American Pilgrimage: Sacred Journeys and Spiritual Destinations [Paperback]

Mark Ogilbee (Author), Jana Riess (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 2006

Americans love to travel, many for vacation and pleasure. Others, however, travel to seek a connection with the spiritual in a particular place; they are on pilgrimage. Although America does not have the wealth of ancient and famous spiritual centers that you'll find in the Holy Land, Europe, or in some other parts of the world, the United States does have vital centers of pilgrimage---with a uniquely American flavor.



In this book, readers will learn the ins and outs of these distinctively American places of spiritual meaning and purpose. Readers will discover everything from a traditional walking pilgrimage to a small adobe chapel in Chimayo, New Mexico, prayers offered at the Shrine of St. Jude in Chicago, jam-packed football stadiums at a Billy Graham Crusade (a pilgrimage that travels to you), Benedictine retreat centers, and other, more uniquely American places such as Graceland and San Juan Capistrano, California. This unique guide explores where, how, and why Americans set out to find the holy in the spiritual landscape that is their own backyard.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Riess, author of The Spiritual Traveler and PW's religion book review editor, and writer/editor Ogilbee reveal 11 American hot spots for the spiritually inclined, organized into four themes: healing, hospitality, boundary-crossing and modern "saint" devotionals. From the start, the authors distinguish the tourist—bound for fixed locales—from the pilgrim, who plunges into new environs "both external and internal" in the search for self-discovery. The authors' cross-country excursions yield colorful descriptions and keen observations of sites like El Santuario de Chimayo in New Mexico, where a humble hole in the ground purportedly bears restorative mud; the shrine of St. Jude, patron saint of hopeless causes, in working-class Chicago; a youthful, vivacious Community of Jesus in Cape Cod; and, of course, Graceland, the quintessential American pilgrimage for throngs of "Presleyterians." With discerning insight, the authors consider what makes their selections uniquely American, beyond physical location: each reflects the "porousness" and flexibility of the country's faith, which embraces an array of rituals, folklore and mysticism that spring from not only traditional religion, but also more secular spirituality and the rhythms of nature. Riess and Ogilbee wisely recognize that the psychology of taking the journey figures as much as the destination, affirming, "Pilgrimage tells us that God is everywhere." (June)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

This slim, entertaining volume makes clear that some pilgrimages are private, others a communal experience. Some involve distant travel, but as many can transpire in the backyard. Ogilbee and Riess describe pilgrimage as journeying devoted to "reflecting, and spending time in greater spiritual awareness" on the part of "boundary-crossers." The pilgrimages they describe are uniquely American in that, according to them, American religious experience essentially is porous and flexible. Thus, non-Catholics pray at Catholic sites like the National Shrine of St. Jude in Chicago (their example), Christians follow the teachings of Buddhists such as Thich Nhat Hanh, and people from all walks of life and religious faiths walk with nonbelievers to a sanctuary in Chimayo, New Mexico, on Good Friday in search of restoration of body and spirit. Other sites visited include the Abbey of Gethsemani in Kentucky; Mission San Juan Capistrano in California; the red rock country of Sedona, Arizona; and even Elvis Presley's Graceland in Tennessee. Those drawn to armchair travel laced with spirituality will savor this modest book. June Sawyers
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Paperback: 207 pages
• Publisher: Paraclete Press (June 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1557254478
• ISBN-13: 978-1557254474
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #465,127 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

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0 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars American Pilgrimage: Sacred Journeys and Spiritual Destinations, December 28, 2009

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Greenville National Bank "Karen Ullom" (Greenville, OH) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: American Pilgrimage: Sacred Journeys and Spiritual Destinations (Paperback)

I have not yet read this book, but I have heard good things said about it. Will get to read it soon. Thank you.


Karen Kay Ullom