ABSTRACT
Far from being a fringe phenomenon, popular engagement with the paranormal is an integral part of contemporary religious culture. This conclusion presents four reasons why scholars should give the paranormal more attention. These include rapidly changing religious demographics, particularly in America, which correlate to increasing interest in the paranormal; the overlap between paranormal interests and mainstream religious beliefs; applications of scholarship on the paranormal for secular studies; and ways in which the paranormal facilitates the human search for meaning outside of established religions.
