Includes bibliographical references and index.

"The Cambridge Companion to Religious Studies is both informative an d provocative, introducing readers to key debates in the contemporary s tudy of religion and suggesting future research possibilities. A group of distinguished scholars takes up some of the most pressing theoretica l questions in the field. What is a "religious tradition"? How are reli gious texts read? What takes place when a religious practitioner stands before a representation of gods or goddesses, ghosts, ancestors, saint s, and other special beings? What roles is religion playing in contempo rary global society? The volume emphasizes religion as a lived practice , stressing that people have used and continue to use religious media t o engage the circumstances of their lives. This underlying conviction p rovides a realistic perspective on religion, and the volume,Äôs essays engage with real-world religious practices. The volume,Äôs essays shoul d prove valuable and interesting to a broad audience, including scholar s in the humanities and social sciences and a general readership, as we ll as students of religious studies"-- Provided by publisher.