  guides )

The  Chancel  ..
with
MOSES   ( left )      JESUS   ( center )     ST.  PAUL   ( right )

From  center  aisle  ..  looking  the  opposite  way

LUTHER   and   MELANCHTHON
pictured  ..  on  a  side  wall

The  EXTERIOR   ..   from  behind
showing  attached  classrooms  and  office  space.
Luther  (Catholic)  taught  here  many  years.

Look  closely  ..  you'll  find  ..
 Martin  Luther's  name   ..   plus   ..   Theologian   ..   plus   ..   Corpse
with  an   earlier   ..   spelling   and  an   earlier  . .  script

Luther  ..  is   buried  here  in  this  ..  Church   of  All  Saints
( though  he  died  in  ..   Eisleben   ..  where  he  was  born  &  baptized )
( he  had  traveled  there  to  Eisleben  ..  to  help  settle  a  dispute 
and  never  did  make  it  back  to  Wittenberg  alive  ..  he  himself  was  too  ill )

Philipp  Melanchthon
is   also  buried  here   ..   Luther  on  left  ..  Melanchthon  on  right
( in  front  of  the  Chancel )
Melanchthon  was  a  very  close  friend  of  Luther's,  
and  a  colleague  here  also  at  Wittenberg  University
He  continued  Martin's  Reformation  work  after  Luther  died.

Quite  a  wide  variety  of  " looks "   .    Photography  was  ..  non - existent
Individual  painters  portrayed  people  as  best  they  could

We  made  it  to  Wittenberg on  Friday  ..  so  we'd  be  sure  to  get  in  on  the
ONE  service  in  ENGLISH  on  Saturday  5 p.m.
( We  later  discovered  .. 
we  were  sitting  right  behind  Napoleon, Ohio  acquaintances
  of  our  1960s  friends  when  we  lived  in  Columbus  ..  
at  the  time  each  of  our  'first - borns'  arrived !!
  
The  guest  pastor   ( at  this  Friday service )  used  as  his  text
..   a  little - known  ..  multi - verse  hymn  Luther  wrote  ..
practical  words  revealing  Luther  knew  his  parishioners  well
and  cared  deeply  about  them

This  Alabaman  married  a  guy  from  Tennessee.
They  are  on  a  (Baptist)  Medical  Mission  in   ..  Ethiopia
living  in   ..   Addis Ababa
Their  1st  born  is  a  girl  named   ..  "PEARL"
Their  1st  son  they  named  ..   "LUTHER"
Their  2nd  son  is  named  ..   "CALVIN"
and  then  came  ..   "KNOX"
( after   3  Reformers )  ..
So  being  in  Germany  for  the  500th  is  very  special
for  this  whole  family )

_____

There's  much  to  include  about
Luther  and  his  wife  ..   Katherina Von Bora
We'll  divide  it  into  smaller  pieces
and  send  this  part  on  its  way

_____

Sunny  weather  has  disappeared.   Occasional  drizzle.   Temps  have  gone  down.
Sort  of  Seattle - like  ..  dampish  chilly

We're  " Up  North "
again  trying  to  catch  "blogs"  up  ..  with  our  actual   ' whereabouts '

Have  added  something  into  our  itinerary  that  we  weren't  sure  we'd  have  time  for.
It  makes  us  think  of  Kienbergers  who  lived  nearby  here  ( years  ago )
and  son  Steve  who  just  returned  to  Astoria, Oregon  after  20 yrs  here  in  Germany.
Also  brings  to  mind  Tim  and  Hanna  ..
she  grew  up  somewhere  close  to  where  we  are  now
Plus  Loeda  Meyer's  husband  "Horst"  was  born  &  raised
in  this  (northwest)  part  of  Germany
( Hmmm  ..  where  could  Rusty  and  Wrinkles  be ?? )

_____
____________________

Emergency  change  of  plans 
..  broke  wrist  (& more)  at  train  station  ..   in  Bremen  ..
( transfer  point  on  way  to  ..  Bremerhaven )
( Standing still  ..  I  was  knocked  down  by  hurried  teens  rushing  to  board  their  train )  
 ..  so  we're  heading  home.  

We've  been  in  Berlin  a  few  days  and  decided  to  add  on  to  our  itinerary
   the  big  new  museum  in  ..  Bremerhaven  ..  
that  tells  the  story  of  people 
"emigrating"  from  Europe  ..  in the late  1800s   and early  1900s 
escaping  tragedies  of  various  kinds  ..
  heading  to  ..   America !   
✦   It's  the  "opposite - end"  ..  of  the  
..   New  York  Harbor  ..  " Ellis  Island "  story !   

 ..   (Can't promise  'when')   ..  but  many  more  things  remain  left  out  ..  unfinished.   

