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Home , Bach House (Eisenach), Bach House (Köthen), Eisleben, Halle (Saale), Thomanerchor

Faith, Love, and Music in : Exploring Vocation in the Footsteps of Luther, Bach, and Bonhoeffer (January 3-24, 2017)

Tentative Description, Syllabus, and Schedule (updated January 9, 2016)

I. COURSE DESCRIPTION AND AIMS

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

What am I called to do with my life? What are my ? What are my greatest gifts and talents? How can I use them to contribute to the common good? How do I balance responsibilities to my family, profession, and community? Such questions are related to a Lutheran understanding of vocation or calling. This course gives students an opportunity to explore the notion of vocation by examining the lives of three influential Lutherans in Germany: (16th Century), (18th Century), and Dietrich Bonhoeffer (20th Century). Since all three figures deeply appreciated the power of music, the course also explores their ideas about music, Luther’s hymns, and Bach’s compositions. The course includes visiting important sites in the lives of these figures (such as , , , , , Buchenwald concentration camp, , and ); touring important museums and churches connected with these figures; hearing the Thomaner Chor at the Thomaskirche, Bach’s central church in Leipzig; and attending concerts, including by Leipzig’s famous Gewandhaus Orchestra. Students will read and discuss primary texts regarding each thinker’s views of faith and love of neighbor; explore ways in which they discerned and articulated their sense of calling or vocation; and have opportunities to reflect on their own sense of vocation. Participants will stay overnight in Berlin (where Bonhoeffer lived), Wittenberg (where Luther posted the “95 Theses”), Leipzig (where Bach worked), Weimar, Erfurt (in the monastery where Luther was a monk), and Heidelberg. Throughout the course students will learn about German history, culture, the situation of the church in former , and current challenges facing church and society in unified Germany, including issues of immigration. Everyone will also enjoy amazing German food, and we will be able to enjoy the many special events in honor of the 500th anniversary of the ! This course is open to all students and especially attractive to those interested in theology, religion, ethics, Germany, history, and/or music.

CITIES VISTED: Berlin, Wittenberg, , Leipzig, , Erfurt, Naumberg, Weimar, Buchenwald, Eisenach, Heidelberg.

CENTRAL AIMS OF THE CLASS: 1. To learn about understandings of faith, vocation, and music expressed in the work and lives of Luther, Bach, and Bonhoeffer. 2. To provide opportunities to reflect on one’s own strengths, values, and sense of vocation. 3. To learn about German culture and history; and to enjoy events of the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation.

ACTIVITIES AND GRADING: Required course activities include participating in all site visits; attending lectures and concerts; reading and discussing primary texts; writing responses to the readings; and maintaining a reflection journal. Grading is based on class discussions, reading of primary texts, written responses to the readings, lectures, site visits, concerts, reflection journals. Grading is based on: 1) Participation in discussion (25%); 2) participation in all required course activities (25%); 3) maintaining reflection journals (25%); and 4) submission and quality of written responses to the readings (25%).

PLEASE NOTE: *Price includes all accommodations, all travel within Germany by arranged bus and train, all breakfasts, two group lunches, three group dinners, entrances to all museums, and tickets to all concerts. The company helping with our arrangements in Germany: Christian Tours Europe; Christian Eggert; Colleg Wittenberg GmbH; Jüdenstr. 8; D-06886 Wittenberg; Telephone: 011-49 3491 50 79 544. 1 II. SCHEDULE AND ASSIGNMENTS

1. Tuesday, January 3, 2017: Fly to Germany

2. Wednesday, January 4, 2017: Arrivals in Berlin

Bonhoeffer is focus of discussion in Berlin and over the next few days. Reading: Excerpts on Music and from Cost of Discipleship

Overnight in the heart of Berlin: Hotel Dietrich-Bonhoeffer-Haus; Ziegelstraße Nr. 30; D-10117 Berlin – Mitte; Telephone: (030) 28 4670

3. Thursday, January 5: Berlin

12:00-18:00 General Guided Tour of Berlin to see the Berlin Cathedral, the Brandenburg Gate, the Reichstags Building, the Topography of Terror, the Berlin Wall, and the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church 18:00 Supper together in restaurants near hostel.

