Proposing Pilgrimage as a Significant Component of Contemporary Religious Education

ABSTRACT This article proposes a reexamination of the concept of pilgrimage as a means of personal transformation, with the aim of incorporating it as a fundamental component of religious education. To undertake this endeavor, it is first necessary to initiate an examination of the contemporary understanding of spirituality, as well as the biblical and theological perspectives within Christianity regarding pilgrimage. This analysis is followed by a presentation of the sociocultural context of pilgrimage, which is supported by a historical background. In addition, the present study will examine the distinctions between tourists and pilgrims, thereby addressing the significant issue of identity formation and the quest for meaning. The ultimate objective of the analyses is to renew and systematize the spiritual aspects of pilgrimage, presenting valuable ways of integrating pilgrimage and its spiritual dimensions into contemporary religious education. In the final section of this study, three examples are provided to illustrate the points discussed.