Religious Journeys

Stories of religious journeys can be found in all cultures of the world. Often inspired by a desire to explain human existence, they have taken the form of cosmological and historical accounts as well as literary works in epic poetry and allegory. A central motif in many religious stories is the pilgrimage, via which devotees journey to a sacred mountain or site, such as Mt Fuji, a great cathedral or temple, or the birthplace of a saint. Epic poems such as Paradise Lost and the Ramayana have elevated religious journeys to canonical status, while allegorical tales such as The Pilgrim’s Progress have sought to help people understand the ways of God and the world ‘which is to come’.