Experience England & Scotland on a GTI Signature Study Tour and you'll see Scripture in a new light.
On this Signature Study Tour, journey with us through our British Christian heritage from ancient Christianity to Mere Christianity and give our modern faith ancient roots. Christians reached Roman Britannia by the second century, and their legacy continues to shape our lives today.
In London, we’ll explore biblical artifacts at the British Museum—tangible evidence from the ancient world that affirms the names and stories of Scripture. We’ll walk in the footsteps of great Reformers who championed religious freedom, including John Wycliffe, William Tyndale, John Wesley, George Whitefield, Lord Shaftesbury, John Newton, and William Wilberforce. In Cambridge, we’ll dive into the development of the Bible and hear from world-renowned experts on the reliability of Biblical manuscripts. Oxford will take us through pivotal moments in the Reformers fight with Bloody Mary, and we’ll also immerse ourselves in the world of C.S. Lewis and the Inklings. We’ll consider the intersection of faith and science at Woolsthorpe Manor, home to Isaac Newton, scientist and theologian. Further north, we’ll step into the awe-inspiring York Minster Cathedral and attend the choral evensong worship service, a tradition going back over 1000 years. In Durham, we’ll visit the renowned Cathedral and work with the University’s Department of Archaeology to uncover discoveries tied to early Christianity in England. We’ll walk on the Roman ruins of Hadrian’s Wall (122 AD), and visit Lindisfarne Priory & Castle, founded in 635 by the extraordinary Irish monks who journeyed from Iona (Scotland), summoned by the first Christian Anglo-Saxon king. Finally, in Edinburgh, we’ll walk the Royal Mile, where the Scottish Reformation was ignited. In short, come and “meet” the people who form the bridge between Bible times and our times.
Traveling between sites, we’ll hear stories about leaders who all publicly owned the Christian faith, and how their faith shaped their impact (or not) and what it means for us today—from regents like King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn and Bloody Mary, to scholars like Erasmus, economists like Adam Smith, and social reformers like Florence Nightingale, to literary giants like Shakespeare and Milton and Bunyan and Dickens and Austen, to scientific pioneers like Isaac Newton and Francis Crick, and many others—including of course Lewis and Tolkien!
After growing up in Georgia, Adam spent 17 years serving in Russia with Moscow Bible Church locally and training pastors nationally. He met his wife Heather there, also serving in missions in Moscow and Siberia. In 2011, the Richardsons moved to Cambridge, England, for PhD studies. Since 2015, Adam has been serving on the pastoral staff of the Church at Sandhurst in South Carolina. Adam loves the good gifts of God’s creation – the ocean, coffee, woodworking, and nature. He loves old things that last – old trees, old churches, old books with old thoughts that live on, old stories that wear well with time, old songs renewed, old movies (original Star Wars, please), old tools that are simple and strong, and especially old people who are full of stories that may stretch and fade but deeply satisfy. Perhaps this is why he’s uniquely passionate about reviving old roots for modern faith in the ancient land of Britain.
Adam loves Tolkien and Lewis such that he is always reading The Hobbit and LOTR, as well as Narnia. His love of nature, food, simple labors and simple joys, at times makes him suspect having Hobbit blood, with not-so distant relations to the Bagginses and Tooks, though more realistically with the Pevensies. All of this would be spurious if it were not for his world-class education: Adam received his BA from Vanderbilt (Russian, English), his MA from Dallas Theological Seminary (Biblical Studies), and his PhD from the University of Leicester (History), a study of the life and works of the 17th century English minister Thomas Manton. Adam's wife Heather received her BS from Cornell (Human Development and Family Studies) and her MA from the University of South Carolina in Library and Information Science. Adam and Heather were married in 2001 and have three teenagers, which keeps the house hopping!
You will book your own flights and meet the rest of the group in London.
There are no official GTI events until the evening, so depending on your arrival time, suggested self-guided tours in the London area include Westminster Abbey, the Tower of London, Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, the National Gallery, the "Hop-on Hop-off” bus tour, and the London Eye. The group will gather at 6:30 pm for an introductory meeting, and afterward, we will enjoy dinner together.
