I write about all kinds of things: worship & theology, parenting & homeschooling, youth ministry, housekeeping & more. It's a journey... come along with me!!
Martin Luther had hoped to reform the Catholic Church from the inside. Instead, the 95 theses this monk nailed to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany sparked the protestant reformation, a movement which has grown and diversified over the past five centuries.
For those of us who are protestant this is a birthday celebration. It is the story of our brands of Christianity. It's had it's challenges, it's heresies, it's hiccoughs. But overall it is the story of a struggle to remain faithful to Jesus Christ and to bring him to our communities. We share that mission with Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches, but today is our day to celebrate our own heritage.
For those who have a historical bent, here are some links:
If we are going to be destroyed by an atomic bomb, let that bomb
when it comes find us doing sensible and human things — praying,
working, teaching, reading, listening to music, bathing the children,
playing tennis, chatting to our friends over a pint and a game of darts —
not huddled together like frightened sheep and thinking about bombs.
They might break our bodies (a microbe can do that) but they need not
dominate our minds.
~C. S. Lewis, On Living in an Atomic Age (1948)
We are hearing a lot about North Korea and possible nuclear strikes. I pray they don't happen. I pray for cooler heads, saner minds, and better people to prevail all around.
But I agree with C.S. Lewis. Let's get on with our lives and not worry. Thankfully, I haven't yet heard of any equivalent to "duck and cover" drills starting up. I expect they'd be pretty useless anyway, I don't live near a targeted area, but I assume nowhere is safe and that, at any rate, a nuclear strike anywhere will have consequences everywhere.
Get outdoors, raise funds for earthquake victims, read the Bible, play a game, help your neighbors, fight forest fires, take a hike, watch a movie, study, work, feed the hungry. Do what you are called to do today. Worrying doesn't change anything anyway. So, go an live.
I had a hard time with deciding what song to use for today's post.
It's been a week since the horrible attack at Pulse in Orlando and I haven't written a thing about that here. Not that it hasn't been in my prayers and on my mind! It has. It's just... what do you say? There are really are no words that would give comfort. And repeating what's been said after each incident begins to sound hollow.
It's Father's Day. My father has been in Heaven since 1995 and I would like to make a fitting tribute to him. He was a man of compassion who was always willing to lend a hand. A nod, too, to my husband, who loves our son dearly.
Then a young friend from CYC posted this on Facebook:
Happy Father's Day to the only ONE who will never leave me or forsake me!A father of the fatherless and a judge for the widows, Is God in His holy habitation. God makes a home for the lonely; He leads out the prisoners into prosperity, Only the rebellious dwell in a parched land.” Psalms 68:5-6
A reminder that God is Father.
Putting it altogether and mulling it over, I found myself recalling this old song. I first encountered at a high school revue, when a friend sang it. It was a real favorite, and a prayer of mine, for a few years.
Now, I share it with you. Praying that God will let us "find the good in things, when no good can be found" and will "find the source of help when no help is around." It seems like that good and helo are far away when there is --yet another -- mass shooting.
Also, that I will have my father's eyes. And my Father's eyes. Thankfully, they aren't too much different.
Sunday was my son's baptism, a joyous spiritual event for our family. We read this baptismal hymn in unison after the ceremony. In our Baptist tradition, baptism is for professed believers in Jesus Christ who request the ceremony as a way to demonstrate their faith. We are proud and happy.
In addition, this hymn was written by Adoniram Judson, the first missionary sent by an organization from America to anywhere. He served in Burma. Adoniram and his wife Anne Hasseltine are the vocational models and inspiration for our men's and women's camps at CYC (the Christian Youth Conference at Ocean Park.) I re-enact Anne Hasseltine, so this hymn is special to me because of its author.
Now I have the additional connection with it because of Jordan's baptism. So, even though I've used it for this before, it becomes this week's "Song for Sunday."
Come, Holy Spirit, Dove divine,
On these baptismal waters shine,
And teach our hearts, in highest strain,
To praise the Lamb for sinners slain.
We love Your Name, we love Your laws,
And joyfully embrace Your cause;
We love Your cross, the shame, the pain,
O Lamb of God, for sinners slain.
We sink beneath the water’s face,
And thank You for Your saving grace;
We die to sin and seek a grave
With You, beneath the yielding wave.
And as we rise with You to live,
O let the Holy Spirit give
The sealing unction from above,
The joy of life, the fire of love.
