The long road to heaven

A University of St Andrews theology lecturer will preach live to the nation from one of the world’s most famous Christian shrines later this month.

The Rev Ian Bradley from the School of Divinity is heading to Santiago de Compostela as guest preacher and pilgrimage expert for a BBC Radio 4 programme.

Dr Bradley will be preaching live in the daily worship slot on Wednesday 22 September. He will then broadcast the Sunday worship slot live from the Baroque magnificence of Santiago Cathedral where he will reflect on the spiritual dimension of pilgrimage and the motives and aspirations of thousands of pilgrims over the ages.

Santiago de Compostela, in north west Spain, is the most popular Christian shrine after Jerusalem and Rome.

At St Andrews, Dr Bradley teaches and publishes in the areas of contemporary British Christianity, Celtic Christianity, worship, hymnody and pastoral care.

Dr Bradley said, “I am delighted and honoured to have been asked by the BBC to join this special Radio 4 pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela and look forward very much to reflecting on the theme of pilgrimage in live broadcast acts of worship along the way. St Andrews is very much like Santiago in terms of being one of the great medieval pilgrimage centres of the world. As someone who is involved in the current project to re- establish St Andrews as a centre for pilgrims and seekers, I look forward enormously to being able to walk a new pilgrim way and be able to share my thoughts and reflections with radio listeners”.

ENDS

Issued by Beattie Media On behalf of the University of St Andrews For more information, please contact Claire Grainger, Press Officer – 01334 462530, 07730 415 015 or [email protected]; Ref: press releases/bradley View the latest University news at http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk