WORLD TO THE WISE » France http://worldtothewise.net Home of the Culturally Curious Thu, 05 Jan 2012 20:03:59 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 The Allure of Alsace http://worldtothewise.net/2009/03/31/the-allure-of-alsace-2/ http://worldtothewise.net/2009/03/31/the-allure-of-alsace-2/#comments Tue, 31 Mar 2009 13:54:00 +0000 admin http://worldtothewise.net/http:/worldtothewise.net/culturaltours
If you’re considering joining us for the inaugural World to the Wise Cultural Tour, here’s something else to tempt you: step for a day into the magical microworld of Alsace, the region in the northeast corner of France which has gone back and forth between Germany and France for generations.

Alsace is a region like no other: although it is part of France and everyone speaks French, the German influence is everywhere — including the storybook architecture seen in this photo. And even though all Alsatians are French, they have managed to preserve their own language over the years, which actually resembles Swiss German as much as anything.

The largest city in Alsace is Strasbourg, dubbed the Crossroads of Europe. This gem of a city is indeed of crossroads of diplomatic, high-tech, educational and religious communities: it is the seat of the European Parliament, the University of Strasbourg, and, as far as France is concerned, a rare coexistence of the Catholic and Protestant traditions.

And we won’t set foot in Alsace without sampling the famous tarte flambée (flammekueche in Alsatian) — a delicious, thin-crusted pizza with crème fraîche, bacon and onions, baked in a wood-burning oven.

Care to join us? Visit www.worldtothewise.net to find out more!

]]> http://worldtothewise.net/2009/03/31/the-allure-of-alsace-2/feed/ 0 The Age of Creativity http://worldtothewise.net/2008/09/03/the-age-of-creativity/ http://worldtothewise.net/2008/09/03/the-age-of-creativity/#comments Thu, 04 Sep 2008 01:11:00 +0000 admin http://worldtothewise.net/http:/worldtothewise.net/culturaltours

I last blogged from southern France, where I was speaking at an annual arts camp in a region called the Cévennes. I was struck by the legacy of the persecuted Huguenots as portrayed at the Musée du Désert, hidden away in the rugged hills of the Cévennes. Their oppression lasted over a century, and many of the men were sent away to the French galleys, seldom to return home. Centuries later, the Protestant church is strongest in the south (as well as the Alsace region in northeastern France).

At the arts camp I spoke on the fact that art, as a part of culture, must evolve. I believe that, as God is Creator and continues to create, He created us to evolve. Otherwise, we would still be nomadic hunter/gatherers, oblivious to agriculture, industry and technology. We are wired to move forward. And a faith that withstands the test of time is one that continues to innovate, to explore new ways of expressing the same timeless truths. If the church doesn’t wake up to this fact, it will find itself shut off from some of the very people who could help it move forward in its ongoing quest for relevancy.I particularly wish this for the church in France, in many ways known as the cradle of aesthetic appreciation. It’s in the church’s best interest to embrace and reclaim this love of beauty. We have entered the Age of Creativity — let’s keep creating.
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