It's not all that common to see a professional athlete -- or pretty much anyone else for that matter -- stand up for their faith in a sacrificial way. Fifty years ago today, on October 6, 1965, Sandy Koufax made baseball history by refusing to pitch the first game of the World Series because it fell on the most holy day of the year for Jews. Yom Kippur, or "the Day of Atonement," is observed on the tenth day of the seventh month of the Jewish calendar. On this day Jews attend synagogue, confess their sin, and fast from food and drink. Other traditions include not washing, not wearing leather shoes, not using perfume or oil, and refraining from marital relations. Yom Kippur is observed even by many Jews who don't participate in other aspects of the faith. Sandy Koufax put God and his religious community ahead of his work and ahead of potential fame. He was a great pitcher, considered unhittable, and would be inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1972. His biography states:
"Koufax
also made headlines for adhering to his faith. With Game 1 of the 1965
World Series slated to fall on the Jewish holy day of Yom Kippur,
Koufax famously sat out the game in observance. He returned and lost
the following day, but won Games 5 and 7 to clinch the championship for
his team, further cementing his status as an icon to both his religious
community and Dodgers fans."*
I think Koufax did right. God is more important than money, than a job, than a team. For this, he is a good person to emulate.
I attended Evensong at Westminster Abbey yesterday. Pretty amazing, eh? I am very blessed to have this 10 days of visiting family and seeing important historical and literary places in England with my son. We will then, with my husband, get to visit family all over England with a few more educational trips thrown in.
This amazing blessing shows how much I have. Which brings me back to Sung Evensong at Westminster Abbey.
The general confession from the Anglican Book of Common Prayer was read in unison. It goes like this:
O God, Our Father, , we have sinned against in thee in thought, word,
and deed:. we have not loved thee with all our heart; we have not loved
our neighbor as ourselves. Have mercy upon us, we beseech thee; cleanse
us from our sins; and help us to overcome our faults; through Jesus
Christ our Lord. Amen.
Later in the service we heard this reading from the New Testament:
The Rich Man and Lazarus
19 “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day.20 At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores21 and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried.23 In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side.24 So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’ 25 “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony.26 And
besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in
place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can
anyone cross over from there to us.’ 27 “He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family,28 for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’ 29 “Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’ 30 “‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ 31 “He
said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they
will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”
The juxtaposition struck me, especially in light of my "wealth." (I am a lower middle class American by income.Globally, that's a lot of wealth.) From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked. Time for prayer and loving my neighbor more.
CYC is a two week conference for high school teens on the beautiful southern coast of Maine. August 2-15. Check it out here.
Even if my voice could reach them, there is nothing I could say that would comfort the members of the Emmanual AME Church. Were I there, I could do no more than stand with them as they mourned fathers, mothers, children, pastors and Christian brothers and sisters. Sometmes that's the best thing to do.
I am amazed at the faith of these people. Even the secular press has noticed how unshakeable it is. These people have forgiven - freely and fully, it seems- a man who, after being welcomed by them, committed a hate crime against them, who hurled racial invectives as he killed them, who seemed intent on starting a race war between blacks and whites. The congregation of this church will not help him succeed in that last.
Just as I have no words of comfort, I have no song of comfort to offer. So, for today's Song for Sunday, I turn to a song of hope, the song that rang through the Civil Rights Movement, a song that still speaks of solidarity. Join me in this prayer and sing with me, and those in this link:
It's Advent and I have just passed the fourth anniversary of this blog. I am in something of a re-start mode just now as I had an unplanned hiatus for a few months.
The very first blog post I wrote was about our Advent tradition of Jordan setting up the creche on his own. I have written about the tradition two other times as well.
This year Jordan said he was going for
something bizarre. I told him unusual
was fine, chaotic was not. This is what he
came up with. Notice you are looking at the
back of the stable.
On either side, animals are grazing or resting.
The full effect is different, but peaceful. I like it. It reminds us that we don't know what that first Christmas really looked like.
A blessed advent to you and yours! May the hope of Christ be realized in your home.
Flexibility is key when your traveling, especially when your traveling to cultures and places very different from your own.
We are adjusting -- to heat and crowds, old buildings, cold showers that are a nozzle in the wall of the bathroom, heavy traffic and a lack of seatbelts. All kinds of things.
We are adjusting, too, to a last minute change in the composition of our group because of a sudden illness that kept two from flying with us from LA. It'll change what we are going to do, but God will make a way for us to be useful, I am sure.
We were met at the airport by the head of the seminary and his colleagues who drove us to the guest house and took care of our bags. They have dinner planned for us tonight at the school and also told us that they will give us a tour of the city tomorrow. This was totally unexpected and we are very grateful. Not all the things we have to adapt too are difficult.
Our flight was loooooong but even Jordan handled it fine and we had no problems with luggage, customs, security and all that. We made all our connections despite a delay out of LA. We arrived here late, but all was well.
