Image and Pilgrimage in Christian Culture #1

There are three types of communitas: Spontaneous existential, normative, and ideological communitas. From the hiker experiences we have discussed in class, it seems as if spontaneous, existential communitas is most common out on the trail. These people do not seek communitas, they experience it through human interaction and bonding. Ideological communitas also seems present out on the trail for most hikers. Individuals who hike often gain familiarity with the trail and are able to readily recall the sense of communitas.

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