Towards a theology of place.

It is time to return to the main thrust of these pages. A few days ago we were thinking about the different types of pilgrimage that are at work in Santiago Pilgrimage. I would like in this blog to amplify the theology of place a little more.

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As we have already seen, Helen, Constantine's Mother was in many ways the Mother of this type of pilgrimage when she went to the Holy sights in Jerusalem in the mid-forth century. It is interesting to note that about the same time an understanding about Icons was also developing. Although it does not seem so on the surface, there is a deep link between them. So let's examine the Icon above .

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As you may know it is by Rublev. He depicts the Trinity. Christ in the

centre ;the Spirit on the left and the Father on the right. They are

contained within a circle and at the bottom there is an opening in the

circle. This expresses that the relationship between them is all

encompassing,but that it is open to us. They are all clothed with blue,

the colour of heaven and another colour. This speaks of the different

characteristics of each person. The Father has a sumptuous robe of

gold~The Glory of the Father. The Spirit has green the colour of

new growth and the Son has brown, the hue of the earth as depiction

of his humanity. Before them is a shared dish representing the

hospitality shown by each to each of that which is also a common

possession to them.

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So that is what it is saying, what about the question, what is it?

Is it just an interesting picture or is it an idol, a false God made

by human hands.? It is neither of these things. A better way to

think about it is as a window through which we look to see what

is happening now. In the case of a Saints Icon for example, they

are not in the cold earth but in heaven. At this moment they

are enjoying the life of heaven and we are allowed to see them

as they are now. A sort of static heaven TV. As we pray we

engage with them, not only as they are now but also with all

their history, we are encountering the totality of their present

being. In this engagement there is a two way flow. We see them

through the window of the picture and prayer and they sent us

help and the grace of our Lord Jesus as they have experienced it.

It is a total person to person engagement.

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A Holy place is like Icon. In the case of Santiago it is the Icon

of St James. A place where we can engage

with him as he was and as he is. So the Pilgrim Mass is

an expression( all be it a pale Shadow ) of the heavenly

banquet and our arrival in heaven. The hugging of the Saint

is more than a wooden statue, it is a hugging of a real man as

one would greet a close friend. The picture can be added to,

but I think that you get the idea.

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There is a process of engagement that is subjective

within the pilgrim. This is where a limiting can happen. If the

Cathedral is taken within the narrow confines of a material

human encounter, then it is just Words and Architecture.

I do not go deeper, because I do not have the eyes of Faith

to go deeper. If I look deeper, then I am able to go deeper.

The hymn writer George Herbert, drawing on St Paul's

writings and St James' epistle ( Bishop of Jerusalem,

brother of our Lord, not Santiago) in his hymn ;

'Teach me my God and king';

has these words that sum up this idea :-

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The man that looks on glass,

on it may stay his eye,

but if it pleaseth, through it pass

and there the heaven espy.

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So a theology of place has within it the deliberate placing

of oneself in proximity to a sacred site.This is not only

a reccy of where such and such happened, but an active

engagement with the subject of that site( In the case of

Santiago, with St James.)It is a here and now encounter

with, who they were, what they did and what they have

become,their present reality that communicates the grace

that they have and are receiving in such a way that we are

able to participate in their experience of Christ.