Description
Faith of Our Fathers England & Scotland Special - September 2024
Faith of Our Fathers
We want to invite you on an unforgettable journey into England and Scotland, filled with early Christian history, culture, and spiritual blessings. We’ll visit places that witnessed events of decisive and enduring importance in the history of humanity.
This journey will provide you a deeper understanding of early Christianity as you travel through England and Scotland. When you make this journey in the company of friends and others of like mind, you can look forward to an unforgettable experience.
Picture yourself praying in Saint Paul’s Cathedral and visiting the homes of famous authors such as Jane Austen and C.S. Lewis. You’ll see the birthplace of Presbyterianism, as well as the home where the founders of Methodism were raised. Sites of incredible culture and spiritual opportunities await!
At the end of this tour, two things will most certainly be changed: you, and your faith.
Sincerely,
Maranatha Tours Inc.
What's Included
Our tours are all-inclusive. Always.
Itinerary
Day by Day
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Tuesday
LondonUpon arrival in London we meet our guide and begin our tour of the city of London (founded as Londinium by the Romans in 47 AD). We visit the magnificent Westminster Abbey, where most of the monarchs of Britain have been crowned, married, and buried since 1066 AD. Westminster Abbey is also the burial place of hundreds of significant people, from Sir Isaac Newton to David Livingstone. We see the spectacular statues of twelve 20th-century martyrs, including Dietrich Bonhoeffer.
Next we visit Saint Paul’s Cathedral with its dome inspired by Saint Peter’s in Rome. The cathedral’s vast history includes hosting the funeral of Winston Churchill and the wedding of Prince Charles and Diana Spencer. Our tour then moves on to the infamous Tower of London, built in 1066 AD as a fortress for William the Conqueror. We also view Buckingham Palace and other points of interest as we travel through the great city of London before checking into our hotel for dinner and overnight.
- 3
Wednesday
LondonFollowing breakfast we visit Henry VIII’s palace, hotel, theatre, and vast leisure complex: Hampton Court Palace, built in 1515 AD. Returning to London, we visit the British Museum (a museum older than the USA!), where many artifacts from Israel, Egypt, Greece, and Rome are preserved and showcased, including the Cyrus Cylinder and the Rosetta Stone (the 1799 AD discovery that led to the deciphering of Egyptian hieroglyphs). We see marble friezes from the Parthenon in Athens, as well as artifacts and mummies from ancient Egypt.
Now, a little free time! The remainder of the day is available for us to have tea and a biscuit and explore London on our own before returning to our hotel for dinner and overnight.
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Thursday
Stonehenge / Salisbury / BathToday we leave London and head west for the mysterious Stonehenge, dating back to 3200 BC. Next, we come to the awe-inspiring Salisbury Cathedral with the tallest surviving pre-1400 AD spire in the world. Here we recall the craftsmen who labored to construct amazing buildings for the worship and glory of God. In the Cathedral Chapter House we view depictions of scenes from Genesis and Exodus, and we see one of only four surviving copies of the Magna Carta (now that’s some history!).
In the afternoon we visit the World Heritage Site of Bath, famous for its imposing architecture and Roman remains. We see the beautiful Bath Abbey, and we visit the Roman baths (similar to the ones often visited in the Holy Land). We then venture on to visit the famous Pump Room, built in 1790 AD, where 18th-century socialites came to “take the waters” for their health. Here in Bath, Jane Austen (1775-1817 AD) wrote many of her famous novels. In the evening we check into our hotel in Bath for dinner and overnight.
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Friday
Bristol / OxfordAfter breakfast we take a short drive from Bath to the historic city of Bristol, the hometown of William Penn (Quaker and founder of Pennsylvania). We see the New Room, the first Methodist chapel, and the home of Charles Wesley. We also visit Hanham Mount, commemorating the persecution of the Baptist community in the 1600s and the open-air preaching of John Wesley and George Whitfield. A highlight of the day is viewing one of the most famous Christian ministries: the orphanage established by the great prayer warrior George Mueller.
