“Then Jacob made a vow, saying,

“If God will be with me and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat and clothing to wear, so that I come again to my

father’s house in peace, then the

Lord shall be my God.” 

Genesis 28:20-21  

The Old Testament contains over 80 references to the making of a vow with God.  Most were in the form of vows to worship or to give an offering, but Jacob, in the passage above, literally made a vow to believe and to serve God if God did something for him. That makes this example of making a vow quite extraordinary.  God did what Jacob asked of him, and Jacob did what he vowed to God he’d do.  Today vows are mainly spoken in relation to marriage or in the church, at an ordination.   I write to tell you about a vow that was made by certain town leaders in the region of Bavaria, in Germany, in the early half of the 17^th century - a vow that is kept to this day.  

In the spring of 1632 during Europe’s terrible 30 Years War (a conflict whose origins lie both in Europe’s long history of regional conflict AND the fracturing of the continent’s religious landscape by the Reformation of the early 16^th century) fear lingered throughout Germany, and particularly Bavaria.  The invasion of the area by King Gustaf Adolf of Sweden meant many people had to flee their villages.  This mass migration of people – many hungry and living in squalid conditions - was all that was needed to unleash yet another round of plague on the cities and villages of the area, including the mountain area of Ammergau.  In the village of Oberammergau, “deaths from deadly sickness” were recorded in the hundreds between the fall of 1632 and 1633.   

Amidst this awful plague, a group of town elders met in October 1633 and made a vow to perform a “passions-tragedie” every ten years if God would remove the plague from their city.  God did what the townspeople asked, and the town of Oberammergau has honored its vow.  It was said that from the time of “the vow” no other villager, even if infected, died of plague.  So despite the ongoing war around them, in 1634 the townspeople, aided in their effort by local musicians, priests and school teachers, performed the very first “Passion Play of Oberammergau”. 

There have been numerous times when the play was not performed – either by government decree or war in the region, and the play itself has undergone several revisions in style, content, and artistic considerations. But it has now been an ongoing work of this beautiful mountain village of Bavaria for nearly 400 years!  It continues to this day to be foremost a work of the people of Oberammergau. Performed on the edge of town in what is now called “The Passion Meadow”, it involves the collective effort of thousands of residents every decade.  But this is so much more than a commercial or artistic endeavor for them – the city does not allow their considerable expenses to be borne by their visitors, nor are the talents of professional actors, musicians or set makers employed.  

The people of the city do this because of their collective memory – they see each decade’s performance as the fulfilling of the vow and a maintaining of the bond between them and their ancestors who made a lasting vow, a promise to God.   The religious drama that is the Oberammergau Passion Play is not “high theater” – the intent was, and will always remain, “to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ” for salvation to those who hear and believe.  Several members of Calvary, some friends and family, plus Marcella and I will partake of the fruits of “the vow” and attend the Passion Play a bit later this month.    We leave in a few days.  We’re excited to see the beautiful region of Bavaria, but all the more excited and honored to be witnesses of a work of faith – the fulfilling of a vow - that has lived in and among the people of the village of Oberammergau for nearly four centuries.  

Soli Deo Gloria … to God alone the Glory. 

I’ll write more about our experience upon my return.   

Pastor Ken Nelson