Luther Talk - A Road Trip

 

Bright and early the group departed for Eisleben, the place of Luther’s birth and death.

Today, Eisleben has one Lutheran congregation with four ancient church buildings. Membership is declining and the congregation is figuring out how to continue, especially with the upkeep of buildings. The congregation rotates worship between three of the buildings.

 

St. Peter and Paul Kirche (late-Gothic) reimagined the church as a ‘Centre for Baptism.’ The original baptism font no longer exists, but it was here that Luther was baptized, Nov. 11, 1483. The Centre, through workshops, baptisms, retreats, tours, and baptisms, emphasizes that baptism is “the most important attribute of Christian faith and life in the centre of the church.”

 

You will note in the following pictures: a renovated chancel with the 1505 St. Anne altarpiece; a baptism pool for full immersion baptisms; and a crucifix from the 1400.

 

The crucifix is particular to this region and there are others that have survived the centuries. The body is wood that looks like it would be smooth to the touch. Over the centuries the wood has cracked here and there. The head of Jesus was given hair. The hair is horsehair. The explanation as to why is no longer known. I found the piece quite moving. Perhaps in part because of the beauty found in brokenness and the age old story of Jesus coming alive in a simple way, again and again. Jesus comes to us and for us.

 

St. Anne’s Kirche (Renaissance) and monastery (Augustinian founded 1516) sit a top a hill overlooking the town of Eisleben. The biblical stories are brought to life in reliefs and paintings. The guide tested our biblical knowledge by walking us through each relief and having us guess the story. Once upon a time, in Luther’s time, it is the pictorial representations that reminded people of the stories. Most people did not read and there were not yet books or pamphlets in the Germany language.

The Augustinian monastery is a close encounter with Luther space. He stayed in the gabled monks’ cells several times.

 

St. Andrew’s Church is named such because St. Andrew is the patron saint of miners. Luther was born in Eisleben because his father was a miner. This church sits at the centre of the historic city, once a Romanesque church, after a fire (1498) was rebuilt in a late-Gothic style.

Luther took a road trip to Eisleben. He was invited to act as a mediator between factions of the governing family. While in the town he had opportunity to preach. Luther’s last for sermons were given from the pulpit in the picture (minus the canopy). Luther was sick and his heart was weak, so much so that he could not finish the preaching of the final sermon.

 

A Road trip –

We never know when the road of life ends for each of us. What will be my last act? My last proclamation of the gospel? Will I – does grace compel me – to keep preaching and teaching until I no longer have the strength to utter any more words…