Courtney Botkin: Image and Pilgrimage, Blog #3 Changing Pilgrimage

Blog #3

The Changing Face of Pilgrimage

Image and Pilgrimage in Christian Culture

In this blog, I will be talking about how the meaning of pilgrimage changed throughout history by adapting to its culture. As the society is changing, pilgrimage gets combined with both traditional values as well as changing elements. It is evident that pilgrimage has a strong historical background throughout the years though, because it is sometimes required in some religions and encouraged in some. Some factors that have notoriously affected pilgrimages and people’s ability to take part are social, economic, political, and religious components. Ross indicates that a change within religions has occurred from “a culture of obligation or duty” to “culture of consumption.” This has made it so less and less people go on pilgrimages for they believe it is not their duty but they have the choice whether they want to or not. Ross also notes that across the nations patterns for religious practice are rapidly changing since even the first publishing of this book. Another aspect of the changing term of pilgrimage is the difference between a pilgrim and a tourist. The Turners note, “A tourist is half a pilgrim, if a pilgrim is half a tourist.” The definitions have shaped to be more of a gray area instead of the used to be black and white distinction between the two.

            I believe that pilgrims are or once could have been tourists, who were inspired to rediscover or connect to what to something. This is going to be different for different people, but could be narrowed down to a religion or an idea for most. Tourists do not necessarily have to be pilgrims, because they may just travel somewhere to see family and happen to go sight-seeing for the day hoping to encounter some beautiful scenery. They could never think twice about it, because they were not there to encompass the monument, but simply to enjoy it. In a pilgrimage, I believe that there would be more internal forces or motives for wanted to visit this the sight and capture the emotional relationship encountered through the trip and existence of the monument.