Pilgrimage. - Simon COLEMAN and John ELSNER
Past and Present in the World Religions
KORTE INHOUD
Pilgrimage is a feature of all the world religions. From the Great Panathenaea of ancient Greece to the hajj of today, people of all religions and cultures have made sacred journeys to confirm their faith and their part in a larger identity. This book is a fascinating guide through the vast and varied cultural territory such piilgrimages have covered across the ages.
It examines the multiple forms pilgrimages has taken over its long history, looking at it both as a physical journey through time and space, and as a metaphor for the pilgrim's search for his of her religious identity. The act of pilgrimage may entail a ritual transformation of the pilgrim's inner state or outer status; it may be a quest for a transcendent goal; it may involve the healing of a physical or spiritual ailment. The authors look also at the different practices of the different faiths and ask whether these can be meaningfully compared, Hindus at Benares, Buddhists at Bodhgaya, Muslims at Mecca circumambulate sacred shrines, and H...
It examines the multiple forms pilgrimages has taken over its long history, looking at it both as a physical journey through time and space, and as a metaphor for the pilgrim's search for his of her religious identity. The act of pilgrimage may entail a ritual transformation of the pilgrim's inner state or outer status; it may be a quest for a transcendent goal; it may involve the healing of a physical or spiritual ailment. The authors look also at the different practices of the different faiths and ask whether these can be meaningfully compared, Hindus at Benares, Buddhists at Bodhgaya, Muslims at Mecca circumambulate sacred shrines, and H...