We are getting our feet under as and recovering from jet lag. We look forward to adventure!
50 years ago today, the U.S. and the world were reeling with the news of JFK's assassination, an event which cut short a productive and stellar life.
Others died that day. It is one of those, the news of whose death was swallowed up by the President's slaying, whom I want to talk about here.
He captured the imaginations of thousands of children, drawing them into a new world at a time when educators and authors believed children didn't need fantasy.
His fictional narratives for adults drew people in as well, demonstrating spiritual truths in compelling series of stories. Some were set on other planets, one was correspondence between demons.
He also explained in books, in essays, and in radio talks the theology of the Christian faith. He was an apologist par excellence who contended for Christ in every area he was found.
He was a teacher. He was once a soldier. He was a Christian who smoked and drank. He married to give a woman his citizenship and eventually fell in love with her. He met with a group of writers, the best Christian writers of his day, every Thursday morning at a bar. They criticized each other's work, argued, talked, inspired each other. It had been one of those Inklings-- JRR Tolkien -- who led him to Christ.
This author, teacher and apologist did much to build the Kingdom of God. His works still speak for him, challenging people to think theologically, to strive for excellence, to love their neighbors. He still calls people to Christ.
And, so, rest in peace
C.S. Lewis
you are not forgotten. Narnia, Perelandra and the rest are still beloved. Your books still teach. You were and, I trust, are a true servant of God.
This blessing was read at a beautiful wedding this past Saturday. The groom was of Scot heritage and wore a kilt. The favors were shortbread cookies, tea and honey. They were adorned with the family's clan crest which bears the words "Commit they work to God." This family, and the bride's as well, exemplify that.
I wish these two amazing young people a blessed marriage.
I am writing a knitter's devotional and would love feedback on this entry. Constructive criticism on content, clarity, readability and grammar welcome. Thank you.
Sometimes, knitting can be a slog. We get to point where we just don't want to continue with a project. It's tedious or difficult or taking extra time. If we persevere, though, we will have the reward of knowing we were faithful to complete the task. We might also have the joy of knowing that someone is grateful for our gift.
Sometimes, the Christian life can be a slog. It's hard to keep going. We don't want to live for God instead of ourselves. We want to give up, to take the easy route, to succumb to the temptations around us. The hope and rest promised by those things, however, is false. What God offers is real. Therefor, faithfulness is to our benefit.
If we are faithful, we will be rewarded. We know that we will receive the blessings of Heaven. We will know that others benefit. We will know again the joy of communion with Christ.
It's not always easy to stay faithful. God, through Paul, promises that if we run with perseverance the race set before us, we will reach the goal of full fellowship with God and His people. Sometimes it's a joy. Sometimes, we just have to push through, trusting that our faithfulness will be worth it in the end. In Hebrews, Paul gives us a list of faithful people like Noah, and Moses, and Rahab. They followed God and received their rewards. May we do the same.
Dear God,You are ever faithful to your followers. Help us also to be faithful to you. In Jesus name, Amen.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
~ Hebrews 12:1-3
“Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness.
Warmth is associated with many good things: the sun, a hearth, a
bonfire, a pleasant welcome.
When we give warmth, we give love and friendship. In doing so, we
do as Christ would have us do. The Bible tells us to practice hospitality, to
love our enemies and our friends. It is full of stories of hospitality given
and hospitality gratefully received. Both are blessings.
God has given us the gift of warmth; literally, from the sun and
spiritually as He welcomes us into His family when we come to know Jesus.
He calls us to give the gift of warmth to others. We do this
literally when we send a homemade sweater to an orphanage or knit a blanket for
a friend. We do it figuratively when we invite people into our homes and
churches, when we welcome refugees into our midst and when we offer the hand of
friendship to a neighbor.
The blessings of warmth are as real for the giver as for the
receiver.
Lord, teach us to be givers of warmth and may we receive it’s
blessings with thankfulness. In Jesus name, Amen.
In
the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun.
It is like a bridegroom
coming out of his chamber,
like a champion rejoicing
to run his course.
It
rises at one end of the heavens
and makes its circuit
to the other;
nothing is deprived
of its warmth.
~Psalm 19: 4b-6
Keep
on loving one another as brothers and sisters. Do not forget to show hospitality
to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels
without knowing it.
~1 Peter 4: 8-9
Above
all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.
Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.
~Hebrews 13: 1-2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I am in the midst of writing a knitter's devotional and this an entry for it. I would appreciate feedback. There is something about this that needs editing but I can't quite put my finger on it. Thanks!
We have learned much -- but there is still far to go in our fight against this insidious disease.
