Experience the Reformation on a GTI Signature Study Tour to Germany and you'll see Scripture in a new light.
The Reformation of the sixteenth century brought not only profound changes to European society and culture, but also and more importantly, it brought sweeping theological changes to the church that have continued to influence the Evangelical movement to the present day. Were these changes the mere inventions of a few medieval monastics or were they a divine movement to recover the gospel handed down to us by the apostles? What is the gospel anyway? What does it mean to be saved? What does it mean to be a Christian? These questions among others were at the heart of the Reformed movement.
Our trip to Germany and Switzerland will explore the lives and theologies of four major reformers of sixteenth-century Europe. We’ll begin with Martin Luther, the reformer of Germany, whose faith and work are often credited with initiating the Reformation. We’ll then travel to Switzerland and study the life of Huldreich Zwingli of Zurich, who was the reformer of German- speaking Switzerland. While in southern Germany and Switzerland, we’ll also investigate the Anabaptist movement, which is sometimes overlooked as an influential movement within the Reformation. The life and work of Balthasar Huebmaier, a leader of the Anabaptists, will be studied. We’ll then finish our tour with a trip to Geneva, to study the life and works of John Calvin, whose prolific writings on theology and the Bible are still relevant for the church today. This trip is bound to enlighten us and strengthen our faith in the gospel and the mission of Jesus Christ in the world.
Dan van Voorhis is an author, historian, professor, and speaker at 1517. After receiving his Ph.D. in History from the University of St. Andrews, Dr. van Voorhis spent 11 years teaching history and political thought at Concordia University, Irvine. He is a Scholar-in-Residence at 1517 and the host of the daily podcast The Christian History Almanac. Dan is married to Beth Anne, and they have two sons, Coert and Raymond. While in graduate school Dan focused on Reformation era Germany and spent time living in Wittenberg and travelled throughout the country doing archival research while also taking in the historical sites related to the Reformation, the World Wars, and the Cold War. As a professor, German history was amongst his favorite classes to teach. He has led study abroad trips before and looks forward to experiencing these sites again with the group.
Each person will arrange their own flights to arrive in Berlin by October 7th.
Arrive in Berlin and transfer to the hotel on your own. If you would like help, GTI can assist with options. Once you arrive, enjoy a free day to rest, relax, or explore the city. In the evening, a group dinner and orientation will happen. Overnight in Berlin.
Today, we will meet our tour guide and embark on a journey of some of the best highlights Berlin has to offer. We'll visit the Brandenburg Gate, a symbol of union and peace, as well as the magnificent “Reichstag,” where the German government makes most of the critical decisions. Access permitting, we'll explore this beautiful building with a guide and walk around the spacious glass dome, enjoying a fantastic view of the city. We'll stroll down the boulevard known as “Unter den Linden” and visit the picturesque Museum Island, which marks Berlin’s historical center. One of the capital’s most famous buildings is located here, the Berlin Cathedral. We'll also visit the Berlin Wall Museum and Check Point Charlie. The day's final stop is the city’s most beautiful plaza, the Gendarmenmarkt, framed by the German and French cathedrals. In the afternoon, we'll leave Berlin and depart for Wittenberg. Dinner and overnight in Wittenberg.
We will begin the day exploring Wittenberg. Regarding Luther, no city is more important than this one. The legend of the 95 theses nailed to the door of the Castle Church has been told worldwide. We'll visit this famous door, the Luther House, the Town Hall, the historic center, and the Town and Parish Church of St. Marien, the oldest building in Wittenberg. Then, we'll proceed to Eisleben, where Luther was born and died. During a tour of Eisleben’s town center, we'll see the Church of St. Peter and Paul, St. Andrew’s Church, and the Old Town, which has charming historical buildings. We'll drive to Weimar for dinner and overnight in the late afternoon.
We'll start the day with a solemn visit to the Buchenwald Concentration Camp and a discussion of the Holocaust. This camp was used between 1937 and 1945, when it was liberated by the Americans. In the afternoon, we'll travel to Eisenach. We'll visit the Wartburg Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Luther found refuge here during his exile and translated the New Testament from Greek into German. Take a look at the room where he lived and worked. Dinner and overnight in Eisenach.
Today, we'll stroll the city of Eisenach and see the Luther House and St. Georg’s Church, where Luther preached while he was “on the run” and where, later, in 1685, Johann Sebastian Bach was baptized. Afterwards, we'll continue to Coburg. The Veste Coburg is one of Germany's largest and most well-preserved medieval castle complexes. In 1530, Luther took refuge here for six months. After exploring the fortress, we'll walk through the Old City. Driving south we'll reach the city of Nuremberg. According to Luther, Nuremberg was “the eye and ear of Germany.” In those days, it was a center of media, with 21 printing houses, which were essential to the spread of the Reformation. We'll walk through the historic center and visit the churches, St. Lorenz and St. Sebald. Dinner and overnight in Nuremberg.
In the morning, we'll travel to Augsburg. Here in 1518, at St. Anna's Church, Luther met the papal legate, Cardinal Cajetan, who demanded that Luther submit to the pope. The city was also the site of the Diet of Augsburg in 1530, where the Augsburg Confession was presented, which outlines the nature and teachings of Luther's theology. In the town hall, the Peace of Augsburg was signed in 1555, which legalized the Reformed/Lutheran faith practice in Germany. From Augsburg, we'll travel to Fuessen and visit the 19th-century Neuschwanstein Castle of King Ludwig II of Bavaria. Dinner and Overnight in Fuessen.
After breakfast, we'll drive to Lake Constance and board a ship at Lindau for our cruise between the borders of Germany and Switzerland. We'll dock in Meersburg and then board our bus for Waldshut, where Balthasar Hubmaier was baptized and became a leader of the Anabaptist movement. Dinner and overnight in Zurich.
Today, we'll study the life and ministry of Huldreich Zwingli, the Reformer of German-speaking Switzerland. We'll visit the Lindenhof to view the city and discuss Zurich's early history. We'll visit St. Peter's Church and the Grossmuenster Cathedral, both crucial sites of the reformation in Zurich. We'll also see two Anabaptist sites, including the Felix Manz Memorial and the grotto of Baeretswil, where early Anabaptists gathered for worship. We'll discuss the theological and social conflicts between the Anabaptists and Zwingli during the Reformation. Dinner and overnight in Zurich.
After breakfast, we'll drive to Luzern and discover this beautiful city in the heart of the Swiss Alps. We'll visit the Kappellbruecke and the Weinmarkt before heading to Trachselwald Castle, where early Anabaptists were imprisoned. We will finish the day by arriving in Bern and taking a tour of the Old City. Dinner and Overnight in Bern.
Leaving Bern, we'll travel to Geneva, the city of John Calvin and the Reformation of French-speaking Switzerland. We'll visit the International Museum of the Reformation and spend time in Saint Peter’s Cathedral, where Calvin preached. We'll also view the archaeological site beneath the Cathedral. In the afternoon, we'll visit the Reformation Wall and then overnight in Geneva.
This morning, we'll say goodbye to Switzerland and board our flights back home.
We crafted this a ground-only study tour so you can tailor it to be the European trip of your dreams. Booking your flights to Germany allows you to fly from any airport with any airline and use points or frequent flyer mileage. Fly early, stay late, and explore other parts of Europe. Enjoy the amazing Reformation Study Tour with GTI in Germany and then have the flexibility to explore other beautiful locations. We are here to help you with suggestions if you need them, so give us a call.
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