Distinguished contributors focus on the relationship between politics and religion, and on ordinary people's religious life. These topics are approached through empirical studies and theoretical discussions, and editor Pål Repstad demonstrates the need for a closer relationship between the two topics.

Pål Repstad, Ph.D. (1995), University of Oslo, is professor emeritus in sociology of religion at the University of Agder, Norway. He has published several articles on religious change in Europe, and his book An Introduction to the Sociology of Religion (Routledge, 2006, with Inger Furseth) has been translated into five languages.
Contributors are: James A. Beckford, Inger Furseth, Kristina Grundetjern, Jan-Olav Henriksen, Ida Marie Høeg, Nils Martinius Justvik, Bjarte Leer-Helgesen, Paul Leer-Salvesen, Anne Løvland, Tomas Rasmussen, Pål Repstad, Tale Steen-Johnsen, Irene Trysnes