My family has been struck multiple times. I lost my mother to a version of ovarian cancer that her oncologist called "tough and mean." My sister is battling colon cancer now. Thankfully, the progress of her treatment has been good so far.
I also have aunts and uncles who have been affected.
And friends. Some have died, some are fighting, some have won.
My story is far from unique. I suspect all of us know someone afflicted by cancer.
Research is critical, as is patient care. Both mean money.
Today, I will tell you about two friends who are working to raise money:
My friend Heather, a former college roommate, over at The Reluctant Survivor is walking in the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. She is a Breast Cancer Survivor and tells her story very well on her blog. It is a very empowering read. Here is her fundraising page.
Paul, who has been friend, mentor, teacher and second Dad since my teen years, rode in the PanMass Challenge the past two years. This year he went many extra miles. His story of training is very inspirational, but it is his love for his late wife Peg that is truly awe-inspiring. He cared for her faithfully and well during her long last illness. Her loss was a blow to many of us. I considered her my second Mom. Paul rode in her memory and also had my sister as a "pedal partner." His fundraising page is open until October 1 and gifts given up to his birthday on September 10th will be doubled.
There are a million ways to support cancer victims and research and many organizations to donate through. I offer two opportunities and hope that you will give to one somewhere, whether in time, prayer or money. God bless you!
Yesterday, September 1, 2013, would have been my parents 51st anniversary.
This song was sung beautifully by my Uncle Bill just before the wedding march at their ceremony. It was a song written by Guy D'Hardelot and Edward Lockton. Popularized by Perry Como in 1948 it was sung frequently at weddings in the 1960s.
In honor of my parents, I present Because as today's (yesterday's) Song for Sunday. Happy Anniversary, Mom and Dad!
Because, you come to me with naught save love And hold my hand and lift mine eyes above A wider world of hope and joy I see Because you come to me
Because you speak to me in accent sweet I find the roses waking 'round my feet And I am led through tears and joy to thee Because you speak to me
Because God made thee mine, I'll cherish thee Through light and darkness, through all time to be And pray His love may make our love divine Because God made thee mine
What songs have you used or heard at wedding ceremonies?
I have no idea why this song is in my head. It arrived two days ago and stuck. I haven't heard it or thought about in years, probably decades.
It's a calypso-style song written and performed by gospel singer Randy Stonehill sometime in the '70s or '80s. Websites disagree about the date. I remembered it being performed by gospel choirs when I was in college.
It is a song about keeping Satan at bay. Shut the door on sin, shut the door on the devil. It's a fun song about making right choices.
I have been meditating on light and dark, so maybe that is why this came up.
Shut de do, keep out de debil
You shut de do, keep de debil in de ni-eet
Shut de do, keep out de debil
Light de candle everything's alright
Light de candle everything's alright
When I was a baby child
(Shut de do, keep out the debil)
Good and bad was just a game
(Shut de do, keep the debil in de ni-eet)
Many years and many trials
(Shut de do, keep out the debil)
They proved to me they not the same
(Shut de do, keep the debil in de ni-eet)
I say shut de do, keep out de debil
Shut de do, keep de debil in de ni-eet
Shut de do, keep out de debil
Light de candle everything's alright
Light de candle everything's alright
Oh, Satan is an evil charmer
(Shut de do, keep out the debil)
He's hungry for a soul to hurt
(Shut de do, keep the debil in de ni-eet)
And without your holy armor
(Shut de do, keep out the debil)
He will eat you for dessert
(Shut de do, keep the debil in de ni-eet)
Shut de do, keep out de debil
You shut de do, keep de debil in de ni-eet
Shut de do, keep out de debil
Light de candle everything's alright
Light de candle everything's alright
Hey, hey, hey shut de do
Hey, hey, hey shut de do
Hey, hey, hey, you gotta shut de do
Say a prayer he will be back no more
My mama used to sing this song
(Shut de do, keep out the debil)
Oh poppa used to sing it too
(Shut de do, keep the debil in de ni-eet)
Jesus called and took them home
(Shut de do, keep out the debil)
And so I sing the song for you
(Shut de do, keep the debil in de ni-eet)
Shut de do, keep out de debil
You shut de do, keep de debil in de ni-eet
Shut de do, keep out de debil
Light de candle everything's alright
Light de candle everything's alright
I said you shut de do, keep out de debil
You shut de do, keep de debil in de ni-eet
Shut de do, keep out de debil
Light de candle everything's alright
Light de candle everything's alright
Light de candle everything's alright
Light de candle everything's alright
~Randy Stonehill
May you all be blessed and have success at keeping the devil in the night! Do you have a Song for Sunday?
