The Journey Begins...

Welcome to my sabbatical blog!  "A Polity Pilgrimage for Reflection and Renewal" is the title of my blog and the theme of my sabbatical.  Thanks to a grant from the Louisville Institute, I will be traveling in the footsteps of Presbyterian founders John Calvin (left) and John Knox (below, right) as I seek to gain a greater appreciation for the historical, theological, and cultural origins of our polity.

As the centerpiece of my sabbatical, I will travel to Paris, Geneva, and Edinburgh to soak in and reflect on the birthplaces of Presbyterian governance.  Along the way, I will take side trips to Noyon (the birthplace of John Calvin), Strasbourg (where he spent several years in exile and developed his church polity), 

Basel and Bern (both brief residences on Calvin's journey).  In Scotland, Edinburgh (the location of Knox's home and St. Giles' Church) will be the jumping off point for an immersion in the Scottish heritage and culture that infuses American Presbyterianism.  

Along the way, I hope to post daily reflections of my pilgrim journey, as a spiritual discipline to help focus my thoughts and share them with others.  

The Chinese say, "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single footstep."  My sabbatical journey begins today with a small "footstep" to Estes Park, Colorado.  I will spend much of my time preparing for my June 23 departure to Europe here and at Highlands Presbyterian Camp and Retreat Center near Allenspark.  Unfortunately, June weather is unreliable and rain is forecast all week in the mountains!  

At least I should get some good study time in as I bone up on Calvin and Knox.  I am staying in Estes at the home of Glen and Marg Manske, gracious and generous hosts.  Above is a picture of the view from their deck when I arrived early this evening.  My hosts are "morning" people, so I will need to adjust to a new schedule!