Image and Pilgrimage in Christian Culture

In the fifth chapter of Image and Pilgrimage in Christian Culture we read about the High Middle Ages pilgrimages as well as the modern or post-Napoleonic pilgrimages. We see that these era of pilgrimages are similar in many aspects, but lay separated by the industrial revolution. Despite the presence of apparitions, visions, and dreams, these “special graces” granted by God for the good of others have seen a rampant decline since Vatican II. Victor and Edith Turner posited that this decline is partially due to the rationalized industry, bureaucracy, and, I quote, the “cult of every technical excellence.” With these structural progressions they’ve speculated an antistructure has been sustained. This antistructure is the aspiration toward the irrational, the miraculous, the nontechnical. It is fascinating how the Turner duo spotted out this structure and antistructure and even predicted their implications back in the late 1970s. They saw that the consequences increased the pervasive sense of anxiety, and fosters tendencies to become dependent on powerful and benevolent figures (like charisma, communitas, and healing). Almost 30 years later this prediction seems to be accurate as people have turned to guidance in the antistructure of Church structure (mainly being government or other advances).