October 27-November 6, 2016

Religion professors Mark Tranvik and Hans Wiersma host this journey through Germany and Prague celebrating Lutheran heritage in honor of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation.

First, explore artistic and vibrant Berlin before continuing on to Wittenberg to attend the spirited Reformation Festival. Then, discover the culture of Erfurt, Leipzig, and Dresden before making your way to the beautiful and historic Prague.

This informative trip is filled with guided tours of museums, Holocaust memorials, churches, monasteries, and castles. You’ll meander cities, scenic bridges, and vibrant squares, and savor local cuisine and scenic landmarks.

This uniquely Augsburg travel opportunity truly is once in a lifetime. Curious to learn more? Contact Katie Koch with any questions at kochk@augsburg.edu or call 612-330-1178.

Find cost information, registration details, and a full itinerary here.

Hosts

Mark Tranvik

Mark Tranvik is professor of religion and director of the Christensen Center for Vocation. He has written extensively on the Reformation and edited and introduced a book, The Freedom of a Christian, designed to introduce people to Luther’s life and theology. Tranvik is the author of an upcoming book, Martin Luther and the Called Life, due out later this year from Fortress Press—the book is on Luther’s understanding of vocation. He is a Lutheran pastor, having served at Cross of Glory Lutheran Church in Brooklyn Center, Minn., for 10 years.

Hans Wiersma

Hans Wiersma is associate professor of religion and co-director of Augsburg’s Youth and Family Ministry program. His courses at Augsburg include “The Lutheran Heritage” and “The Life and Work of the Church.” Wiersma received a PhD in the History of Christianity in 2005. He has contributed to a variety of scholarly and popular religion-themed articles, books, and curricula, including The Lutheran Handbook series. He is presently working on the Second Edition of James Kittelson’s Luther the Reformer: the Man and His Career. Wiersma is an active member of the Sixteenth Century Society and Conference, where he has presented a number of academic papers focused on the theological development of Luther and his earliest followers. In addition, he is a Lutheran pastor. Wiersma lives in St. Paul, Minn., with his wife and four children. They are members of St. Anthony Park Lutheran Church in St. Paul.

Katie Koch ’01

Katie Koch ’01, Director of Auggie Engagement, will serve as tour coordinator for the trip to Germany and Prague. Koch comes from a diverse background of performing arts management, having most recently worked at The O’Shaughnessy at St. Catherine University as an event and administrative manager. Katie worked for nearly five years at the Guthrie Theater as the assistant to former director Joe Dowling, where she supported the Guthrie Board of Directors and high-profile visiting artists. In her time at Augsburg,Koch was a member of The Augsburg Choir, Augsburg Concert Band, and Augsburg Jazz and Gospel Praise. She served as an admissions ambassador, a student coordinator for new student orientation in 1999 and 2000, and wrote for the Augsburg Echo.