From Wittenberg to Geneva ... In the Footsteps of the Reformers
Join Ambrose University College professors
Bernie Van De Walle (Faculty of Theology) &
Kyle Jantzen (Department of History)
on a fabulous 11-day tour of
Germany, France, and Switzerland
Rediscover the power of the Word of God in the lives of the Protestant Reformers: Martin Luther, Ulrich Zwingli, the Anabaptists, and John Calvin
May 5-16, 2009
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From Wittenberg to Geneva ... In the Footsteps of the Reformers
Tour Dates: May 5 to 16, 2009
Tour Price: $3949 (three and four-star hotels)
$3599 (hostel option for students)
Itinerary:
Day 1: Departure
Our journey back in time begins with an overnight flight across the Atlantic to Berlin, Germany. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the flight!
Day 2: Arrival in Berlin
Wilkommen in Deutschland! On arrival, transfer to the hotel, relax, and prepare for a group dinner and brief tour introduction. D
Day 3: Berlin
Our morning city tour will include stops at Berlin sites representing centuries of history: Alexanderplatz, Unter den Linden, Berlin Cathedral, Brandenburg Gate, Holocaust Memorial, Reichstag building, Checkpoint Charlie, Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, and the romantic Tiergarten park.
In the afternoon, you'll have the option of visiting one of a number of art and historical museums, and have time to enjoy coffee and dessert at a sidewalk café. After supper at a German restaurant, we'll make our way out of the city and journey to Wittenberg. B/D
Day 4: Wittenberg
In the morning we will go back to the time of Luther as we visit Lutherstadt-Wittenberg, the birthplace of the Reformation. We'll go to the very place Martin Luther nailed his famous 95 Theses to the door of the Schlosskirche (Castle Church). The original door was destroyed in the Seven Years War. Luther's texts of the 95 Theses are cast in bronze on the door. Inside the church, we can see the graves of Martin Luther and Phillip Melanchthon, his colleague and successor in the German Reformation.
We'll end the morning by joining the international English-speaking Wittenberg English Ministry for a devotional service held in either the Castle Church or the Town Church from 11:30 - 12:00 noon.
Next we'll tour the Lutherhalle (Luther House) Museum. In 1508, when Martin Luther came to Wittenberg, he lived here with other Augustinian monks. Later, Luther and his wife, Katharina von Bora, raised six children here. We'll be able to view some of Luther's very own personal library, rare manuscripts, early Bibles, and some of the very pamphlets that Luther had printed up that stoked the fires of the Reformation.
Later in the afternoon, we'll visit Stadtkirche St. Marien (St. Mary's church) where Luther preached and where his children were baptized. We'll marvel at the amazing detail in the altar painted by Lucas Cranach in a Reformation theme. We'll follow this with the Melanchthon House Museum, a tribute to Philipp Melanchthon, who presented the Augsburg Confession of Faith in 1530. B/D
Day 5: Buchenwald, Erfurt
This morning we travel to the Buchenwald Concentration Camp for a guided tour. A monument pays tribute to the 65,000 victims of Hitler's Nazi dictatorship who died here. Afterwards, we will have time on the coach to reflect on the difficult history of Christian and European antisemitism.
In the afternoon we'll make our way to Erfurt for a guided tour, including the Augustinian Monastery, St. Mary's Cathedral, and St. Severin's Church. It was here that Luther studied in the university and lived as a monk. B/D
Day 6: Eisenach, Rhine Cruise, Rüdesheim
After a morning devotional, we'll make our way to Eisenach. In 1521, while fleeing from the wrath of the Pope, Luther took refuge in the Wartburg Castle after a fake kidnapping staged by his friend and protector, Frederick the Wise. 
This is where Luther translated the New Testament into German in just 11 weeks! In the town of Eisenach, we'll see the splendid Martin Luther Statue and St. George's Church. Martin Luther was a school boy in Eisenach and also sang in the choir. In 1521, he preached here on his journey to and from the Diet (imperial parliament) in Worms.
