Heidelberg Castlechism
After recently coming up empty-handed in Belgium looking for the “Confession,” this weekend I decided to head to Germany on a quest for the holy Catechism.
I should have known it’d be a failure.
I discovered only one mention of our beloved Catechism in Heidelberg. And it wasn’t even in writing – it was oral. It went a little something like this:
Castle tour guide (at the end of the tour): “I tell you a little story about an American group I had a few years back. They were a group from a little town in Michigan called ‘Holland.’”
The crowd chuckles at such a funny name.
Guide: “And they said to me at the end of the tour, ‘Do you know anything about the Heidelberg Catechism? That’s what we know Heidelberg for, and it’s half of the reason we came here.’
Crowd laughs again at such a ridiculous comment.
Guide: “Yeah, yeah, funny isn’t it? They were, um, how do you call them, Reformed people? Yeah! It was pretty funny…”
Me: “Haha…yeah…dorks…”
Well, that was as close as I came to any mention of the Catechism, but I was pleasantly surprised with the rest that Heidelberg had to offer. Here are some of the highlights of the weekend:
Car: This was the first (and probably only) weekend that we tried renting a car instead of taking a train/plane/bus. We piled five people into a shiny new VW Golf, and putted our way across the border into Southwestern Germany. Diesel-powered and fuel efficient, we managed to make it there on a minimal budget. It was also a chance to drive on the infamous Autobahn.
Hotel: Another first. Instead of a crowded, busy youth hostel, we found a hotel at the same price. It was good to relax at night with a game of five-player Rook.
Heidelberg’s famous Schlosser (Castle): The highlight of the city and one of the most popular castles in the world. Nestled in the hillsides along the Neckar River, this medieval castle boats authentic ruins and gloriously re-constructed interiors. We spent over two hours exploring and gawking at everything it had to offer. To top it off, it offered perfect scenic views of the city.
World’s Largest Wine Vat: Its name is unpronounceable, and its size is unbelievable.
Heiliggeistkirche (Church of the Holy Spirit): Yet another Catholic-turned-Protestant church. The church itself was nothing special, but the view from its tower made it worth the 326-step climb to the top.
Neckarsteinach: A small fishing village a few kilometers upstream from Heidelberg. Four medieval castles lay burrowed in the hillside forest – two are abandoned, unoccupied, and open, and the other two still have residents. All of the castles were built around the 12th-13th centuries and provided great views from their climbable towers. The Kunst Weg (Castle Road), a meandering foot path through the forest, connected the castles and made for a very peaceful, enjoyable little hike.
All said and done, I’m 0 for 2 in my search for the Reformed Confessions. We’ll see what London brings next week – I hear Westminster is a nice area…
I should have known it’d be a failure.
I discovered only one mention of our beloved Catechism in Heidelberg. And it wasn’t even in writing – it was oral. It went a little something like this:
Castle tour guide (at the end of the tour): “I tell you a little story about an American group I had a few years back. They were a group from a little town in Michigan called ‘Holland.’”
The crowd chuckles at such a funny name.
Guide: “And they said to me at the end of the tour, ‘Do you know anything about the Heidelberg Catechism? That’s what we know Heidelberg for, and it’s half of the reason we came here.’
Crowd laughs again at such a ridiculous comment.
Guide: “Yeah, yeah, funny isn’t it? They were, um, how do you call them, Reformed people? Yeah! It was pretty funny…”
Me: “Haha…yeah…dorks…”
Well, that was as close as I came to any mention of the Catechism, but I was pleasantly surprised with the rest that Heidelberg had to offer. Here are some of the highlights of the weekend:
Car: This was the first (and probably only) weekend that we tried renting a car instead of taking a train/plane/bus. We piled five people into a shiny new VW Golf, and putted our way across the border into Southwestern Germany. Diesel-powered and fuel efficient, we managed to make it there on a minimal budget. It was also a chance to drive on the infamous Autobahn.
Hotel: Another first. Instead of a crowded, busy youth hostel, we found a hotel at the same price. It was good to relax at night with a game of five-player Rook.
Heidelberg’s famous Schlosser (Castle): The highlight of the city and one of the most popular castles in the world. Nestled in the hillsides along the Neckar River, this medieval castle boats authentic ruins and gloriously re-constructed interiors. We spent over two hours exploring and gawking at everything it had to offer. To top it off, it offered perfect scenic views of the city.
World’s Largest Wine Vat: Its name is unpronounceable, and its size is unbelievable.
Heiliggeistkirche (Church of the Holy Spirit): Yet another Catholic-turned-Protestant church. The church itself was nothing special, but the view from its tower made it worth the 326-step climb to the top.
Neckarsteinach: A small fishing village a few kilometers upstream from Heidelberg. Four medieval castles lay burrowed in the hillside forest – two are abandoned, unoccupied, and open, and the other two still have residents. All of the castles were built around the 12th-13th centuries and provided great views from their climbable towers. The Kunst Weg (Castle Road), a meandering foot path through the forest, connected the castles and made for a very peaceful, enjoyable little hike.
All said and done, I’m 0 for 2 in my search for the Reformed Confessions. We’ll see what London brings next week – I hear Westminster is a nice area…
posted by Aaron at 3:13 PM
4 Comments:
Thanks for the encouragement kva. Let me know what areas I need to improve in.
And how quickly have you forgotten what you learned in Creeds and Confessions class!! Ask any good Presbyterian and he/she'll be able to tell you what the Westminster Confession is. (Notice how I put the unisex reference above...yeah I learned that here in Europe...)
Aaron,
I talk to your coach a few times a week at my tennis class. He always asks about you. I told him you give great pictures of your journeys on your website. You should see me play my game. I look like this.
Daaaang. I bet you have a mean backhand.
Kyle, I want to know more...
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