“Denn alles, was aus Gott gezeugt ist, besiegt die Welt. Und das ist der Sieg, der die Welt besiegt hat: unser Glaube.” [“For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.”]

1 Johannes 5:4, Einheitsübersetzung 2016 [1 John 5:4, KJV]

Berlin has a deep and infamous religious history. Today, I visited the Kaiser Wilhelm Church, a Christian church that was largely destroyed by the bombs of World War II.

I’m sure you know Germany’s significance during World War II. Something I learned this week changed my perspective of the war: the Nazis in power believed that the war would never reach German soil. In fact, there were little to no preparations for war in Germany itself. When bombs were dropped in Berlin, hurried projects did their best to save and protect citizens, but the effort was futile. A majority of German citizens suffered due to the horrible choices of fanatic leaders.

I thought the Kaiser Wilhelm Church was a real-world representation of this devastating concept. Religion can do so much to make the world a better place; a beautiful church is built by believers. But, when taken to frightening extremes, these churches and other benefits are damaged and torn. Monitoring your faith is important. Don’t let your faith be harmful.

There’s another aspect of this site that really stuck out to me: the circles and the squares. Let me explain.

Years ago, during my sophomore year of high school, I learned the concept of Axis Mundi. From what I understand, this is a place where heaven and earth intertwine. Examples include Mount Sinai (Judaism), Amritsar (Sikhism), Bodh Gaya (Buddhism), and Mecca (Islam). These are sacred spaces, personal or national or anywhere in between, are places where one feels in touch with the divine.

A common symbol in art to portray this idea is circle within the square. The square symbolizes this world, and the circle is the spiritual. The combination of the two shows the intersection between these worlds, thus creating a powerful and impactful image of spirituality in our normal, imperfect world.

At the Kaiser Wilhelm Church complex, the circle and the square combine in a unique way. Circle tiles cover every inch of the ground, and squares make up the walls of the rebuild structures and memorials.

I learned so much from this representation of the Axis Mundi. The placement of the circle and the square expressed to me that the ground was holy and the walls were our world. No matter what we create in our lives, the earth that God has created is infinitely holier. In awful situations, our churches will be destroyed, but His ground will be there, welcoming us to build again. Try as we might, we cannot destroy God’s creation and plan.

I began this post with a New Testament quote, displayed in the memorial itself. I love the Christian sentiment that by devoting ourselves to God, we become the circle instead of the square. Through the Savior, you can change from corruptible to incorruptible.

Change is vital in any religion, as religion’s goal is to change you into a better person.

How will you find the divine in this world?

Einheitsübersetzung

German Bible Translation. “Unified” or “Unity Translation.” Created for liturgical use in the Roman Catholic church.

“Einheitsübersetzung.” Wikipedia. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Einheits%C3%BCbersetzung)

KJV

The King James Version of the Christian Bible. Translation project funded and finished by King James VI of Scotland. Finished and published in 1611. 

“The Story Behind the King James Bible.” The KJV Store. (https://www.thekjvstore.com/articles/the-story-behind-the-king-james-bible/)

Axis Mundi

Latin phrase meaning “world axis.” Usually refers to the connection between heaven and earth in religious settings.

“Axis Mundi.” MAP Academy. (mapacademy.io/glossary/axis-mundi/#:~:text=A%20Latin%20phrase%20meaning%20“world,Pre%2DModern%20Art)