July 11, 2016

Browsing Room, Knight Library

3:00 pm

Pilgrimage is an important ritual expression that exists within most religions of the world. For centuries Christian pilgrimage was relatively unchanged in its functions and ritual processes. However during the past decades modernity has had its impact on religion and influenced pilgrimage practices as well. This presentation explores how the popular rediscovery of the Camino to Santiago de Compostela and the reinvention of its pilgrimage traditions have led to a global proliferation of new ways of pilgrimaging; how has ‘unchurchisation’ resulted in new ‘secular’ pilgrimages that adhere to and expand upon traditional practices, and to what extent we may still speak of ‘Christian’ pilgrimage in this context?