We depart Eisenach early in the afternoon and head for St. Goarhausen where we'll board our boat for a three-hour cruise on the Rhine River. We'll sail past magnificent castles and the famous Loreley rock along one of the most beautiful stretches of the Rhine. Finally, we'll disembark at the village of Rüdesheim (near Mainz), our scenic home for the next two nights. This beautiful Rhine town dates back to when German tribes battled the mighty Roman Empire. B/D
Day 7: Mainz, Worms, Rüdesheim
Today we'll take an excursion to Mainz and Worms before returning to Rüdesheim for the evening meal and overnight stay.
In Mainz we'll focus on the contribution of Johann Gutenberg, the developer of moveable type. We'll be amazed as we view original copies of the first printed Bibles in the Gutenberg Museum. We'll also visit the Mainz Cathedral, which dates back to 975 during the time of the medieval German knights and emperors. St. Boniface, who first brought Christianity to Germany, is honoured with a fine statue.
In Worms we'll have a brief local walking tour to see the site of the Diet (imperial parliament) of Worms and the impressive Reformation Monument which pays tribute to Martin Luther and a score of other reformers, German princes, and imperial cities where the Reformation first spread. As well, we will visit both St. Peter's Cathedral and the Church of the Holy Trinity.
In the afternoon, we will also learn about another Reformer, William Tyndale, who finished his printing of the English Bible in Worms, while escaping persecution in England. In 1525 his New Testament was printed and smuggled back into England. It was the first translation of the Bible from Greek into English.
Come the evening, we will be free to explore Rüdesheim on our own or in small groups and enjoy the local restaurants, before enjoying a second overnight stay in this attractive Rhineland town. Local sites include Siegfried's Mechanical Music Museum, the Drosselgasse (a lively street with live evening music), and a Medieval Torture Museum (not for the faint of heart!). If there's time, you can even take a cable car up to the Niederwald Monument for a fabulous view of the Rhine River valley. B/D
Day 8: Heidelberg, Strasbourg
A short journey takes us to Heidelberg, a gorgeous university town on the Neckar River. We'll have a walking tour of the Old Town, the famous Stone Bridge over the Neckar River, and then tour the stunning Heidelberg Castle. This is the place where the Heidelberg Confession was written in 1563, providing the Palatinate region with a clear expression of the Reformed branch of Protestant Christian belief.
Also connected to Strasbourg was Peter Waldo, whose followers were known as "Waldensians," or the "Poor Men of Lyons." These medieval Christians lived simply and advocated public preaching and the personal study of Scripture. In 1184 Pope Lucius III excommunicated them and in 1211 more than 80 were burned as heretics in Strasbourg, events which began several centuries of persecution. But the Waldensians survived, and many of them eventually joined the Protestant churches of the 16th century.
It was also in Strasbourg that John Calvin wrote much of his famous work of systematic theology, the Institutes of the Christian Religion. Due to growing persecution in Paris, Calvin settled in Strasbourg to live the life of a quiet Christian scholar and author. His Institutes, which first appeared in 1536, was instantly popular as it presented Reformed doctrine in an easy-to-read, systematic manner.
We'll tour the Cathedral of Strasbourg, St. Thomas's Church, and also see the Statue of the Reformers in the University, the Astronomical clock and the historic "La Petite France" quarter. We'll enjoy some fabulous French cuisine and stay overnight in Strasbourg. B/D
Day 9: Basel
This morning we drive to Basel, on the Swiss-French-German border. We will begin with a guided tour of this important city where Desiderius Erasmus and other Renaissance scholars published dozens of editions of the Bible, the writings of the Church Fathers, and Luther's tracts. We'll learn how Luther's ideas found their way into Basel, capturing the hearts of the tradesmen in the city and the peasants in the surrounding countryside. The Reformation in Basel was often tumultuous, and we'll visit various churches where preachers campaigned for reform. When the city council stalled, a mob forced the issue by pointing a canon at the city hall! In the afternoon and evening, options include a museum visit or time to shop and relax. B
Day 10: Zurich, Basel
An early morning finds us on our way to Zurich, home of the Reformer Ulrich Zwingli, a man so excited by Erasmus's edition of the Greek New Testament that he hand-copied all of Paul's letters and then memorized them! On this day trip, we'll tour Zwingli's church, the Grossmünster, and admire the world famous Chagall stained glass windows. Outside, we'll see the Zwingli Statue. We'll have a stroll through the historic Auld Stadt (old city) and enjoy a taste of Swiss history and culture. We'll see the Helferei, where Zwingli lived, and tour the Guild Hall and Museum which has some interesting displays and art from the Swiss Reformation. Not to be missed is the Fraumünster, Zurich's famous Catholic Cathedral.
