Investigating the Changes in the Meaning of Pilgrimage in Modern Theology (Based on the Concept of Holiness)

Document Type : Scientific-research

Author

Department of Religions and Mysticism, Faculty of Theology, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

Pilgrimage is one of the concepts that has found new examples in the modern era. Tombs of artistic figures, war memorials, and unique media scenes are among the pilgrimage sites of the modern era. In this article, using a descriptive-analytical method, the semantic evolution of the concept of pilgrimage in the modern era has been investigated with regard to the concept of sanctity and the theological foundations of this era. According to the findings of this research, in the concept of pilgrimage in the modern era compared to the pre-modern era, there has been no specification or expansion but a semantic change. Accordingly, in traditional theology, sanctity was an intra-religious matter formed solely through a relationship with God. However, in the modern era, sanctity has become not about Divine revelation but a constructive, extra-religious concept that requires no religious affiliation. This conceptual evolution of pilgrimage is derived from some of the foundations of modern theology, including the emphasis on the interiority of God, extreme rationalism, individualism, religious experience, and humanism.

Keywords


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