The Promotion of Devotion

The first edition of The Promotion of Devotion: Religion, Culture, and Communication pioneered the nexus of spirituality and public relations, exploring religious-spiritual tourism and church-state partnerships; devotional-promotional campaigning; sports and religion; and art and the promotion of devotion. It provided readers with an A-list look at Elvis Presley, Princess Diana, and other celebrity "saints," fans and their love for Smokey Bear and superstar racehorse Barbaro, and cultural phenoms Marilyn Monroe and Pharaoh Tutankhamun. In this revised second edition, the author revisits some of these topics with updates, expands others, and ventures into new territory. New chapters explore the death of Argentinian "soccer god" Diego Maradona, the resurrection of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris following extensive fire damage, and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic upon worship and social media. Underscoring the important and influential nature of spirituality in society and exploring the many ways in which communication and faith intersect, The Promotion of Devotion is an ideal text for courses and programs in communication, religion, international studies, and culture.