Historians of religion in the twenty-first century work in a social and intellectual context that is vastly different from that of those who wrote ‘church history’ even a generation ago. Although religion is now seen to be central to many areas of world conflict and global politics, it is still common for historians to see religion as subordinate and peripheral to the ‘real’ forces that shape society and to distrust the motives of historians who write with an openly declared religious commitment. For their part, historians who seek to demonstrate that religious faith and religious texts can be a causative force, and that religion needs to be taken seriously in its own right, have to contend with new questions, new kinds of religious evidence, challenges to once trusted evidence, and the dissolution of received categories, such as orthodoxy/heresy and religion/secularisation, which once seemed quite clear. They are also confronted by religious believers who are alarmed by the critical study of religious traditions and sacred texts which they have been taught to regard as absolute truth. This work comprises essays by twelve prominent historians of religion who teach in north American universities on the significance of religion in the making and writing of history. Contributors include Peter Brown, Phyllis Mack, Mark Noll, Lamin Sanneh and others of similar eminence in their fields. Through case studies, each author seeks to locate the ways in which religious beliefs, practices and texts have played a formative role in shaping individual lives and communities while at the same time adhering to the demands of modern critical scholarship. The essays range widely over time and place, embracing topics in the history of Christianity, Judaism and Islam. Many of them explore sacred texts, their interpretation and application. For example, David Ruderman explores the impact of the printing of Hebrew books on both Jewish culture and Christian scholars in Western Europe during the sixteenth century. David Nirenberg shows how the Qur'an (like other sacred texts) has multiple readings and interpretations that emerge as religious communities seek to find its meaning for their own time and place. Mark Noll reflects on the role of the Bible in American public life and the use of biblical language and themes, sometimes as a partisan political weapon but also for prophetic purposes, to bind the nation together. The essays in this collection sparkle. They demonstrate how historians of religion can employ new approaches and new methodologies and engage imaginatively with a diverse range of sources. This book is a model of historical scholarship and a valuable resource.