In the afternoon we arrive at Oxford, where we enjoy a guided tour of the city and university, including Christ Church from which John Wesley graduated. We also see Balliol College, where three heroes of the English Reformation (Latimer, Ridley, and Cranmer) were burned at the stake at the order of Queen “Bloody” Mary. Concluding our day on a lighter note, we visit the Kilns, home of Christian author C.S. Lewis, before checking into our hotel in Oxford for dinner and overnight.
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Saturday
Scrooby / Austerfield / Epworth / YorkToday we explore some of the foundations of Protestant Christianity. We travel north into Nottinghamshire, stopping first at Scrooby, the birthplace of the Pilgrims. Here in 1606 AD, dissatisfied with the corruption and lax nature of the Church of England, some religious separatists broke away from the church to commit themselves to a simpler way of life based on the teachings of the Bible. We also visit nearby Austerfield, home of William Bradford – 30-time governor of the Plymouth Colony, prolific Christian author, and America’s greatest Pilgrim Father. Eventually Bradford (along with William Brewster) and fellow Pilgrims set sail for America on the Mayflower.
Next we travel to Epworth and the birthplace of the founders of Methodism. Samuel and Susanna Wesley lived in Epworth for 39 years and here raised their children, including John and Charles. We visit their home, the Old Rectory, and the parish church where Samuel ministered. We continue on to York and tour the majestic York Minster, dating from 1220 AD and housing the largest stained glass windows in the world. We check into our hotel in York for dinner and overnight.
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Sunday
Durham / Lindisfarne / Jedburgh / EdinburghDriving north from York we view the ancient cathedral of Durham. Built in 1093, this beautiful structure is the setting for countless movies and television programs. Next we have a photo stop at picturesque Lindisfarne, also known as Holy Island, one of the most important centers of early English Christianity. The monastery here was established in 635 AD, soon after Christianity came to Britain.
Crossing the border into Scotland, we come to the lovely village of Jedburgh and view the remains of its beautiful church, founded in 1108 AD by King David I of Scotland, as well as the home of Mary, Queen of Scots. We then visit the remains of Dryburgh Abbey, beautifully nestled in a secluded loop of the River Tweed. Christianity was established here by missionaries in 600 AD, and the abbey was built in 1150 AD. Here we view remarkably well-preserved glimpses of medieval monastic life. We continue to our hotel in Edinburgh, the capital city of Scotland, for dinner and overnight.
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Monday
EdinburghOur day begins with breakfast as we prepare for our tour of the historic city of Edinburgh, home of the Scottish Reformation. We visit 900-year-old Saint Giles’ Cathedral, the birthplace of Presbyterianism, where John Knox was minister for many years. We also visit John Knox’s home.
At the top of the Royal Mile, the most famous street in Scotland, we come to Edinburgh Castle. Built in 900 AD and situated atop a volcanic crag, this castle was once a military fortress. It was in Edinburgh Castle that Mary, Queen of Scots, gave birth to King James VI of Scotland, who became King James I of England and who, in 1611 AD, forever changed Bible translation when he authorized the English version of the Bible we now know as the King James Version. Our day’s journey concludes at the other end of the Royal Mile at Holyroodhouse, palace of Mary, Queen of Scots. We then return to our hotel for dinner and overnight.
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Tuesday
Saint AndrewsOur morning begins with passing by the picturesque fishing ports of Fifeshire on our way to the town of Saint Andrews on the northeast coast of Scotland. Saint Andrew is the patron saint of Scotland, and the Cross of Saint Andrew is the flag of Scotland. It was in Saint Andrews that George Wishart, under whose ministry John Knox was converted, was burned at the stake for preaching the Gospel. We visit the remains of Saint Andrews Cathedral, which was begun in 1160 AD and took over 150 years to complete. During the Scottish Reformation, John Knox preached a fiery sermon in the Saint Andrews parish church, whereupon the congregation went immediately to the cathedral and destroyed many valuable objects and furniture, which they saw as relics of “popery.”
We also view the ancient Saint Andrews Castle, perched on a cliff overlooking the North Sea. Our visit to the Eastern coast of Scotland would be incomplete without a visit to the origins of golf: The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of Saint Andrews, the most famous golf course in the world. We return to our hotel in Edinburgh for dinner and overnight.
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