2023 English & Scottish Reformation 9-Day Study Tour
The Protestant Reformation in the British Isles tells the story of Christians who stood boldly for the gospel in the face of opposition. Join us as we explore God’s work in the English and Scottish Reformation on our 9-day study tour across London, Cambridge, Edinburgh, and St. Andrews. We’ll come to the cathedral where the preaching of John Knox thundered, explore the grand castle residence of the Stuart kings and Mary, Queen of Scots, and visit sites where Puritans and Covenanters sacrificed to defend the truth of God’s Word. With Drs. Sinclair Ferguson, Stephen Nichols, Burk Parsons, and Michael Reeves, we’ll delve into the theological heritage of past generations to help us stand fast for our biblical faith today.
Itinerary
Sunday, September 10
London
Once you arrive in London, you’ll be greeted and transported by private vehicles to our official hotel. There, we’ll receive the day-one newsletter at the Sovereign guest reception desk, identifying the day’s events. We will then enjoy a welcome dinner together and our first message from one of our teachers.
Hotel: 5-Star Accommodations
Meals: Dinner
*All attendees will receive complimentary admission for Ligonier’s 2023 London Conference, Pilgrims and Exiles. This conference will take place on September 8–9, prior to this study tour. Attendance is optional, but we hope you’ll extend your time with us. Learn more about this conference.
Monday, September 11
London
After breakfast and a message from one of our teachers, we’ll enjoy a panoramic sightseeing tour of Westminster Abbey, the site where the Westminster Confession of Faith was carefully drafted. This is also the burial site of many of the world’s most famous people, including many of the early kings and queens of England.
After lunch on our own, we will visit Smithfield, where clergyman and Bible translator John Rogers became the first martyr under the Roman Catholic Queen Mary I, known as “Bloody Mary.” We’ll then head to Bunhill Fields Cemetery, considered the “cemetery of Puritan England.” Walking through the cemetery, you will see the graves of John Bunyan (author of The Pilgrim’s Progress), Isaac Watts (noted hymn writer), Daniel Defoe, (author of Robinson Crusoe), Susannah Wesley (mother of John and Charles), as well as members of the Cromwell family.
Hotel: 5-Star Accommodations
Meals: Breakfast
Tuesday, September 12
London
After a quick breakfast this morning, we will head to the city where the gospel of the Reformation was first preached in England: Cambridge. Entering this university city, we’ll tour King’s College Chapel, one of England’s architectural gems. The chapel houses Rubens’ masterpiece, The Adoration of the Magi. We will explore the city’s historic districts and visit the site of the White Horse Inn, where early English Reformers discussed Protestant theology and the writings of Martin Luther. This day will conclude with a return to our hotel for dinner and a message from one of our teachers.
Hotel: 5-Star Accommodations
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
Wednesday, September 13
London
After a buffet breakfast and a message from one of our teachers, we will travel to the historic Hampton Court, residence of the notorious King Henry VIII, as well as the location where the decision was made to begin translational work on what would eventually become the King James Version of the Bible. We will enjoy a tour of the estates and lunch before heading back to London.
Hotel: 5-Star Accommodations
Meals: Breakfast & Lunch
Thursday, September 14
London to Edinburgh
Leaving London after breakfast and a message from one of our teachers, we will ride a first-class high-speed rail through the countryside, entering the beautiful hilly fields and streams of Scotland. This afternoon, we will arrive in the historic city of Edinburgh, where we will check in to our hotel, and we’ll enjoy free time to explore on our own in the evening.
Hotel: 5-Star Accommodations
Meals: Breakfast & Lunch
Friday, September 15
Edinburgh
After a quick breakfast this morning, we will explore the historic Edinburgh Castle on a private tour. Some sections of this ancient castle date back to the eleventh century. Within the castle grounds is the Stone of Scone, the famous stone recently returned to Scotland, as well as the Scottish crown jewels. We will then head to St. Giles’ Cathedral, where the Reformer John Knox preached powerful sermons. After lunch on our own, we will see where the great Scottish Covenanters were held, persecuted, and executed and where the Greyfriars Monument stands today. We will return to our hotel for dinner and a message from one of our teachers.
Hotel: 5-Star Accommodations
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
Saturday, September 16
Edinburgh to St. Andrews
After a traditional Scottish breakfast and a message from one of our teachers, we will journey to Stirling Castle, one of the most important castles in Scotland’s history. Home of the Stuart kings and Mary Queen of Scots, this grand castle is closely associated with Sir William Wallace, Robert the Bruce, and Bonnie Prince Charlie. The castle also looks out toward the location of the Battle of Stirling Bridge, where William Wallace famously defeated a much larger English army in 1297. We will check in to our hotel in St. Andrews before enjoying free time on our own for dinner.
Hotel: 5-Star Accommodations
Meals: Breakfast
Sunday, September 17
St. Andrews
We will begin the day with breakfast and a morning worship service. We will then visit the ruins of the local cathedral, view the Martyrs Monument for those persecuted during the Scottish Reformation, and stop by San Salvator’s Chapel, where Patrick Hamilton was burned at the stake for his devotion to the gospel revealed in Scripture and recovered by the Reformers. We will conclude this spectacular day back at our St. Andrews hotel with a farewell dinner and a final message from one of our teachers.
Hotel: 5-Star Accommodations
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
Monday, September 18
St. Andrews
After a good night’s rest, we will assist all of our guests with transfers to our flights out of Edinburgh.
Meals: Breakfast
Speakers
Sinclair Ferguson
Dr. Sinclair B. Ferguson is a Ligonier Ministries teaching fellow and Chancellor’s Professor of Systematic Theology at Reformed Theological Seminary. He previously served as senior minister of the First Presbyterian Church in Columbia, S.C., and he has written many books, including Maturity.
Stephen Nichols
Dr. Stephen J. Nichols is chief academic officer, a Ligonier teaching fellow, and president of Reformation Bible College. Steve joined Ligonier in 2014, and he helps maintain the academic integrity of the ministry. He holds a Ph.D. from Westminster Theological Seminary.
Burk Parsons
Dr. Burk Parsons is senior pastor of Saint Andrew’s Chapel in Sanford, Fla., chief publishing officer for Ligonier Ministries, editor of Tabletalk magazine, and a Ligonier Ministries teaching fellow. He is editor of Assured by God: Living in the Fullness of God’s Grace.
Michael Reeves
Dr. Michael Reeves is president and professor of theology at Union School of Theology in the United Kingdom. He is also director of the European Theologians Network. He is author of several books, including Rejoicing in Christ, Rejoice and Tremble, and Delighting in the Trinity.
Pricing & Travel Information
- Standard Price
- Double Occupancy Sold Out
- Single Occupancy Sold Out
Additional Tours
About Ligonier Tours
One of the best ways you can learn about a person or even an event is being there—to be on site. We can certainly learn from reading and studying. We can even create the scene in our mind’s eye. But nothing brings a person or an event to life like being there. Ligonier Tours takes you to the places where significant events occurred, events that have shaped history. You can literally walk in the footsteps of our heroes of the past, of Luther, of Calvin, of Jonathan Edwards. You will meet these figures in ways you have never met them before.
Ligonier’s Teaching Fellows and other ministry leaders serve as your guides as you explore these important sites. On these tours, you’ll have time with these trusted teachers over a meal or at the sites along the journey. You will also have rich times of fellowship with your fellow travelers, meeting kindred spirits and making friendships.
Ligonier Tours brings the past to life, they serve to encourage us as disciples in our own day, and they offer us reminders that we are not alone, but that we are on our pilgrim journey together.