Dates: June 6-14, 2026
Tour Leaders: Dr. Gwenfair Adams, Dr. Sean McDonough, and Laura Carmer
Cost: $2350* (not including airfare)
The fictional and theological works of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien are loved by millions. Their work speaks to the universal longing for the transcendent, for “another world” where all is deeply good and true and beautiful. They invite readers to imagine whether another reality might be found hidden in plain sight for those with eyes to see.
C.S. Lewis made his decisive turn towards Christian faith while walking with J.R.R. Tolkien along Addison’s Walk in Oxford. The two friends would go on to explore together paths that led beyond this world and into the realms of imagination which have enchanted and inspired readers for generations. Join us as we trace both their literal steps in Oxford, and their literary steps into other worlds.
C.S. Lewis has opened paths for millions of readers and listeners toward the things of God. He propels children through a fur-filled wardrobe onto a snowy path in Narnia’s woods, introducing them to a glorious, Christ-figured lion. He leads science fiction readers through golden realms to distant planets, opening their eyes to the beauty of space and the realm of the spiritual. During World War II, his broadcast talks gathered families around radios to hear him build bridges from fear to faith. Having experienced from a young age the intense yearning for the transcendent—which he labeled Joy—Lewis invites others to follow him on the path to salvation along which the yearning impelled him.
J.R.R. Tolkien’s stories, likewise, have enchanted generations of readers, and have reached millions more through film adaptations. But Tolkien’s serious theological intent in writing these tales has often gone overlooked. We will explore together how profoundly Christian Tolkien’s stories are, with a particular emphasis on the connection between what he is doing in his fantasy works and the apocalyptic portions of Scripture (particularly the Book of Revelation). We will see the critical importance of creative communication in the proclamation of the gospel to the world as we see Tolkien, like Lewis, invite readers towards the heavenly realms through story.
We hope you’ll join us as we learn more about the friendship between Tolkien and Lewis and the Oxford environment that shaped the development of their imaginative worlds—and explore how walking with them might light our own paths “further up and further in” to otherwise unseen realities.
Some Details:
The group will stay at The Vines, a wonderful large country house only one mile from Oxford city center. Our daily rhythms will include talks by our faculty and other experts, group meals and discussion, directed spiritual reflection, and visiting relevant sites like: Lewis’s home, church, and grave site, St. Mary’s church, the Bodleian Library, Merton College, Magdalen College, and Addison’s Walk. Optional activities will include boating on the Cherwell River, choral Evensong at various college chapels, and visiting the Ashmolean Museum, the Botanic Garden, Christ Church College, and other historic and cultural sites.
Faculty Leaders:
Dr. Gwenfair Walters Adams has roamed Narnia since early childhood. She speaks, writes, and teaches on C.S. Lewis, including the C.S. Lewis’s Life, Works, and Spirituality course. As a medievalist, she shares Lewis’s love for the Middle Ages and is the author of Visions in Late Medieval England: Lay Spirituality and Sacred Glimpses of the Hidden Worlds of Faith.
* Notes about the cost:
– There may be minor adjustments to the cost based on the final number of participants.
– Includes: 8 nights housing at The Vines, breakfast & lunch daily, most dinners, entrance fees for all tour related sites and some optional activities, and special guest lectures. Cost is for double-occupancy. Single-occupancy may be available for an additional fee depending upon space.
– Flights are not included and participants are responsible to purchase their own tickets. More information about travel arrangements will be provided after application.
