This issue of the Journal for Religion, Film and Media stands at the crossroads of approaches to religion and offers a speculative exploration of texts that considers both procedures and results in researching material religion. Two questions inspire this collection of articles: How does the materiality of a text influence meaning-making processes? How does its materiality impact the multi-layered communication processes in which a text is involved during its long-term transmission? In addressing these issues, we benefit from the interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary character of religious studies that characterises JRFM. Fundamental and systematic theology, biblical studies, and the study of religion have developed common methodologies to address the materiality of texts, and although they each have particular foci and explore particular facets, they are part of a mutual exchange. The contributions collected in this issue offer a range of explorations of the different forms of materiality in writing that exemplify both the particularities of approaches and their interaction.
Edited by: Daria Pezzoli-Olgiati and Christian Wessely