01: If the study of religion(s) “opens itself to calls for direct ‘societal relevance’ to a greater extent, advocacy will gain greater prominence,” writes Michael Stausberg (University of Bergen, Norway) in introducing a thematic issue on the topic of advocacy in the study of religion(s) in the journal Religion (April). Advocacy research is conducted to promote […]

01: The Atlas of Pentecostalism is a new online database that seeks to map the rapid growth of global Pentecostalism as a diverse and networked religion. The database uses new and old methods, including global crowdsourcing, big data, cinematography, interviews and academic collaborations to provide an independent perspective on Pentecostalism as it changes. The database expands […]

01: Nancy Ammerman’s new book Sacred Stories, Spiritual Tribes (Oxford, 29.95) employs innovative methods to make the argument that the everyday dimensions of religion have not been adequately appreciated in the study of American religion. Ammerman and her research team not only interviewed 95 Americans on their spiritual and religious lives but asked them to keep […]

01: The growing phenomenon of congregations from the U.S. linking up with churches in the global South for purposes of missions, social activism, and cross-cultural understanding is given in-depth treatment in the new book Sister Churches (Oxford University Press, $29.95) by Janel Kragt Bakker. These partnerships or “twinnings” between congregations are substantial; Bakker estimates that 18 […]