The Accidental Pilgrim: Modern Journeys on Ancient Pathways

by Maggi Dawn

Pilgrimage has been an important practice for Christians since the fourth century, but for many people these days it is no more than a relic of church history, utterly irrelevant to their lives. In THE ACCIDENTAL PILGRIM author and theologian Maggi Dawn shares her own gradual discovery of what it means to be a pilgrim, and suggests ways in which we can rediscover this ancient spiritual discipline in our global, twenty-first century world.
Study trips to the Holy Land, frustrated pilgrimages as a young mother and internal journeys of soul all feature in this beautiful and inspiring memoir. Exploring both the past and the present of pilgrimage, it is a compelling invitation to all on the journey of faith.

Genres: Nonfiction, Christianity

151 pages, Hardcover

First published July 21, 2011

Reviews

[Emma Wilburn]

Really enjoyed this quick and inspiring read gifted to me by Wyoming! Fun balance of theology, history, personal experience, and questions to ponder.

[Kristina Gibson]

Hard to rate this book - it’s a short meditation on pilgrimage but the author herself due to medical and other reasons didn’t manage to physically go on pilgrimage. However, some of the thoughts on interior and spiritual journeys are insightful. She has an interesting section on visiting Israel and the history of pilgrimage as a religious practice.

[Dieuwke Haverlach]

Moet ik absoluut nog een tweede keer lezen om alle mooie levenslessen eruit te halen! Prachtig boek, fijn geschreven.

[Jenny Esots]

I don't give out 5 star reviews lightly.
Maggi Dawn intersects her faith, the bible, her life and loves in this very readable memoir on travelling as a pilgrim on her way around some of the most well trodden pilgrim places. Starting with Jerusalem.
Her reflections are not highly academic (a blessing) from a highly articulate and academic person. She has a sense of humour and gets upset about getting lost. But is reminded now and then that this can be a good thing. Which is good news for me!
Why people choose to take pilgrimages is discussed and those who oppose them. Maggi is not out to promote one way over another. Her pilgrimage take place at different stages of her life. By pushchair (or stroller as we would call them) - with child in tow. Later by armchair as illness takes its toll.
The author has a wealth of knowledge as a scholar of the bible. But in relating any stories she is always delightfully down to earth.
Quite a short book but well worth reading for the many insights on the rhythm of life and finding God in the 'thin places' and as an accidental pilgrim.

[Charlotte]

This is a beautifully written, quiet exploration of pilgrimage. In a very Anglican way, Dawn draws together historical, literary, and spiritual understandings to speak to our own modern experiences of seeking and being found by the Holy. I caught my breath at several perfectly turned sentences. They crept up out of what felt like a simple travel narrative, surprising me with their depth, vision, and truth. I'm already planning to revisit those passages again soon!

I expect this book will not resonate with everyone. It's a definite 5 star book for me, though.

[Milton Brasher-Cunningham]

The word pilgrimage gets used a lot these days--without a consistent definition. Maggi Dawn turns the word as if it were a jewel, offering views of its different facets, from church history to present day, from hiking ancient trails to following an inward path. Her insights serve, like the yellow arrows painted on stones along the Camino de Santiago, as gentle directions on our shared journey of life and faith.

[Paul Cartwright]

I liked this, a lot. Simple to read and understand. Helped me think on my own experiences and Christian journey.

[Jim]

Maggi Dawn’s book, The Accidental Pilgrim. It’s the first one of Maggi’s I’ve read, so I can’t compare it with her (only?) other one, The Writing On The Wall (now added to my Christmas list). I’m often quite a slow reader but once I started The Accidental Pilgrim I went through it quite quickly, having bought it at the Greenbelt festival on a promotional offer, without which I probably wouldn’t have picked it up and flicked through it.

I found the Accidental Pilgrim to be written in a warm and friendly way that engages the reader whilst giving pause for thought and reflection.

The first section, Accidental Pilgrim, drew me in most, maybe because it’s the section I could most see myself in, if I were to get the opportunity to travel to the Holy Land. I didn’t find quite the same empathy with Pushchair Pilgrim, or Armchair Pilgrim I think because I don’t have children and have always been blessed with good health.

I did nevertheless find both Pushchair Pilgrim & Armchair Pilgrim engaging to read holding my attention. I regret to say, however, that before reading Pushchair Pilgrim, I might have been one of those who would have said “You can’t go on a pilgrimage with a baby”. I was wrong.

Armchair Pilgrim has some wonderful little nuggets in it, but a couple of lines in particular I have remembered although I’m only going to quote the first one:

“First, being a pilgrim isn’t necessarily about being active.”
The other follows on directly but if you want to know what it says, you’ll have to read the book.

[Maria Longley]

Three sections of this book cover three types of pilgrimage. The first is a study trip to Jerusalem and the surrounds as a theological student, which, despite herself, turns into a pilgrimage. The second is navigating the "you can'ts" and finding ways to visit pilgrimage spots with a toddler in a pushchair. And the third is a plan to walk along the Camino de Santiago getting derailed by illness and resulting in a virtual armchair pilgrimage through reading others accounts of the journey. So it's a book about what is and isn't pilgrimage and engaging with the concept and its history in her life.

I was interested that in the armchair section something Maggi Dawn took away from her reading was how people shed weight along the path. All the things that were initially deemed vital slowly loosing their importance and the need to lighten the load. And that this translated to her home as well as she shuffled around her house seeing accumulated things and slowly made piles of things to get rid of and by the end of the summer had given away enough to also get rid of two cupboards.

[Fiona]

I am increasingly inspired by the idea of pilgrimage, and I've followed Maggi Dawn online for a little while, so when I spotted this slim book in the library, I took it out.
It's an interesting introduction to some of the underlying ideas about pilgrimage through the ages, and in particular how a modern day woman (mother and vicar and scholar) took that same concept and applied it to her own life. Her writing is very readable and at moments very lovely.

[Neil Hollow]

I enjoyed the book. One of the conclusions I got from it was you don't need to fly off on a high carbon trip to be a pilgrim. Life is a pilgrimage. There was also some stuff about simplifying your life materialism wise, which we are trying to do. I think Maggie has had a hard life though and that a lot of stuff was going on in the background which she felt she couldn't put in.

[Holly]

Enjoyed this...only for people with a spiritual/religious bent obviously, but was an interesting insight into pilgimage,mbut its not a travelogue of particular pilgrimage paths, more a reflection on what it 'means' to be a pilgrim.

[Lynne]

This was a light read but with lots of interesting ideas and connections to pursue more deeply. Plenty on Jerusalem and Israel/Palestine and the Camino to Santiago de Compostela - also some useful reflections on life as journey.

[Alicia]

Thoroughly enjoyed this reflection on Pilgrimage. Magi Dawn offers challenging and thoughtful ideas on what a pilgrimage can be.

[Naomi]

An interesting overview from a personal point of view. Very readable.

[Emily]

a book with antonyms in the title