"Understanding Sport as a Religious Phenomenon "introduces students to the rapidly growing field of religion and sport. Including global case studies, discussion questions, suggestions for further reading, 20 illustrations, and a glossary, it is ideal for teaching courses on sport and spirituality, religion and sport, and religion and popular culture.Readers are introduced to a range of theoretical and methodological approaches used in the study of religion - including sociology, philosophy, psychology, and anthropology - and how they can be used to query a diverse range of case studies from the world of sport. Topics include the formation of powerful communities among fans and the religious experience of the fan, myth, symbols and rituals and the sacrality of sport, and sport and secularization. Case studies are taken from around the world and include the Olympics past and future, football in the UK, the All Blacks and New Zealand national identity, college football in the American South, and basketball. Ideal for classroom use, "Understanding Sport as a Religious Phenomenon" illuminates the nature of religion through sports phenomena and is a much-needed contribution to the field of religion and popular culture.