The ivory tower ain't what it used to be. Scholars now find fit subjects high, low and in the middle of the culture, as the healthy new crop of books that search for religious meaning in popular culture demonstrates. And science and religion, once seen as implacable enemies, now find rapprochement, or at least dialogue.
In this issue of Religion Update, we examine those hot topics, as well as checking in with a wide range of scholarly presses to see how they are faring in a tough economy (the answer: some well, some not so well). With so many of today's vital issues grounded in religion, there is no shortage of intriguing and commercially viable subjects for academic books. The challenge lies in publishing them both well and profitably.