Overnight in the heart of Berlin: Hotel Dietrich-Bonhoeffer-Haus

4. Friday, January 6: Berlin Breakfast* 10:00-13:00 Walking tour of Jewish Life in Berlin before and after World War II, including the New Synagogue, kosher cafés and restaurants, and Jewish High School (approximately 3 hours); guide meets us at the hostel 13:00-14:00 Lunch Break 14:00 Walk together to Museuminsel 14:30-17:15 Time to visit your choice of museums (Pergamon is closed for renovations but others are open) 17:15-19:15 Free time to eat and see other sites in the area of former (17:15-19:15) Option for the group: Walk to Jewish Café called Café OREN, near the New Synagogue and eat supper 19:30 Talk by Church leader on “Personal Reflections on Berlin, the Third Reich, and the German Church Today”

Overnight in the heart of Berlin: Hotel Dietrich-Bonhoeffer-Haus

5. Saturday, January 7: Berlin Breakfast* 10:00-16:00 Tour of sites connected to the life and death of the Lutheran theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who was executed by the Nazis (prison, home of Bonhoeffer’s parents, etc.) 16:00-20:00 Free time to eat and see other sites in the area of former West Berlin and around the KaDeWe 20:00 or so Return together to the hostel by subway or public bus (pay on your own)

Overnight in the heart of Berlin: Hotel Dietrich-Bonhoeffer-Haus

6. Sunday, January 8: Berlin – Wittenberg

Focus of next few days is Luther. Work on finishing any remaining assignments on Luther, including “Freedom of a Christian.”

2 Breakfast* 8:30 Check-out; load the bus 9:00-10:30 Travel to Wittenberg 10:30 Attend church service in the Town Church or Castle Church 12:00-13:00 Lunch on our own at nearby restaurants or market place 13:00-14:30 Guided Walking tour of Wittenberg, including the Castle Church, the door on which Luther nailed the 95 Theses in 1517, and the Town Church in which Luther preached 14:30-17:00 Tour of Reformation Museum in Wittenberg, the old university, Luther House 17:00-19:30 Check into the Colleg Wittenberg 19:30 Lecture on “Luther and the Reformation” at the Leucorea (speaker arranged by Eggert)

Overnight at the Colleg Wittenberg SEE: http://www.collegwittenberg.com/

7. Monday, January 9: Wittenberg

Reading: Work on finishing any remaining Luther assignments (“Appeal to the Ruling Class” and “Babylonian Captivity of the Church”).

Breakfast* Morning: Free time and individual study time (Possible sites to visit on your own: Cranach Studio; Martin-Luther Gymnasium on Schillerstrasse; Schmetteringspark or “butterfly park” on the Rothemark-strasse; see www.wittenberg.de for more information.) 13:30-15:30 Discussion and speaker at the Leucorea on “The Peaceful Revolution in 1989, the Unification of East and West Germany, and the Situation in East and West Germany Today” 16:00-17:00 Visit to Melanchthon House (led by Bunge) 17:00-19:30 Free time and individual study time 19:30-21:30 Group class time with focus on Luther (Classroom reserved by Eggert)

Overnight at the Colleg Wittenberg

8. Tuesday, January 10: Wittenberg

Reading: Be prepared to discuss all Luther essays tonight.

Breakfast* 9:30 Class and Discussion of Primary Texts 12:00 Group lunch at local German restaurant called the Brauhaus (2 course meal included in price of the trip) 14:00-19:30 Free time and individual study time 19:30-21:30 Group class time with focus on Luther (Classroom reserved by Eggert)

Overnight at the Colleg Wittenberg

9. Wednesday, January 11: Eisleben– Leipzig

Breakfast* 8:30 Check-out, load the bus 9:00-11:15 Travel to Eisleben 11:30-13:00 Free time 13:00-15:00 Guided tour of Eisleben with visit to the Birth and Death House of Luther 15:15-16:45 Travel to Leipzig 17:00 Check-in to Hotel 3 18:00 Option to attend Wednesday night service

Overnight in Leipzig City Center

Briefly write in your journal Write any additional comments on Luther and his life.

10. Thursday, January 12: Leipzig –

Focus on class over the next few days is primarily on Bach. Refer to book on Bach and any additional handouts.

Breakfast* 9:00 Walk together to the church from the hostel 9:30 Matins at the Luther Church 11-12:00 Workshop on Bach at 12:00-13:00 Tour of Bach House 14:00 Walk back to the hostel 14:30-16:30 Group study time in the hostel with focus on Bach 16:30 Walk together to restaurant for group dinner 17:00 Special group dinner in the famous Auerbach Keller; meal included in the price of the trip; phone is 0341/216100. 19:30 Walk together to the Thomas Church from the restaurant 20:00 Group concert at Gewandhaus