We’ll begin in Cambridge, where we’ll visit the world-class Tyndale House Biblical Library. Tyndale House staff will guide us through the nature and reliability of Biblical manuscripts and share modern discoveries related to the Old Testament that strengthen our confidence in Scripture. After lunch, we will tour Cambridge University (founded in 1209) and hear stories from those who have shaped our faith today from this historic location. Bring your Bible questions!
Today focuses on London. In the morning, we explore Biblical history at the British Museum, viewing ancient artifacts related to Abraham, Ashurbanipal, Isaiah, Esther, Sennacherib, Nehemiah, Jehu, Hezekiah, and Paul. In the afternoon, we stroll through London’s streets, exploring centuries of Christian history with stories of Wycliffe, Tyndale, Wesley, Whitefield, Lord Shaftesbury, John Newton, and William Wilberforce.
In Oxford, we’ll explore the ancient university and the site where King Henry VIII’s daughter (Bloody) Mary executed reformers by burning them at the stake. However, the main focus will be on the life and locations associated with C S Lewis, who lived, taught, and worshipped there. Our visit will begin with a tour of his home, The Kilns, followed by visits to his church and his grave. Next, we'll head to Magdalen College, where he studied, and conclude at Addison’s Walk, where J R R Tolkien persuaded him of the viability of theism. This promises to be a fantastic experience for Lewis enthusiasts!
We will depart from London to visit Woolsthorpe Manor, Sir Isaac Newton's home in the mid-1600s. If you're interested in the link between Christianity and science, see how Newton’s Christian faith didn’t oppose his scientific work but supported it—an original edition of Newton’s math book is worth $95,000, so check your attic. After lunch, we’ll head to York, a city with over 2000 years of continuous history from the Romans, Anglo-Saxons, Vikings, and Normans to today. There, we'll tour the magnificent York Minster Cathedral, originally built in 627 and rebuilt between 1220 and 1472, and attend the afternoon “Evensong” choral service, a tradition that dates back over a millennium. The Great East Window in the Minster, completed in 1408, is the largest medieval stained glass window in the world.
We will spend the morning exploring the beautiful Roman and medieval town of Durham, including a visit to the UNESCO World Heritage Site Durham Cathedral (built between 1093 and 1133), where both St. Cuthbert and the Venerable Bede are buried. Behind the Cathedral, there is the Castle that housed the Norman prince-bishops from the 11th century.
Today is a big day! We will start at WHS Hadrian’s Wall Hadrian’s Wall House, a Roman fortress built by Emperor Hadrian in 122 AD. It stretches across the north of Britannia from east to west to defend against barbarian tribes. Next, we will visit Lindisfarne, or “Holy Island," on the Northumbria coast, one of Britain’s most significant early Christian sites. Irish monks from Iona, Scotland, established a Benedictine monastery there in 634. Under St Cuthbert’s leadership, this monastery created the exquisite 8th-century Lindisfarne Gospels, endured a fierce Viking raid, and served as a Christian worship center for 900 years. From Lindisfarne, we will enjoy a scenic drive along the rugged Northumberland coast, heading into Scotland and arriving in Edinburgh.
This morning we join local guide Paul James-Griffiths for a tour exploring the remarkable Christian history along the Royal Mile. We'll start at Magdalen Chapel, the birthplace of the Scottish Reformation led by John Knox, then visit the beautiful Presbytery Hall, the Covenanter memorials, Greyfriars’ Kirk, St Giles’ Cathedral, and historic St Columba’s Free Church. The route then features the statue of philosopher David Hume, followed by St Giles’, John Knox’s grave, and John Knox’s House. The Royal Mile is filled with Christian history: learn where Covenanters were imprisoned and executed for their faith, and where Samuel Rutherford’s Lex Rex was burned. Stand where George Whitefield ignited revival in 1741, and where Billy Graham preached in 1948. This evening, we’ll have a final dinner to reflect on our time in Britain.
Our journey together has come to an end. Catch your flight from Edinburgh home or to your next travel destination.
Check out the tour journal from the previous trip!
More than simply a statement about pricing, “All Inclusive” describes GTI’s holistic approach to facilitating purposeful travel and experiential learning in cooperation with our Ministry Partners.
Your tour leader, study materials, and even itinerary are biblically focused, creating a journey that will draw you more deeply into God’s Word with each step you take.
Each stop on your itinerary is selected because it provides an experience than brings meaning and emotional significance to the information you will be learning.
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