And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. ~Hebrews 12:1-2 Most of us knit because we enjoy it. It's relaxing and helps us keep our hands busy at meetings or while we chat with friends. It's fun to see a project take shape. However, there are times for many of us when the enjoyment goes out of it for a while. The yarn tangles, the pattern is confusing or we reach a stretch that is boring and tedious. We could give up, but if we want to complete what it is we are doing, we have to slog our way through. It can be like that in the Christian life. Sometimes the work is hard. Sometimes things go wrong, sometimes we have a season we just have to get through without much excitement or change or even real rest. Paul compares our spiritual lives to a race. We don't need to be the fleetest or the most stylish. We have to set our eyes on the goal and get to the end. May you sense Christ's presence as you move along the course. We have confidence in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we command.May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance. ~ 2 Thessalonians 3:4-5
I am in the midst of writing a knitter's devotional and this is one entry. I would love feedback.
When I read A Tale of Two Cities in high school, my English teacher explained that
Dickens portrayed Madame Defarge as a knitter toshow that she was patient. She was willing to work and wait
for her plans of justice and bloodthirsty plans to come to fruition.
Knitting certainly does take patience. Projects take time
and effort to be completed well. Knitting can also help develop patience as we work slowly toward a goal. We learn over time to plan our projects, leaving ample time.
Patience is one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit listed in
Galatians 5, listed with joy, kindness and the others. It is also a characteristic of God. The Bible tells us:
The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9
The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness,7 maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished... Exodus 34: 6b - 7a
It has been suggested that people not pray for patience because then God will send trials to teach it. I think that it is good to pray for the fruits of the Spirit, including patience. God will teach us in the way that is best for us.
Patient and loving God, Teach us patience that we may be more like You. In Jesus' name, Amen.
I haven't written an entry for my knitter's devotional in a while, but it's back. I am hoping to form this into a book. Suggestions welcome.
Keeping a consistent gauge is an important part of knitting. Regular, uniformly sized
stitches help us to make a nice-looking product. Clothing will fit better, too. It’s not
always easy to maintain that consistency in our knitting, especially for beginners.
It’s also not easy to be even-tempered in our lives. Many of us spend seasons of our lives
on an emotional roller coaster. It is difficult to maintain a calm front, to treat others well,
to think positively when things around us are going wrong. But is important, even when it
is difficult.
Rudyard Kipling wrote the poem If to instruct his son on what it is to be a man. The opening verse says:
IF you can keep your head when all about you Are losing theirs and blaming it on you, If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you, But make allowance for their doubting too; If you can wait and not be tired by waiting, Or being lied about, don't deal in lies, Or being hated, don't give way to hating, And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:....
In Kipling's estimation, being even-tempered is part of maturity.
The Bible lists “self-control” as one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit and reminds us that a
soft answer turns away wrath. We are called to practice self-restraint and not sin when we
are angry.
Like a consistent gauge in knitting keeps items well-sized and well-shaped, self-control
helps keep our lives balanced and productive. It facilitates healthy relationships, good
parenting and a positive reputation.
May God help us all to keep a consistent gauge in our lives.
It was July 13, 1813 that Adoniram and Ann Judson first set eyes on Rangoon.
Already, they had experienced much adjustment and loss. Ann's best friend Harriet Newell, just 19, had died in childbirth. Ann's baby had been stillborn. They had not been allowed to stay in India. Following their consciences, they had switched denominations and now were unsure of their support.
Ann was so weak she couldn't stand. Adoniram was weary and depressed.
These were the eyes through which they first saw the pagodas of Burma. It was the dreary monsoon season. The streets looked drab and dirty to Adoniram's eyes and that's what he conveyed to Ann.
Ann had to be carried from the ship. They went to the home of Felix Carey and found that he was away. Servants made them as comfortable as they could. With rest and prayer, their spirits rebounded and they began to see the beauty and possibility around them.
These pioneer missionaries went on to accomplish much and to suffer much for the kingdom of Christ. They never gave up, never turned back.
If you would like to learn more about the Judsons, I recommend Rosalie Hall Hunt's book, Bless God and Take Courage. It is highly readable, even for younger folks and contains much information about the Judson's lives and legacy.
Who do you see as role models of the Faith? I first learned about the Judsons at the Christian Youth Conference at Ocean Park. If you have teens, they would enjoy this leadership development conference that provides an experience of Christian community on the beautiful southern coast of Maine. This year's dates are August 4-17th and their is still time to register.
Martin Luther had hoped to reform the Catholic Church from the inside. Instead, the 95 theses this monk nailed to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany sparked the protestant reformation, a movement which has grown and diversified over the past five centuries.
