Communitas 11.28.17


In “Image and Pilgrimage in Christian Culture,” Turner describes the idea of communitas and Buber’s ‘I-thou.’ This is profound and began to stir my thoughts. I think America has lost sight of the idea of a pilgrimage. Our nation was founded on a pilgrimage. When the British broke away due to religious freedom,  they set out on a pilgrimage. They endured lots of heartache and sadness. At this time, the idea of a pilgrimage was not anything new. Today, we lack the desire for pilgrimage. Only a handful of people actually quench their desire for adventure and journey. In “Image and Pilgrimage in Christian Culture,” Turner provides a picture of a pilgrim having to enter a rite-of-passage. She argues that it is followed by a “liminal” or in between. She says communitas is the unity you feel  once you have entered into the space. I believe I have felt this sort of community, but I believe there is something different about going on a pilgrimage and feeling communitas.

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