Provides a contemporary view of the intertwined relationship of communication and religion The Handbook of Religion and Communication presents a detailed investigation of the complex interaction between media and religion, offering diverse perspectives on how both traditional and new media sources continue to impact religious belief and practice across multiple faiths around the globe. Contributions from leading international scholars address key themes such as the changing role of religious authority in the digital age, the role of media in cultural shifts away from religious institutions, and the ways modern technologies have transformed how religion is communicated and portrayed. Divided into five parts, the Handbook opens with a state-of-the-art overview of the subject’s intellectual landscape, introducing the historical background, theoretical foundations, and major academic approaches to communication, media, and religion. Subsequent sections focus on institutional and functional perspectives, theological and cultural approaches, and new approaches in digital technologies. The essays provide insight into a wide range of topics, including religious use of media, religious identity, audience gratification, religious broadcasting, religious content in entertainment, films and religion, news reporting about religion, race and gender, the sex-religion matrix, religious crisis communication, public relations and advertising, televangelism, pastoral ministry, death and the media, online religion, future directions in religious communication, and more. Explores the increasing role of media in creating religious identity and communicating religious experience Discusses the development and evolution of the communication practices of various religious bodies Covers all major media sources including radio, television, film, press, digital online content, and social media platforms Presents key empirical research, real-world case studies, and illustrative examples throughout Encompasses a variety of perspectives, including individual and institutional actors, academic and theoretical areas, and different forms of communication media Explores media and religion in Judeo-Christian traditions, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, religions of Africa, Atheism, and others The Handbook of Religion and Communication is an essential resource for scholars, academic researchers, practical theologians, seminarians, mass communication researchers, and undergraduate and graduate students taking courses on media and religion.

Table of Contents:
Contributors ix Introduction 1 Part I Theoretical Background 5 1 Academic Approaches to Communication, Media, and Religion 7 Lynn Schofield Clark and Heidi Ippolito 2 Communication, Media, and Religion Research: Theoretical Roots 23 Stephen Garner 3 Theology and Communication 39 Paul A. Soukup S.J. 4 Religious Traditions and Ethics in Communication 55 Robert S. Fortner Part II Theological Perspectives 69 5 Christianity and the Mass Media 71 Mary Catherine Kennedy Copyrighted Material 6 Communication in Judaism and Islam 83 Yoel Cohen and Hadi Enayat 7 Religious Communication in Asia 99 Anthony Le Duc and Keval J. Kumar 8 African Religions and Communication 117 Joseph Muyangata and Mark Fackler 9 Atheism and the Media 131 Teemu Taira Part III Religions as Actors 145 10 Religious Broadcasting: An Overview, 2000–2021 147 Jim McDonnell 11 Religious Personalities and Televangelism 165 Paul A. Soukup S.J. 12 Public Relations and Advertising 181 Carlo Nardella 13 “Survival and Salvation”: Religious Situational Crisis Communication Strategies 197 Gregory P. Perreault, Mildred. F. Perreault, and Monica Crawford 14 Web Presence 213 Amanda Sturgill Part IV Individual Religious Communication 229 15 Pastoral Ministry and Communication 231 Daniella Zsupan-Jerome 16 Piety, Religious Identity, and the Media 241 Damian Guzek and Piotr S. Bobkowski 17 Youth, Education, and Media 257 Mary E. Hess Part V Media Institutions 271 18 Mediatization 273 Knut Lundby 19 Reporting Religion News 287 Yoel Cohen 20 Entertainment 301 Allan Novaes 21 Religion and Film 315 Joel Mayward 22 Documentary Film and Religious Faith in Historical Perspective 337 John P. Ferré Part VI Functional Perspectives 351 23 The Role of Media in Creating Communities of Religious Belief and Identity 353 Myna German 24 Religion and Meaning 365 Johannes Ehrat 25 Religious Rituals, Pilgrimages, Festivals, and Media: Exploring the Interface 383 Gnana Patrick 26 Death, Spirituality, and Digital Afterlife 399 Johanna Sumiala Part VII Cultural Perspectives 415 27 Incipient Diversity: Gender and Race in Media and Religion Research 417 Chiung Hwang Chen 28 Material Religion 433 Felicia Katz-Harris 29 The Sex–Religion Matrix 453 Ruth Tsuria and Jason Bartashius 30 Authority, Religion, and Media 469 Míriam Díez Bosch and Alba Sabaté Gauxachs 31 Religion and Development Communication 487 Robert A. White Part VIII Approaches in New Technologies 503 32 Internet, Mobile Technology, and Religion 505 Miriam Díez Bosch and Josep Lluís Micó 33 Online Religion 521 Rohit Chopra Index 537