Martin Luther

In the Footsteps of Martin Luther - For tour leaders

Introduction

Religious discord might seem in historical hindsight to have dominated 16th century Europe. However, far from being intended or premeditated, the events which led to the fragmentation of the universal Christian Church were initially motivated by a desire to reform and cleanse it from within, not to cause schism. Luther launched his attack on what he saw as practices within the Church, that he sincerely believe were dishonourable and brought shame on it; he acted in defence of the church, not with the intention of destroying it. Political divisions and affiliations and the rooted self-interest and intransigence of the Church hierarchy complicated issues and a dispute which at any other point in history may have been resolved, quickly fanned into a crisis which no one could have anticipated.
The response of the institutional church was, as has often been observed, slow and lacking in foresight but many within it were galvanised by the alarm call raised by Luther and responded not just by refuting heretical doctrines but more importantly by calling for a radical change in the organisation of the Catholic church. Many of the practices that we take for granted today, such as taking Communion frequently, private confession and trained priests, were the product of the Council of Trent. Perhaps no one typifies better the spirit of this new era of Catholicism than Charles Borromeo, patronage of his uncle, Pope Pius IV, became a most tireless crusader in his quest to draw people closer to Christ through greater devotion and piety.
Luther and Charles Borromeo may appear to be juxtaposed in their theological thinking and loyalties, but there is no doubt that they shared the same zeal to do the work of Christ and build his church on earth. We can never be in the position of knowing what may have happened if Luther had been reconciled to Rome, but without the impetus caused by his protest, the Church may not have gained the motivation to shed its medieval clothes and have moved into the modern world.

Basic Itinerary

DAY ONE

Bristol/London - Berlin

Scheduled flight from Bristol/London to Berlin. Transfer to our hotel on the outskirts of Berlin for an overnight stay.

DAY TWO

Wittenberg - Eisleben

After breakfast drive south (1½ hours) to Wittenberg situated on the banks of the Elbe known as the cradle of the reformation. Wittenberg is the town where Luther taught Philosophy at the University, and was at one time the town preacher, and where on 31st October 1517, he nailed his 95 articles condemning church abuses to the doors of the castle church. We visit the church (Schlosskirche), which also contains Luther’s tomb. We also visit the Lutherhalle, the former house of Luther and his family, and now a museum containing original editions of his works. Afterwards we visit the Marienkirche, where Luther was married, where he preached and six of his children were baptised. After a break for lunch, and some time to explore on our own, drive to the small mining town of Eisleben (west of Halle), where Luther was born and died. We visit the Luther Geburtshaus, where he was born, and the Luther-Sterbehaus, where he died. Dinner and overnight stay in the town.

DAY THREE

Eisleben - Eisenach - Erfurt

Drive in a south-westerly direction (2 hours) to the 12th century town of Eisenach, the birthplace of Johann Sebastian Bach, and the town where Luther took up residence in 1521, whilst translating the New Testament into German. He had previously been a student of Latin in Eisenach, between 1487 and 1501. First of all we will visit the Wartburg, which stands on a plateau above the town, and is regarded by many people as a more interesting castle to visit than the Neuschwanstein. It was here that Luther, dressed as Squire Jörg, arrived from Worms, and took up residence for a period of 10 months. He had refused before the Emperor Karl to take back his criticism of the Catholic Church, and said “here I stand, I can do nothing else”. He was declared an outlaw by the Pope and the Emperor, hence the disguise as Squire Jörg. The result of his 10 month stay was a German translation of the Bible. We go into the town to visit the Lutherhaus which is now a museum of his work, which we will see as well as the Church of St George, where Luther preached, and where Bach was baptised in 1685. Late afternoon transfer (1hour) to the town of Erfurt, for a two-night stay.

DAY FOUR

Erfurt

The medieval town of Erfurt has connections with England, and the west country, since Wynfrith (later St Boniface), arrived here from England as a missionary in 742 and later became Bishop of the town. Nearly seven and a half centuries later, Martin Luther entered the University as a student of Philosophy, a department known for its radical leanings. In 1505, Luther entered the Augustine Monastery at Erfurt, and the town thereafter became his spiritual home, even after he left for Wittenberg in 1511. We have a whole day to explore the town, starting with a guided tour of the Augustiner Kloster, where we visit the 13th century church, and walk through the cloister to the monastery where Luther lived as a monk. We must also visit the 12th century cathedral once the Augustinian Abbey Church. For those who wish, tonight, there will be the opportunity to enjoy a medieval banquet in the Luther cellar with costumes, staging and menus associated with Martin Luther. The cost of this will be £24 per person (for those who do not want to join the optional banquet there will be no extra charge for the dinner in the hotel).

DAY FIVE

Erfurt - Leipzig

This morning, a 1½ hour drive will take us to the town of Leipzig, famed for its culture, both in the world of books and music. We check into our hotel for an overnight stay, after which we visit the 16th century gothic church of St Thomas, associated both with Bach, who is buried here, and spent 27 years as cantor at the church, and also Martin Luther, who preached here on Whit Sunday 1539, and had a disputation with Dr Eck. As well as having time to visit places on our own, we hope to revisit the Thomaskirche in the evening, to hear the Thomanerchor Choir sing at Vespers.

DAY SIX

Leipzig - Berlin - Bristol/London

The morning will be at leisure in Leipzig to explore or revisit places of interest, or to shop. In the afternoon, we depart by road for Berlin (2½ hours) to check in for our return flight to Bristol or London.
Six Days

Terms of Payment:

£120 deposit (plus insurance premium if required), on booking, with balance payable two month before the departure date.

THIS TRIP INCLUDES:

Scheduled flights: Bristol/London – Berlin. UK and Germany departure taxes and security charges. 5-nights accommodation in shared twin bedded rooms with private facilities in tourist class hotels in Berlin, Eisleben, Erfurt and Leipzig. Meal plan: 5 buffet breakfasts and 5 dinners. All touring in transfers in Germany by air-conditioned coach as per the itinerary. Pax Travel German-speaking tour manager to accompany the group.

EXTRAS:

Travel insurance, single rooms supplement for 5 nights (limited availability). Lunches, drinks and souvenirs. Extra cost of medieval ‘Luther’ Banquet in Leipzig at £24 per person.
About the Banquet à la Dr Luther
Experience a historical banquet in the medieval vaulted Luther Cellar. Its traditional, rustic ambience will transport you back to the time of the Reformer Martin Luther, who certainly appreciated good solid cooking. Luther will also be on hand “in person” to introduce himself to his guests and tell anecdotes about women and the gastronomic culture of his day. This banquet can be booked for groups of 25 or more.

RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS AND WORSHIP:

Ecumenical

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