ABSTRACT
In this chapter we examine audiences of cultural religion.1 As pointed out in chapter 1, the postmodern era requires a broader view of worship; denominations don’t fully account for the expanding range of religious and numinous experiences. Th e media of popular culture are also important; they orient one’s beliefs, elicit strong feelings, involve ritualized behaviors, and enable individuals to form communities. When this occurs through the Internet, fi lm, television, and other media, users oft en describe their experiences in religious terms (Mazur & McCarthy, 2001; Sylvan, 2002, 2005). Th is book argues that religion is defi ned by individuals in everyday life; it should be studied wherever and whenever it occurs.
