John Hinnells is Emeritus Professor at Liverpool Hope University and Honorary Research Professor at SOAS where he was founding head of the Department for the Study of Religion. He is also a Senior Member of Robinson College, Cambridge. His main works on Zoroastrianism are Zoroastrians in Britain (1996); Zoroastrian and Parsi Studies (2000) and The Zoroastrian Diaspora (2005). He edited the New Penguin Dictionary of Religions and the New Penguin Handbook of Living Religions (1997 and 1998). He is editor of the Routledge series the Library of Religious Beliefs and Practices.

The Routledge Companion to the Study of Religion is a major resource for courses in Religious Studies. It begins by explaining the most important methodological approaches to religion, including psychology, philosophy, anthropology and comparative study, before moving on to explore a wide variety of critical issues, such as gender, science, fundamentalism, ritual, and new religious movements. Written by renowned international specialists, this new edition: includes eight new chapters, including post-structuralism, religion and economics, religion and the environment, religion and popular culture, and sacred space surveys the history of religious studies and the key disciplinary approaches explains why the study of religion is relevant in today's world highlights contemporary issues such as globalization, diaspora and politics includes annotated reading lists, a glossary and summaries of key points to assist student learning.