After the tour we'll take an excursion into the Swiss countryside to visit the Anabaptist caves, where persecuted believers hid from Protestant and Catholic foes alike. Swiss Anabaptists held secret church services in the woods after their leaders-men like Georg Blaurock and Feliz Manz-were hunted down and killed for their conviction that the Bible alone was the source of authority for the Christian and that the Christian church should be independent from state power. Near the caves, we'll enjoy refreshments at a local Swiss farm then return to Basel in the evening. B/D
Day 11: Geneva
In the morning we'll take a leisurely drive through spectacular scenery to Geneva. Our afternoon tour will include the Cathedrale St. Pierre (St. Peter's Cathedral) and the Auditoire de Calvin (Calvin's Academy, also known as The Protestant Lecture Hall) where the inspired theologian himself taught. John Knox also lectured here for three years. Next, we will go to the impressive Reformation Monument and learn how Calvin overcame much opposition to turn Geneva into the model city of Protestantism. We'll have our farewell meal and spend our final night in Geneva. B/D
Day 12: Return
We'll transfer from the hotel to the airport for our morning flights back to Canada. B
For More Information
For more information about this trip, or to book your place, please contact Professor Kyle Jantzen by e-mail (kjantzen@ambrose.edu) or telephone at 403-410-2000 (6902), or Professor Bernie Van De Walle by e-mail (bvandewalle@ambrose.edu) or telephone at 403-410-2000 (6906).
Earn Academic Credit for Free at Ambrose University College
If you are enrolled in a program of study at Ambrose University College (undergraduate or seminary), you are eligible to enrol in a free three-credit course associated with this Reformation tour. Please contact Professor Kyle Jantzen (kjantzen@ambrose.edu) or Professor Bernie Van De Walle (bvandewalle@ambrose.edu) for more details. Additional coursework will be required.
Tour Details
Your Tour Includes...
Transportation
- Air transportation including taxes and fees from Calgary to Berlin and return from Geneva
- Land transportation via private, deluxe air-conditioned motor coach
Accommodations
- Double occupancy accommodations in superior three star hotels or moderate four star hotels
- Optional youth hostel option (except first night in Berlin entire group will be together)
Meals
- Meals as indicated in the itinerary
Sightseeing
- Admission to all activities indicated in the itinerary
Guides
- Services of professional tour guide throughout the tour
- Local step-on guides for the city tours and major attractions
Luggage Handling
- Handling of one piece of luggage per person at hotels
Taxes and Tips
- All taxes and tips for provided services, except as indicated below
Not Included with the tour price are...
- Meals, other than as indicated above
- Beverages, except with breakfast
- Snack lunches $10-12 per day
- End-of-tour tips to tour guide ($5) and coach driver ($4) per person per day (suggested rate)
- Items of a personal nature, such as passport fees
Other important details you should note are...
- Tour dates are tentative, and the itinerary may be modified slightly depending on airline schedules or other factors
- The tour price is based on a minimum group of 20 persons. We reserve the right to cancel the tour due to lack of subscription, in which case all deposits will be promptly refunded.
- A single supplement (where available) will cost $500
- A deposit of $500 per person is due on December 15, 2008 (talk to Kyle Jantzen if you need to make other arrangements)
- Final payment is due February 1, 2009
- In case of cancellation, due to the booking of airline tickets and other non-refundable deposits, you will receive a partial refund of your payment.
- Insurance is recommended, and all participants will be provided with the option to purchase cancellation insurance, life insurance, health insurance, and lost baggage insurance.
- Abbreviations: B = Breakfast provided; D = Dinner provided