The New Europe Program students in theology courses visited Mainz, Germany as part of their curriculum. The students enrolled in Divided Church in a New Europe and in Human Rights & World Religions visited printing press museums to understand the historical importance of the early printing of the Bible. They enjoyed an informative guided tour where they learned all about the evolution of the Gutenberg printing press and its role in the development of society.
They then visited the Mainz Cathedral, an impressive 1,000 year-old Roman Catholic cathedral and later St. Stephan's cathedral located at the top of a hill ornated with wonderful stained glass windows done by Marc Chagall. For lunch, many students chose to eat at the central square's market, which offered everything from local honey and breads to delicious delicatessen foods.
To finish off the day, they visited the new Mainz synagogue, with its symbolic and futuristic architecture. The sunny day of a more hands-on style of education was an exciting complement to traditional classroom lectures.
