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Religion in America: A Very Short Introduction offers an overview of the history of religion in America, from Native American traditions to the present day. Religion in contemporary America takes many forms, including popular and counter-cultural groups; ‘hybrid’ religious identities; new religious movements; and ‘outsider religion’. Three major forces shape the present and future of religion in America: first, unprecedented religious diversity, which will continue to grow in the coming decades; second, the information revolution and the emergence of a new network society; and third, the rise of consumer culture. Taken together, these forces offer the potential to create a new American pluralism that could enrich society in unimaginable ways.Less

Saints: A Very Short Introduction looks at the origins, ideas, and definitions of sainthood, sanctity, and saints in the early Church, tracing their development in history and explaining the social roles saints played in the ancient, medieval, and modern worlds. It considers the treatment of saints as objects of literary and artistic expression and interpretation, and as examples of idealised male and female heroism, comparing Christian saints and holy figures to venerated figures in other religious cultures, including Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism. It concludes by considering the experiences of devotees to saints, and looking at how saints continue to be a powerful presence in our modern world.Less