In July 2026 I joined seven other young Christians of various denominations (including Baptist, Anglican and Methodist) to take part in the 2026 Student Christian Movement (SCM) Bonhoeffer European Pilgrimage. This takes place annually in July and invites young Christians to explore the life, theology and legacy of German theologian and anti-Nazi resistor Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Along the journey, participants visit significant sites in Coventry and Berlin connected with conflict, resistance, remembrance, peace and reconciliation. Pilgrims travel by train, making the journey itself part of the experience.
Over the course of five days, we travelled from Coventry’s Cathedral tracing a story of conflict and reconciliation from that bombed and rebuilt city, across Europe to Berlin, which saw the rise of Nazism, the devastation of war, the segregation of the city, and eventual reunification and remembering. Some notable and memorable stops on the pilgrimage were the Niemöller and Bonhoeffer Houses and the Berlin Wall memorial.
It was such a special experience to journey together bringing with us our own unique life stories and experiences, often wrestling with difficult themes and topics, but united in our passion for social justice inspired by the life and work of Dietrich Bonhoeffer.
I am a big believer in the power of storytelling. It brings people together from different walks of life to learn from each other, and to learn from history so that such infamous atrocities, like those in twentieth-century Germany, don’t happen again. This, to me, is a key strength of ecumenical (and interfaith) work, and this pilgrimage was a great example of that. Over those five days, this group of people, the majority of whom had never met before, created a community and a safe space to share their thoughts, forming bonds that made the pilgrimage all the more sacred.
I could write all day about this pilgrimage, what we saw, what I learnt, what I took away from it, but one thing that stands out in my mind is the feeling of peace inside the rebuilt Kaiser Wilhelm Church. You cannot hear the outside world and instead feel cradled within beautiful blue stained glass, with the image of Jesus in front of you and with you. It is also a beautiful example of what can come out of destruction and later reconciliation as this church is a new one. The original one was bombed during the Second World War. The world can feel like a scary place right now (especially given the horrific attack in Berlin just days after we visited), but that feeling and image is one I want to hold onto, and I strongly encourage others to visit if you are able.
If you are a student or recent graduate and would like to find out about future pilgrimages, keep an eye on the Events page on the SCM website or email [email protected].
Student Christian Movement is a Charity and Network in Association with Churches Together in England.
Photo credits: Catherine Whitehouse