So you may be asking, “What's with your website name?” Well, the Cathedral Bridge in Cologne, Germany has a special place in our hearts because it rather embodies our life calling and goals.

Back in the days of Emperor Constantine, the Romans with their engineering genius were the first to bridge the Rhine River at Cologne, conquering the 1300 ft. (400 m.) river with its strong currents. The bridge connected the city with their military camp on the eastern bank of the river. Once that bridge fell into ruin, it wasn't until the mid-1800's that anyone was able to once again engineer a solid structure to unite the two banks of the Rhine at Cologne—or, for that matter, anywhere in the nearly 400 mile stretch of the river between the Netherlands and Basel, Switzerland!

Six hundred years before, work had begun on what would become one of the most magnificent cathedrals in all of Europe—the beautiful Kölner Dom on Cologne's western bank. The new bridge built in 1855 was put on an axis with the cathedral, thus getting the name “Cathedral Bridge.” The folks on the eastern bank could now easily cross to participate in worship in the Cathedral. The bridge became so integral to the city’s infrastructure that it was eventually replaced by a new bridge, called Hohenzollernbrücke, that could handle more traffic, and is still on the cathedral’s axis. It has become the most heavily used railway bridge in all Germany.

So how does this story embody our life goals and calling? We have a heart to live and work in a context where Christians, Muslims and seculars all live and interact together. Some of the major issues we face in our world today over questions of beliefs, values, and truth are ones that come up between these groups. Bridges are being built and burnt between them every day. We want to be a part of the building—to enter into the discussions and challenges facing them as they live together and interact. So cathedralbridge.com is a place for us to share about this bridge-building endeavor.