Beyond Belief

Pilgrimage


Listen Later

Every year more than 100 million people around the world go on pilgrimage, the biggest mass migration of people on the planet. Two and a half million Muslims visited Mecca for last year's Hajj and over 600,000 visited Graceland to worship at the shrine of Elvis Presley. Tourist companies specialising in pilgrimage tours are expanding - it's big business. Ernie & his guests discuss whether there is something in the human psyche which seeks fulfilment from a physical journey, but one that has a spiritual motive, and also consider the growing phenomenon of cyber pilgrimage. Can a "virtual" journey in any way be seen as comparable?

Joining Ernie Rea to discuss pilgrimage are Dr Marion Bowman, Head of the Department of Religious Studies at the Open University; Martin Palmer, Secretary General of the Alliance of Religions & Conservation, and Connie Hill-Smith who is writing her doctoral thesis on cyber pilgrimage at the University of Wales, Trinity & St. David's.

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Beyond BeliefBy BBC Radio 4

  • 4.4
  • 4.4
  • 4.4
  • 4.4
  • 4.4

4.4

97 ratings


More shows like Beyond Belief

View all
Global News Podcast by BBC World Service

Global News Podcast

7,588 Listeners

From Our Own Correspondent by BBC Radio 4

From Our Own Correspondent

376 Listeners

Newshour by BBC World Service

Newshour

1,049 Listeners

In Our Time by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time

5,470 Listeners

In Our Time: History by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time: History

1,880 Listeners

In Our Time: Culture by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time: Culture

614 Listeners

In Our Time: Science by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time: Science

730 Listeners

Arts & Ideas by BBC Radio 4

Arts & Ideas

301 Listeners

6 Minute English by BBC Radio

6 Minute English

1,758 Listeners

Learning English Conversations by BBC Radio

Learning English Conversations

1,043 Listeners

Friday Night Comedy from BBC Radio 4 by BBC Radio 4

Friday Night Comedy from BBC Radio 4

2,118 Listeners

Great Lives by BBC Radio 4

Great Lives

480 Listeners

Profile by BBC Radio 4

Profile

106 Listeners

Thinking Allowed by BBC Radio 4

Thinking Allowed

297 Listeners

Moral Maze by BBC Radio 4

Moral Maze

72 Listeners

The Audio Long Read by The Guardian

The Audio Long Read

852 Listeners

Front Row by BBC Radio 4

Front Row

135 Listeners

Start the Week by BBC Radio 4

Start the Week

159 Listeners

The Briefing Room by BBC Radio 4

The Briefing Room

81 Listeners

You're Dead to Me by BBC Radio 4

You're Dead to Me

3,180 Listeners

Cyber Hack by BBC World Service

Cyber Hack

1,632 Listeners

This Cultural Life by BBC Radio 4

This Cultural Life

80 Listeners