Many faith traditions practice pilgrimages. They are more than just a physical journey from point A to point B.
Wikipedia defines a pilgrimage as “a journey to a holy place, which can lead to spiritual transformation.” It has been said that pilgrimages can be a bridge between the physical and the divine.
For many, visiting the Holy Land and seeing the places historically associated with Jesus’ life is their idea of a pilgrimage. People have been doing this since the 4th century.
Christians also take pilgrimages to the Camino de Santiago or the Isle of Iona. Traveling to Assisi and following in the steps of Francis is also popular. It is a requirement, as physically possible, for Muslims to make a pilgrimage to Mecca.
Some make pilgrimages to Graceland in Memphis. Hundreds of thousands of people travel there every year to see the mansion of Elvis Presley and to feel closer to Elvis and his music.
I make a yearly pilgrimage. It is the highlight of my year and an excellent opportunity for interaction with others.
I do not visit religious sites or Graceland. Instead, my pilgrimage is to Comic-Con International in San Diego, California.
Each year in mid-July, the doors of the San Diego Convention Center open to 130,000 people inside—and about as many outside. It is the largest pop culture gathering in the world, and it is where I find rejuvenation and spiritual fine-tuning.
There’s something about traveling from my home in Raleigh, North Carolina to San Diego that stirs me and gives me a shot in the arm like nothing else. Being in that space with all those people—and more importantly, with all those creators—gives me something I find nowhere else.
People often ask why a pastor would want to go to Comic-Con. They wonder, “Aren’t you supposed to stand foursquare against much of what Comic-Con stands for?”
Watching and reviewing movies has been a passion of mine since childhood. Comic-Con features many of the actors and creators behind those films.
The event also gives me space to consider and speak about where the church has not done a good job. In one of the first years I attended, a panel was held by comic book writer Mark Russell, who had recently published a book titled “God’s Disappointed in You.” With a title like that, I had to go.
Russell spoke about being raised in a conservative Christian family. Required to attend church, he gained much from the lessons and sermons he heard.
As an adult, he left the church, but the teachings stayed with him. He said when he went out with friends and the topic of the Bible came up, he was the expert—the one who corrected or commended others. If a Bible question was asked, then he had the answer.
When Russell finished and opened the floor for questions, I went to the microphone and introduced myself as the pastor of a Baptist church. I stated it was clear the church had harmed him and I offered an apology.
That’s something those of us in the church must do more often. Too many have been harmed by the church and we who inhabit it today must speak to that harm and offer healing and apology.
Once, at Comic-Con, I got to meet and shake hands with director Oliver Stone. He was walking the convention floor.
I approached him to express my admiration for his work. He thanked me and that moment has stayed with me ever since.
Comic-Con also offers early premieres of films. But seeing them first isn’t the best part.
The great thing is watching a movie with thousands of people who know the source material and understand what’s behind the film. I had that experience last year when I saw “Deadpool and Wolverine” with several thousand others.
To borrow a line from “The Blues Brothers,” I believe I am on a mission from God at Comic-Con. That mission is part of my calling—not just to attend Comic-Con, but to be a person of God there.
The late Walter Brueggemann wrote that “a sense of call in our time is profoundly countercultural.” Much of what I encounter at Comic-Con may be countercultural, but I’ve come to realize that my call to ministry includes those four days on pilgrimage to the mecca of all things pop culture.
- About the Author
- Latest Posts
Pastor of Temple Baptist Church in Raleigh, North Carolina. He is married and has two boys. His love is for movies, and he can be found in a theater most Fridays.
