We felt called to attend this seminar on Celtic Spirituality in Durham England, staying in Durham Castle and travel an extra week in Scotland and England. Here are some of the highlights:

• London - We really did not get to spend time in the capital city as upon arrival of our flight from the US., we immediately caught a high speed train to Sunderland and then a cab to Durham. The English countryside was beautiful. Once in Durham, we entered the imposing castle, and signed in for the seminar, and then carried our large suitcases up a spiral staircase to our room on the third floor.

• Celtic Seminar - The seminar was excellent, combining scholarly talks, visits to locations that had been important in Celtic spirituality back in the 300s to 600s AD, plus downtime to rest and explore local taverns and the like. We even had a workshop with NT Wright, well known Pauline scholar and then Bishop of Durham.

• Celtic Spirituality - Prior to the Middle Ages, the Celts practiced a very evangelistic and supernatural brand of Christianity, going wherever God took them, and performing miracles, yet living close to nature as well. Some of the most famous saints were Columba, Aidan, Cuthbert, and Hilda.

• Durham Castle and Cathedral were very interesting in themselves. The legend is that the monks of Lindisfarne too Cuthbert’s remains inland when Vikings continually attacked, searching for a new home for over 100 years and that their cart stopped at Durham and would not move farther, so they built a church and monastery there. This is still where Cuthbert’s remains are. For hundreds of years his body did not decompose. The worship atmosphere at his shrine in the the Cathedral is a very holy place because of the holy life he led.

We embarked on our further journey after the seminar to the following locations:

• Lindisfarne - Also known as Holy Isle - The island is linked to the mainland at low tide and an island at high tide. This is where St Cuthbert had most of his ministry - as abbot of the monastery, then bishop, and finally hermit. People came to him far and wide for counsel, healing, and wisdom. He was a tremendous intercessor, praying for the region on an island offshore of Holy Isle, which is where he eventually died.

• Edinburgh - This is the capital of Scotland and a very picturesque city. Edinburgh Castle was the site of the rulers of Scotland and is a very imposing location.

• Oban, Mull, and Iona - Iona was for many years the center for Celtic Christianity and it is still the location of Christian community. A holy and beautiful place, Christian communities have occupied the island since the 500s AD, and there is today the ecumenical Iona Community centered on the island. Oban is the closest place for hotels and B&Bs and the ferry to Iona departs from the island of Mull which is between Oban and Iona

• Long Preston - A typical Yorkshire town. We enjoyed the beautiful church, the surrounding lovely hillsides, and the local pub which is the center of community life

• Canterbury - We enjoyed the quaintness of this city in the southeastern area of England. It is famous for Canterbury Cathedral and the Archbishop who resides there and leads the worldwide Anglican Communion. The cathedral is beautiful though we felt that the spiritual atmosphere was lacking, perhaps due to the unrighteous bloodshed that has happened in the name of the Church.

• Dover - We were able to enjoy the English shore facing Europe and the beach areas and the atmosphere of the south coast of England.