"This issue of Australian Religion Studies Review examines the intersection of religion and celebrity, both major discourses in the modern world. The six articles examine the imbrication of celebrity with: three traditional religions, Christianity, Islam and Buddhism; the new religion of Candomblé; and contemporary spiritual trends such as spiritual tourism, secular equivalents of religion like the Olympic Games, and the veneration of sports stars by fans. The study of the impact of celebrity on religion is still in its infancy, and the contributions to this special issue of Australian Religion Studies Review demonstrate both the rich results that such studies can yield, and the range and diversity of subjects that would repay future research." (p.227)
Contents
Editorial Introduction / Carole M. Cusack, 227
Fans and Followers: Marketing Charisma, Making Religious Celebrity in Ghana / Marleen de Witte, 231
Inhabitants of the Screen: Celebrity and the Production of Religious Authority in Bahian Candomblé / Mattijs van de Port, 254
New Religious Leadership among Muslims in Europe / Thijl Sunier, 275
The Western Reception of Buddhism: Celebrity and Popular Cultural Media as Agents of Familiarisation / Carole M. Cusack, 297
Celebrity Push, Celebrity Pull: Understanding the Role of the Notable Person in Pilgrimage / Alex Norman, 317
Pilgrimage to Fallen Gods from Olympia: The Cult of Sport Celebrities / Justine Digance and Kristine Toohey, 342