Religion Across Media

Knut Lundby is Dr.phil. in sociology of religion from the University of Oslo, where he is currently Professor in the Department of Media and Communication. Some of Dr. Lundby’s previous publications include Mediatization: Concept, Changes, Consequences (2009) and Digital Storytelling, Mediatized Stories: Self-representations in New Media (2008). He is also a co-editor of Implications of the Sacred in (Post)Modern Media (2006).

• Contents: Birgit Meyer: Material Mediations and Religious Practices of World-Making – Terje Stordalen: Media of Ancient Hebrew Religion – Peter Horsfield: The Ecology of Writing and the Shaping of Early Christianity – Liv Ingeborg Lied: Manuscript Culture and the Myth of Golden Beginnings – Ute Hüsken: Contested Ritual Mediation: Brahmin Temple Priests in South India – Peter Simonson: On Digital Eloquence and Other Rhetorical Pathways to Thinking About Religion and Media – Kim Knott: Religion, Space, and Contemporary Media – David Thurfjell: Mediating Gypsiness Through the Holy Spirit: Pentecostalism and Social Mobilization Among European Roma – Nabil Echchaibi: Taming the West: Mediations of Muslim Modernities – Mia Lövheim: New Media, Religion, and Gender: Young Swedish Female Bloggers – Stewart M. Hoover: Evolving Religion in the Digital Media – Knut Lundby: Media and Transformations of Religion.

«Unprecedented in scope and analysis, Religion Across Media addresses fundamental issues in an emerging field. Anyone interested in religion as media or religion and media will find thoughtful explications of their interrelationship from early antiquity to the present day, from Africa and Asia to Europe and the U.S., and from the materiality of the body to the ethereality of digital communication.» (Diane Winston, Knight Chair in Media and Religion, University of Southern California)«The contemporary discourse on media and religion is significantly strengthened by this book, which overturns a number of unproductive conventions such as eclipsing history, dematerializing the study of media, foregrounding new media, and privileging the modern West. Clearly written and marshaling evidence no less than theory, the essays will contribute to the classroom as well as to research. » (David Morgan, Department of Religion, Duke University)«This landmark collection starts from the fundamental premise that both media and religion are material practices of communication. The result is to open up a fascinating set of reflections on media’s role in the making of religious form and authority across a breathtaking historical landscape of two thousand years. Highly recommended.» (Nick Couldry, Goldsmiths, University of London)«This volume brings together leading scholars to explore the intersections of media and religion across cultures and societies. It breaks new ground in this interdisciplinary field, which is rapidly assuming greater scholarly significance as questions about global religion and their mediation become more pressing. Starting from the premise that religious practices are practices of mediation, the book argues, cogently, that media are central to our understanding of religious transformations today.» (Marie Gillespie, Professor of Sociology, The Open University)«I cannot emphasize enough the quality of the organization, collaboration, and scholarship reflected in this volume. Despite its humble cover and unassuming title, the contents are a true gold mine of resources. [...] Whether a reader is new to the fields of religious and media studies or a seasoned veteran, this text offers wonderful food for thought and a fascinating foundation for future work.» (Amber Stamper, Journal of Religion, Media and Digital Culture 3.2, 2014)