Robert Lannes: Image and Pilgrimage in Christian Culture Post #1

     Before taking this course, or reading Victor and Edith Turner's, "Image and Pilgrimage in Christian Culture," I really had no idea what a modern day pilgrim was.  What I imagined in my head was the pilgrims that came over on the may flower, wearing hats with buckles on them, eating corn and turkey with the Indians.  After reading the beginning of the book, my opinion quickly changed.  Pilgrimage has been around for quite some time, and took off at the emergence of the major historical religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.  Yet the modern pilgrim doesn't have to be on a spiritual mandate, they may be on it strictly for the journey of the liminoid phenomenon.  This limenal experience that they experience, is something completely different than what they experience in their day to day lives.  This can be used as a method of finding ones self, and connecting to nature.  Liminality is a transition, and potentiality.  I personally don't have any experience with pilgrimage, but the pastor of my church back home, Lon Solomon, goes on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land every year with whoever would like to come with him.  This is something that I would consider doing sometime in my future.