This year’s Bible Lands Study Tour focused on the seven churches of Revelation and the journeys of the apostle Paul—taking 24 Walla Walla University students through Turkey, Greece, and Rome.
The tour is a biennial opportunity for both academic and spiritual growth. As Carl Cosaert, dean of the School of Theology, said, “There’s no better way to learn about the Bible than by exploring the very places where its stories unfolded.”
Through three weeks of travel, students got to walk on the Sacred Way, visit the biblical city of Thyatira, sail to Patmos, tour the Roman Colosseum, and so much more. Audrey Bryan, sophomore history major, said one of her favorite experiences was reading about the apostle Paul’s missionary work in the Bible while simultaneously exploring the very places where he carried out the mission of Jesus.
Bryan had been encouraged to join the tour by a close friend and is glad to have listened. She said, “I gained so much more on this trip than I thought: friendships, spiritual growth, and the experience of new places.”
With the promise of eight credits of general studies religion and a rare adventure, Jonathan Schaffner, sophomore computer science major, also decided to join this year’s tour. He said, “During the trip, we saw so many fascinating ruins and talked a lot about the past and learned more about the context of how the books of the Bible were written, but not only that, we gained memories that would remain with us in the future.”
Schaffner’s favorite memory comes from the group’s first day in Rome, where he and 11 others used their afternoon to further explore the city. “On our way back, the world decided it was a good time to send rain, and it rained HARD.” They had no rain gear and a long walk, but Schaffner said, “it was very fun though, we enjoyed our time marching through the rain like it was nothing.”
This year, Cosaert and his wife Carol co-led the trip alongside John McVay, former WWU president, and his wife Pam. Though this was his eighth year as trip leader, Cosaert felt that every day brought new, unforgettable experiences.
One especially memorable moment came during the group’s return journey, when students gathered around a piano at the airport and spontaneously began singing hymns. “It was a beautiful and unplanned expression of the spiritual connection formed during this year’s trip,” said Cosaert.
To view the full 2025 Bible Lands Study Tour itinerary and to learn more about the School of Theology, visit wallawalla.edu/theology. For more pictures from the trip, follow the university’s Instagram @wallawallauniversity.
Posted Aug. 14, 2025
