Centre gives a spiritual view on Edinburgh’s development as a city
Those interested in learning about Edinburgh’s world impacting Christian heritage will again get a chance to do so by visiting the Christian Heritage Centre which reopens in June in St Columba’s Free Church next to Edinburgh Castle.
The Heritage Centre, according to its founder Paul James Griffiths, is ‘a bridge to communicate how God used His people to transform society in many areas, from modern democracy and law, to education, social reforms, science, medicine and the arts. It is educational in that it is a vehicle for passing on this information to churches, educational systems and the general population. It is evangelistic in that through this means we can share the gospel of Christ to multitudes of people. It is prophetic in that it is a voice to governments in a time of cultural crisis in Western civilisation.’
The Centre runs out of St Columba’s Free Church, next to the Royal Mile, using a variety of media such as presentations, exhibitions and literature. An impressive 100,000 people have been inside since it opened in 2009.
Visitors can browse exhibitions about the spiritual history of the Royal Mile and Edinburgh, with a particular emphasis on Christian history. Videos and exhibition texts are available in over a dozen languages.
Visitors can browse exhibitions about the spiritual history of the Royal Mile and Edinburgh, with a particular emphasis on Christian history. Videos and exhibition texts are available in over a dozen languages.
The Heritage Centre, according to its founder Paul James Griffiths, is ‘a bridge to communicate how God used His people to transform society in many areas, from modern democracy and law, to education, social reforms, science, medicine and the arts. It is educational in that it is a vehicle for passing on this information to churches, educational systems and the general population. It is evangelistic in that through this means we can share the gospel of Christ to multitudes of people. It is prophetic in that it is a voice to governments in a time of cultural crisis in Western civilisation.’
The Centre runs out of St Columba’s Free Church, next to the Royal Mile, using a variety of media such as presentations, exhibitions and literature. An impressive 100,000 people have been inside since it opened in 2009.
Visitors can browse exhibitions about the spiritual history of the Royal Mile and Edinburgh, with a particular emphasis on Christian history. Videos and exhibition texts are available in over a dozen languages.
Visitors can browse exhibitions about the spiritual history of the Royal Mile and Edinburgh, with a particular emphasis on Christian history. Videos and exhibition texts are available in over a dozen languages.
The tour first appeared in 2004, when Paul and his wife moved to Edinburgh from England.He noticed that although there were many walking tours throughout the city, there were none focusing on the city’s Christian history.
“When I looked at the Old Town and you go around and you begin to dig and find out the Christian history that changed not just Scotland but the world – its education and its democratic rights process and its science and medicine and healthcare, social reforms, I thought, ‘Wow, I’ve landed in the right place.’
“When I looked at the Old Town and you go around and you begin to dig and find out the Christian history that changed not just Scotland but the world – its education and its democratic rights process and its science and medicine and healthcare, social reforms, I thought, ‘Wow, I’ve landed in the right place.’
Paul was drawn to a verse in the book of Genesis 26:18; ‘And Isaac dug again the wells of water which they had dug in the days of Abraham his father, for the Philistines had stopped them up after the death of Abraham.’ He believes that in the past God raised up many godly people in Edinburgh who dug wells of God’s rich blessings in the city that have flowed out to the world. The church used to tell the story of what God had done in Scotland through great Christian men and women of history. But in recent generations the church has not been so good at telling this story. Other people, in a sense, blocked up the wells of knowledge and are telling another version of history, that doesn’t show the influence of Christianity. Paul realised that his job was to unblock the wells and tell the truth of what Christianity has done for Edinburgh, Scotland and indeed the world.
Bookings for the tours and more information about the Christian Heritage Centre can be found on their website www.christianheritageedinburgh.org.uk .
Bookings for the tours and more information about the Christian Heritage Centre can be found on their website www.christianheritageedinburgh.org.uk .
