
The Story in Religion
Tellers, Readers, Listeners
Martin D. Stringer(Author)
Bloomsbury Academic (Publisher)
Will be published approx. on 9. July 2026
Book
Hardback
240 pages
978-1-350-55939-4 (ISBN)
Description
Drawing on theories of myth and narratives from pop culture, this book develops a sociology of the story that shows how stories create meaning in contemporary religious practices in the West.
Martin Stringer shows how stories work in religion within the context of the story-saturated world of the 21st century through discussions of a wide range of theories of myth. He traces religious elements in the stories of film, television and literature to explore how a wide range of stories impact how we engage with, talk about and live religion. In this way, he shows that the myths at the heart of religious traditions are not the only stories that shape how religion is practised today.
Each of the ten chapters introduces an influential theory of myth, including those of Edward B. Tylor, Claude Levi-Strauss and Sigmund Freud, before applying this theory to a story or trope from folklore, literature or popular culture. In addition to these entertaining excursions into the worlds of Frankenstein, werewolves and superheroes, each chapter also provides a retelling of the classic fairy tale Snow White framed by the theory introduced in the chapter. In highlighting core themes from the different theories of myth, these ten different Snow Whites reveal the fluidity of stories and the theories we create about them.
In its bold combination of theories of myth, popular culture and religion, The Story in Religion shows how people use a range of stories to create identities, emotions and realities in their religious practices. In this way, the book alters how we think about meaning-making in religious contexts and in society more broadly.
Martin Stringer shows how stories work in religion within the context of the story-saturated world of the 21st century through discussions of a wide range of theories of myth. He traces religious elements in the stories of film, television and literature to explore how a wide range of stories impact how we engage with, talk about and live religion. In this way, he shows that the myths at the heart of religious traditions are not the only stories that shape how religion is practised today.
Each of the ten chapters introduces an influential theory of myth, including those of Edward B. Tylor, Claude Levi-Strauss and Sigmund Freud, before applying this theory to a story or trope from folklore, literature or popular culture. In addition to these entertaining excursions into the worlds of Frankenstein, werewolves and superheroes, each chapter also provides a retelling of the classic fairy tale Snow White framed by the theory introduced in the chapter. In highlighting core themes from the different theories of myth, these ten different Snow Whites reveal the fluidity of stories and the theories we create about them.
In its bold combination of theories of myth, popular culture and religion, The Story in Religion shows how people use a range of stories to create identities, emotions and realities in their religious practices. In this way, the book alters how we think about meaning-making in religious contexts and in society more broadly.
Reviews / Votes
This is not just a reliable guide to the many theories about myth, ritual and story, but also a playful, personal account by an experienced teacher and anthropologist. Informed by a lifetime of ethnographic work, Stringer offers a fresh and illuminating account of how stories work when they matter. * Linda Woodhead MBE FBA, F.D. Maurice Professor, King's College London, UK * The Story in Religion is a fine book, engagingly written, making a compelling case for paying more attention to story and story-telling as key features of religion(s). It is infused with the creativity of a celebrant and understanding arising from critical expertise. * Graham Harvey, Emeritus Professor of Religious Studies, The Open University, UK *More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Product notice
sewn/stitched
Cloth over boards
With dust jacket
Dimensions
Height: 234 mm
Width: 156 mm
Thickness: 28 mm
Weight
503 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-350-55939-4 (9781350559394)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
approx. 06/2026
Bloomsbury Academic
€94.49
Available for download

E-Book
approx. 06/2026
Bloomsbury Academic
€94.49
Available for download
Person
Martin D. Stringer is Emeritus Professor at Swansea University, UK. He is the author of five books and numerous articles in the field of sociology of religion and on the history of Christian worship, including Contemporary Ethnography and the Definition of Religion (2011) and Discourses on Religious Diversity (2013).
Content
Prologue: The Sociology of the Story
1. Classification
2. Function
3. Morphology
4. Structure
5. Meaning
6. Imagination
7. Authority
8. Identity
9. Ritual
10. Religion
Bibliography
Index
1. Classification
2. Function
3. Morphology
4. Structure
5. Meaning
6. Imagination
7. Authority
8. Identity
9. Ritual
10. Religion
Bibliography
Index