Meanwhile  we'll  post  ..  already  prepared .. 
" Luther  Would  Be  Amazed ! "  
( next  blog )
_____
____________________

ML500 - Dresden's rebuilt "Frauenkirche" +

"Symbol  and  Soul"  of  . .  Dresden,  Germany
FRAUENKIRCHE
( "Church of our Lady" )

In   1743   this was the  tallest  Protestant  Church in  . .  Germany
with  nickname . .  "the  stone  bell"

The night before Valentine's Day  1945  World War II  bombs  targeted  Dresden
Frauenkirche smoldered for 2 days . . and then collapsed.
It's ruined rubble laid there  until  1989   when East and West Germany  RE - united
and the decision was made to completely rebuild it
using as much original material as they could piece together.
The  WORLD  joined the effort financially and it re-opened in . .  2005
a 100 million Euro cost  (90% from abroad)

In front of the church at New Market Square
MARTIN  LUTHER
stands tall
holding  not just any  Bible . . but the  "German" version  . . of the . .  Word of God
which . .  Luther  personally  translated
so that   ➤   "regular" people  could  wrestle  with  its  truth  . .   directly
➤   ( basically what the   Protestant  Reformation   was all about )

Luther used the native Saxon dialect of German
(now considered "High German")
Its popularity
made him more than the Great Reformer
He is considered the  . .  "father of " the modern German "LANGUAGE"

Under the large and small Domes . . inside  Frauenkirche
SEATING  is layered  high up
even  BOX SEATING    (reconstructed to match the original )  for big donors
(reminds us of opera houses)
Color scheme throughout is  "pastel" soft and sort of  . .  luscious

There's a lot to study in the Chancel and Altar area

FIND . . 

The  EYE  of Providence 

representing the all-seeing eye of God
knowing  .   keeping watch over  .   protecting

surrounded by the  ..  Triangle (Trinity)

representing  ..  God the Father  .  God the Son  .  God the Holy Spirit

(Matthew 6:22 . . "the  EYE  is the  'light'  to the body")

On the far left:
MOSES   (with the  ..  10 Commandment tablets of stone)
and   ST.  PAUL   (with the  ..  SWORD  of Truth) 

In the Center
JESUS  ..  praying in the Garden of Gethsemane ..  after the Last Supper
..  the night before His Crucifixion

On the far right:
PHILIP  the  ..  disciple   and   AARON   (Moses  ..  brother and spokesman)

On the Altar
A   CROSS  ..  made of  bomb - blackened  "NAILS"
found in the rubble of ruins

Between the Altar  (with focal - point  "Christ")
and  the assembled Congregation of  "followers"
is the  PULPIT
Luther emphasized that
GOD'S  WORD
( no one else's )
is  not  "a"  piece  of  ..  but   "THE  PIECE"   of the  PUZZLE   that  MATTERS
front  . .  center
☛  ( not   Pope  .  Priest  .  Mary  .  Saints  .  Tradition  .  Customs  .  Kings  .  Politics  etc)

Like  a  "round"  table
worshippers  sit  in  a  circle
emphasizing that God  loves  .  created  .  died for  . .  ALL
He  doesn't   RANK   His  Created
It's  one  of  the  most  beautiful  things  about  Communion
as  people  file  by .  one  after  the  other  .  "just  as  they  are"  .  "HIS  own"  .

We were here in 2015  ..  briefly.     Had to return and take a second look

The former cross  .  charred and twisted  .  fell 300 feet in 1945 and was buried.
Uncovered in 1993 . . it now stands where it was found.
The "Brits" in year 2000  ..  on the 55th Anniversary of the '45 bombing
gifted  Frauenkirche with a replica of the original  ..  now crowning this new church!
✦   It was made by an English coppersmith whose  ..  father had dropped bombs
on that church  ..  that February night in 1945

Visitors light votives at this spot and
write prayers and wishes for  . .  PEACE  . .  in the Guest Book

Downstairs is a very large maze of  rooms  in the  ..  CRYPT
There is  history  of the  ..  building and the  ..  bombing
and a simple  chapel  under a vaulted ceiling
Stairwell  plaques  name  donors  who made this  RE-build project  possible

A long  ..  "promenade"  along the  ..  Elbe River
was once a defensive wall barrier protecting Dresden from invaders.
Now  it's  a  public  park  with many  .  linden trees  .  benches  .  eateries
During the  Communist  years it was called  ..  " The  Valley  of  the  Clueless " 
(with little info about the  ..  non - Communist world)
Now it's sometimes referred to as  another  ..  " Balcony  of  Europe "
or even as  ..  " The  Florence  on  the  Elbe "

Looking up the Promenade the other direction  . .
we decide to cross this . .  1893  bridge . .  ( untouched  by  WWII  bombs )
that  connected  some of  Europe's  most  expensive  pieces  of  real estate

Since   1736    AUGUSTUS  the  STRONG   --  the  Golden Rider  --
has faced  ..   POLAND  ..  to the East   ( ..  a former 'possession')
and  trade routes  with   ..   Kiev, RUSSIA
This  "other"  side  of the river  has many 
"reminders  of  communist "  German  Democratic  Republic  ..   DDR)

Communist  construction  is noticeably  ..   wide  .  bulky  .  square  .  lacking 'artwork' 

Heading back to  Frauenkirche's  side
we try to ignore the busy construction on the bridge
so we can envision a community finding ways to enhance
the  riverside assets  just waiting to be made  ..  purpose - filled  and pleasant

This just scratches Dresden's 'surface'
It's  an  impressive  city.

With that we have to sign off and prepare for another "PEEK" into another  "PLACE"

Let's see what  ..  TORGAU  ..  offered to the history books.

We haven't shown you any photos about our time in  LEIPZIG  yet.
Will try to remember to add some of that crossroads city.

We need a secretary and a staff of historian helpers to travel with us !!

On  we  go  ..

_____
____________________