Pilgrimage as Spiritual Practice
A Handbook for Teachers, Wayfarers, and Guides
- Prayer & Spiritual Formation
- Publisher: Fortress Press (Augsburg Fortress)
- Published: 2022
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Publisher's Description
The ancient practice of pilgrimage has become increasingly popular in recent decades, in both traditional and new forms. Pilgrimage also provides fertile space for teaching. Especially with this latter development in mind, Pilgrimage as Spiritual Practice brings together original essays that offer useful resources for teachers and guides who lead groups in both academic and non-academic settings. The central aim of this volume is to provide a curated handbook of resources to aid the study and practice of pilgrimage for pilgrimage leaders and pilgrims. Contributions to the volume were created based on the premise that pilgrimage is a spiritual practice and that those who engage in pilgrimage do so as whole persons and thus will be challenged physically, emotionally, intellectually, and spiritually. The volume has two parts with six chapters each. The first part examines methods, key texts, and concepts. These chapters provide various entry points into the pilgrimage phenomenon: philosophy, theology, anthropology, psychology, medieval literature, art history. Though these chapters will focus on method and concept, they will make use of examples taken from concrete experience. The second part of the volume addresses specific practices, contexts, and phenomena: the Camino de Santiago, pilgrimage in Islam and Christianity, pilgrimage in India, pilgrimage in East Asia (Shikoku), pilgrimage in the wilderness, and urban pilgrimage.
Endorsements (6)
“Pilgrimage studies benefits from having no one academic lens controlling the conversation. There are still awkward silences when we try to address the diverse forms of spirituality that modern pilgrims long to sample. At last, we have a book by and for educators attuned to the deep longings of world travelers on sacred treks. There is consolation in the journey, a feeling of being at home in your body, in the natural world, and in your soul. This book maps freshly marked trails that bend toward transcendence.”
“Wayfarers of the world will delight in this new volume, which examines spiritual journeys in multiple settings and from multiple perspectives. Academics, theologians, and practitioners guide the reader and lay pilgrim on their travels of transcendence—for example, a member of the society of Jesus embarks on a Sufi pilgrimage in Senegal. Worth special mention in the handbook are the discussion guides and notes for further reading, which will be invaluable as the readers embark on their own journeys of transformation.”
“From Senegal to Santiago, from physical training to phenomenology, this collection of essays for teachers of pilgrimage and wayfarers is as rich and varied as the landscapes and practices it explores. Bloechl and Brouillette have assembled a global list of pilgrimage scholars and wayfarers. Asceticism, art, and Ignatian spirituality share the way with practical tips on pedagogy to make this an essential collection for the teacher and pilgrimage guide.”
“This is one of the best books on modern pilgrimage to be written in a long time. The chapters in this book highlight the pilgrim, the guide, and the teacher as the key actors in the creation of the pilgrimage experience. This volume serves as a valuable resource for those interested in both the pilgrim experience as well as the role of teachers and guides that facilitate this activity.”
Dr. Daniel H. Olsen
“Indubitably, Pilgrimage as Spiritual Practice offers a fascinating set of essays to deepen our understanding of the theory and practice of pilgrimage. With their holistic perspective in mind, editors André Brouillette and Jeffrey Bloechl seek— and provide—answers to such ponderous questions as, ‘How can teachers allow the experiences of others to inform their students’ pilgrimage paths?’ The annotated bibliographical sources and the questions for further reflection make this book essential reading and contribute mightily to its overall usefulness.”
“At the heart of Pilgrimage as Spiritual Practice is a marvelous idea: a gathering together of scholarly, personal, and practical reflections on pilgrimage. The chapters are beautifully written, accessible accounts that range across academic disciplines and religious traditions. This volume will be a vital resource for pilgrims of all levels of experience.”
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