Katharine Von Bora The Morning Star of Wittenberg by Jenna & Shanna Strackbein Illustrated by Emily & Jenna Strackbein Map and Illumination by Foreword By Elisabeth Strackbein John & Marlene Eidsmoe
To our nieces and nephew: Evelynn, Genevieve, Janelle, Vivienne, Jacqueline, and Peter Katharine von Bora: The Morning Star of Wittenberg Text: 2017 by Jenna & Shanna Strackbein Illustrations: 2017 by Emily & Jenna Strackbein Map and Illumination: 2017 by Elisabeth Strackbein Published by Unbroken Faith Productions 2424 Holden Road, Aransas Pass, Texas 78336 Printed in Clarksville, Tennessee Jostens September 2017 First edition, first printing Cover layout and interior design: Shanna Strackbein All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise without the prior written permission of the publisher, Unbroken Faith Productions. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews. All Scripture quotations are from the King James Version. ISBN: 978-0-9992403-1-1 May this book encourage and inspire you to seek and stand for God s truth in the Bible, as Katharine von Bora and Martin Luther did 500 years ago. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. Psalm 119:105
Denmark Baltic Sea North Sea Foreword K atharine s We se rr ive r Elb G ermany er iver Entertaining, engrossing, easy to understand, yet historically and theologically accurate who could ask for more? Poland Katharine von Bora: The Morning Star of Wittenberg is a collaborative work by members of the Strackbein family, whom I have known and admired for years. From the early days of Katharine s childhood to her life in the convent as a Catholic nun, to her daring escape from the convent with the help of Luther and his friends, to her marriage to Luther and her pivotal role as his life companion, mother of his children, and partner in his work of the Reformation, the Strackbeins make Katie Luther come alive for children and adults alike. Not only do they tell her life story, they reveal the significance of her life for Luther and for the Reformation. Zolsdorph s Em ve Ri r Netherlands berlin Teutoburg Forest wittenberg er Riv ine Rh Eifel Mountain Range Torgau Brehna Eisleben Leipzig nimbschen Convent eisenach The reader will benefit from the illustrations, the timeline, the glossary of terms, and the map of Germany that greatly facilitate understanding. erfurt N Ore Mountain Range Frankfurt I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and Marlene looks forward to reading it to her students at Montgomery Christian School. Bohemia Main River worms Bavarian Forest Black Forest France er Riv e b nu Da e W Marlene Eidsmoe, Homeschooling Mother for 23 Years Teacher, Montgomery Christian School Augsburg Munich Alps Mountain Range John Eidsmoe, Chaplain (Colonel), Mississippi State Guard Professor, Oak Brook College of Law Pastor, Association of Free Lutheran Congregations Austria s
ong, long ago, in the days of kings and queens, and knights and peasants, when throughout all the land the Pope s decree was higher than that of monarch or emperor, there lived a girl named Katharine. These were dark days, for the people worshiped saints instead of God alone; and His Word, the Bible, was neglected and all but forgotten. Folk rich and poor believed that they could work their way to God instead of trusting Jesus sacrifice on the cross as all that they needed to pay for their sins. Katharine was born south of Leipzig, Germany, to the noble family of von Bora. When she was six, her mother died and soon after, her father remarried. After a short time with a new stepmother, it was decided that Katharine would be put in a convent. She was sent away from all she had ever known her father, her brothers, and her childhood home. 6 7
A great Reformation swept throughout Germany. People s hearts began to change as they heard the truths that Martin Luther taught from the Bible. His writings were printed and widely read by nobles and peasants alike. The Pope felt very threatened and angrily tried to stop Martin Luther from spreading the truth. The Catholics summoned him to a trial at the city of Worms (Vêrmz), to appear before the Holy Roman Emperor, Charles the Fifth. Luther was ordered to recant his writings. When he stood strong for the truth, the Emperor declared him an outlaw. In time, when Katharine was twenty-four, she and a few other young nuns secretly obtained some of Martin Luther s writings. He wrote something that was startling. Contrary to what most people believed, the Bible taught that getting married and having children was not less holy than staying unmarried, as nuns did. In fact, there was nothing in the Bible at all about being a monk or a nun! They then realized that they were wasting their years in a way that was not pleasing to God. Martin Luther s friends protected him, however, and he continued writing. He then turned his attention to translating the New Testament into German. For the first time, the people of Germany could read the Scriptures in their own language. Though Katharine was cloistered from the world at Nimbschen, news of these rumblings seeped into the convent. Some nuns were shocked and angry to hear that they could not earn their salvation through good deeds, but Katharine listened, and wondered. Was her way of life in the convent not the way to God after all? 14 15
About the Authors and Illustrators Acknowledgments We are very thankful to our Papaw for his encouragement and enthusiasm for this project; to our brother Wesley for being our very capable editor; and to our parents, Roger and Jenny Strackbein, for their support and assistance with this book, and for their faithfulness to teach and inspire us with a love for God s Word and His work in history. Also, many thanks to our generous friends who kindly gave of their time to edit this book and to offer helpful suggestions for improvement. L-R: Emily, Shanna, Elisabeth, and Jenna Jenna, Shanna, Emily, and Elisabeth Strackbein are four sisters who have a love for bringing history to life, reclaiming art for Christ, and good old-fashioned storytelling. They are aunts to five wonderful nieces and an incredible nephew who they love spending time with, and who were the reason for writing this storybook. Their greatest desire is to bring glory and honor to God in all that they do. The Strackbein sisters live with their family on the sunny coast of South Texas.