The Scholarly Pilgrim

 John Seasholtz is a historian whose work examines the intersection of economics and religion, the influence of money on power and authority, and evolving concepts of morality. Much of his research has focused on medieval pilgrimage, particularly in the context of the Camino de Santiago. He earned a PhD in History from the University of Birmingham (UK) where his dissertation was titled Money and Morality on the Pilgrim Roads to Santiago de Compostela, 1078-1211. He teaches history at Oregon State University–Cascades.

John’s research combines textual evidence from charters and chronicles with visual evidence from sculptural programs, archaeology, and iconography of coins. His work has been shared with a variety of academic audiences and groups of pilgrimage enthusiasts. Recent academic papers have included The Role of Guilds in the Theo-Political Economy of Santiago de Compostela in the Early Thirteenth Century, The Church of Santiago of Carrión: Pilgrimage and Urbanization in Twelfth-Century Iberia, and The Role of Money in the Devotional Infrastructure of the Medieval Pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela.  

John’s path to medieval scholarship was not a traditional one. After receiving his MBA from the University of Michigan, he embarked on a twenty-year career as a management consultant before pursuing his dream of studying medieval Spain. Like many fellow modern-day pilgrims,  John often thinks about his next trip along the pilgrim roads.  He has trekked about 2,000 miles along various branches of the Camino de Santiago, including the Camino Francés, Camino del Norte, Camino Primitivo, Camino Portugués, Camino Aragonés, and the Via Tolosana.