Religious Tourist Attractions and Ecological Concerns in the Italian Dolomites: The Case of the Trekking of the Thinking Christ

Rech, Giovanna

doi:10.3390/su142416331

Cited by 1 publication

(1 citation statement)

References 60 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…In the Italian case, the contestation of the cross polarises claims for the defence of the natural environment and the mountain as a public space. Central to this reflection is the discussion of sustainability in relation to religion (Silvern and Davis 2021) or the unsustainability of religious attractions and religiosity in the mountains (Rech 2022). Thus, this article will contribute to understanding the role of such symbols in Italian public opinion between a presumed vitality of the Catholic Church, which has become a promoter of ecological claims (Turina 2022), and the sociopolitical implications underlying such initiatives.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Religion upon the Mountains: From Christianisation to Social Actions against Summit Crosses in Italy

Rech

2023

Religions

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

In Italy, the debate regarding the presence of crosses and crucifixes in public places is long-standing and involves their detractors, supporters and defenders. Over time, these conflicting positions have gained media resonance, becoming a sociopolitical controversy that has led to lawsuits at various levels, including the European Court of Human Rights. In the social sphere, the issue has oscillated between the recognition of the universal value of religious symbols and advocacy for secularism, even in open spaces such as mountaintops. During the last few decades, several initiatives have been undertaken in the Italian Alps, driven by ecological concerns and opposition to the presence of crosses on the mountains. These initiatives have resulted in collective actions against the positioning and erection of crosses, and there have even been attempts to diversify the Italian peaks. By providing a historical overview of the Christianisation of Italian mountaintops and focusing on the mobilisation against the presence of crosses, this article contributes to the understanding of the role of such symbols in Italian public opinion, which is intertwined with the vitality of the Catholic Church and the sociopolitical implications of these initiatives. The research questions will investigate the process of legitimisation and delegitimisation of Christian symbols. The cross on the mountaintop serves as an example of culturalised religion, where this cultural object can become a “passive religious symbol,” polarising claims for the defence of the natural environment and the sustainability of religion in the mountains.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%