Larry Ruffin III and Willmar Harder share their reflections from Day 2 of the Youth Venture Anabaptism at 500: Looking Back to See the Future trip. The historical trip begins in Zürich, Switzerland and culminates at the Anabaptism at 500 Global Youth Summit in Württemberg, Germany.
Willmar Harder
When I turned 50 this year my sister cheerfully exclaimed, “Hey, you are 1/10 the age of Anabaptism.“ Thanks?
As the oldest member on this tour, accompanying my 17-year-old son, I worried I might feel out of place. Yet, it feels like the rest of the group is at least tolerating me—I feel part of the group. This sense of inclusion stands in stark contrast to our visit to Bern, Switzerland today, where we came face-to-face with the Blutturm (Blood Tower) where Anabaptists were imprisoned and tortured.
We also walked Gerechtigkeitsgasse (Justice Alley) where those who dissented from prevailing beliefs faced exile via the Aare River, public humiliation, or execution. Being tolerated didn’t seem to be the name of the game for our Anabaptist fore-parents—a harsh reality. They faced death for simply wanting to live out their understanding of faithfulness; for wanting to belong to a community of faithfulness. I am moved by the steadfast faith of my Anabaptist heritage. I am grateful that even though I don’t technically fit the designated age range of this tour (I am different) I have been welcomed and included by the rest of the group.
Larry Ruffin III
Today we traveled to Bern and visited several fascinating yet heartbreaking sites. One was a small, semicircular tower with small windows, its weathered stones covered in grafitti. A few homeless people slept on the bridge nearby for shelter, and others jogged along the nearby trail. The towers name? Blutturm, or “Blood Tower.” It was used as a torture chamber for Anabaptists.
A similar contrast struck me on Gerechtigkeitsgasse (Justice Alley), or Street of Justice. Walking from an ancient church, you get to a local town hall used in the 1500s, we crossed this bustling street. People were everywhere walking with smiles and in their best outfits. Did they know they were walking on a street stained with the blood of Anabaptists, condemned by the church behind them, publically executed by the state?
Yet, it is not the fault of any of these people for living their lives, nor should they feel guilt. But what these images do convey is one possible answer to the question our Sponsors have asked: To what are we seeking to be faithful? Like these anabaptists martyrs, perhaps we need to be faithful to the call to fight for peace, even if it means the cries that come from persecution are never heard by future generations.
I am glad I got to listen for those cries all these years later.