Overnight in Leipzig City Center

11. Friday, January 13: Leipzig

Breakfast* 9:30 Walking tour of Leipzig, including city market place, Rathaus, and University (led by Bunge) 12:00 Lunch 13:00-18:00 Trip to see important local sites related to Bach and Lutheran musical tradition 18:00 Attend service at the Thomas Church; hear the and Ullrich Böhme, organist of the Thomas Church Free time for supper

Overnight in Leipzig City Center

12. Saturday, January 14: Halle

Focus today is on Francke and Händel Reading today: Short essay by Francke

Breakfast* 9:00 Walk together to Leipzig train station; bring short life of Francke 9:30 Trip to Halle via train; read short life of Francke on the train 10:30-12:00 Tour of the vast institutions for the poor and for children established by the Lutheran pastor and educator, A.H. Francke. Hear about missionaries sent from Halle to the United States. 12:00-13:00 Lunch break 13:00 After lunch: Tour of the Händel house and Mariankirche 15:00 Free time to look around Halle and eat supper 19:30 Return together via train to Leipzig

Overnight in Leipzig City Center

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Write briefly in your journal. Write a response to what you learned about Francke and your impressions of his life and work. 13. Sunday, January 15: Leipzig – Weimar

Breakfast* 8:15 Check out; store luggage at the hostel 8:45 Walk together to the service 9:30 Service in the Nikolaikirche or Thomaskirche 12:00 Lunch 13:00 Load the bus and travel to Weimar in the evening 13:30-22:00 Travel to Naumberg and Weimar Stop on the way to see the church in Naumberg; walk around the church square 22:00 Check-in to hotel in Weimar

Overnight in Weimar City Center

Write briefly in your journal. Respond to the events of the last two days and Bach’s life and work.

14. Monday, January 16: Weimar

Breakfast* 9:00 Guided Tour of Weimar, including inside tours of the Goethe House and Herder Church (tour includes references to the lives of Bach, Goethe, Schiller, Herder) 13:00-14:00 Lunch Break 14:00 Leave on Bus for concentration camp Buchenwald 14:15 Tour of the Concentration Camp 16:15-17:00 Time to visit the Museum at Buchenwald 17:15-17:30 Travel back to Weimar 17:30-18:15 Group discussion in the hotel (meet in the conference room; reserved by Bunge)

Overnight in Weimar City Center

15. Tuesday, January 17: Weimar – Erfurt

Reading: Work on any remaining reading assignments on Bach.

Breakfast* 8:00 Check-out, load the bus 8:15-8:45 Travel to Erfurt 8:45 Unload the bus at the Monastery 9:30 Worship at the Augustinian Monastery 12:00 Group Lunch at the Monastery; meal included in price of the trip 13:30-15:00 Conversation with a sister on “Lutheran Monastic Vocation” 15:15 Check-in, Augustian Monastery 15:30-18:30 Guided Tour of Erfurt, including a tour of the Monastery and St. Severikirche

Overnight at the Augustinerkloster

Write briefly in your journal about your impressions of Weimar and Erfurt and what you want to remember about the last two days.

5 16. Wednesday, January 18: Erfurt

Reading: Be sure to finish all readings by and about Bach by this morning; come with questions to the discussion.

Breakfast* 9:00-11:00 Group discussion on Bach in the Augustinerkloster (“Worms Zimmer”) 11:00-21:00 Free day in Erfurt with time for individual study

Overnight at the Augustinerkloster

Write briefly in your journal about any final impressions of Bach’s life and work that you want to remember.

17. Thursday, January 19: Erfurt

9:00 to 12:00 Discussion of Primary Texts 12:00 to 18:00 Free time

Overnight at the Augustinerkloster

18. Friday, January 20: Erfurt – Eisenach – Heidelberg

Breakfast* 9:00 Check-out, load the bus 9:15-10:15 Travel to Eisenach 11:00-12:30 Tour of Castle 12:30-14:00 Free time and lunch at the castle 14:15 Transfer to the city Center and Tour the Bach House Museum 15:30-19:00 Travel to Heidelberg

Overnight in Heidelberg (near pedestrian mall in the center of Heidelberg)

19. Saturday, January 21: Heidelberg

8:00 Breakfast* 9:00-10:30 Tour of the University, bridge, pedestrian mall, castle, and sites connected to Luther 10:30-18:30 Free time 18:30 Group Dinner

Overnight in Heidelberg

20. Sunday, January 22: Heidelberg

Breakfast* 9:00 Service in the Cathedral 12:00 Lunch and Discussion 14:00 Free time 18:00 Farewell dinner in the Kulturbrauerei (Leyergasse 6 in the Pedestrian Mall); meet there.

Overnight in Heidelberg

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21. Monday, January 23: Departures

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