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Pilgrimage and Travel
Although less common in evangelical culture than in Eastern spirituality, travel and pilgrimage are faith-deepening tools and significant expressions of Sabbath for many contemporary Christians. The natural destination for the Christian traveler—and all Abrahamic pilgrims—is the Holy Land, but other sites and experiences have also become destinations for spiritual development: the “thin places” of Celtic Ireland, the Taizé community of Northern France, National Parks, megachurches, short term missions trips, even theme parks such as The Holy Land Experience in Orlando, Florida. Often the greatest benefit of spiritual travel is a rediscovery of place and a renewed interest in finding God in the spaces we inhabit.
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News
Easter Pilgrimage Bus Crash Shocks Botswana’s Christian Community
Leaders extend prayers and lament road safety after 45 were killed on the way to Zion Christian Church in South Africa.
News
Er wordt weer gebeden in de eeuwenoude rotskerken van Petra
Ad Deir, ‘het klooster’, is het grootste monument van Petra. Oorspronkelijk waarschijnlijk een tempel voor een Nabatese koning; wanneer het een kerk is geworden, is niet bekend.
News
Petra Means Rock Churches: Jordan Permits Site’s First Prayers in 1,400 Years
Religious tourism initiative at ancient city recalls Moab, Byzantium, and Arab tribal Christianity, amid speculation on Paul’s possible first missionary journey.
Flashes of Glory—and Brutality
A conversation with artist Kieran Dodds and academic Christian Gonzalez Ho on their new exhibit, ancient pilgrimage sites, and the church of the future.
News
Wanted: More Christians to Dig in Israel
New tourism initiatives recruit vacationers to volunteer for archaeological excavations.
News
Passion Rekindled: Oberammergau Easter Play Returns with Great Joy
Tourists and pilgrims flock to German village as 1,800 local actors prepare to take the stage after pandemic interruption.
Review
Christians Can Learn from Muslims. But There Are Lines We Shouldn’t Cross.
One writer’s attempt to relate Islam to her faith yields some lessons along with some stumbles.
Our Pilgrimage Through Lent
A historian weighs in on how the medieval tradition can shape the days leading up to Easter.
Wire Story
Bethlehem’s Inns Are Empty This Christmas
Tourism to the biblical city celebrated as Jesus’ birthplace remains halted with West Bank under lockdown.
News
Cleared of Landmines for Easter, Jesus’ Baptism Site Now Closed by COVID-19
Chain reaction explosions clear path to the churches on Israel’s side of John the Baptist’s Jordan River ministry.