Ruth Illman is docent (associate professor) of comparative religion at Åbo Akademi University, Finland, and history of religions at Uppsala University, Sweden. She is currently the director of the Donner Institute for Research in Religion and Culture in Turku, Finland.

This carefully researched book is based on the author’s longstanding experience. Its innovative exploration of how vernacular religion uses music to link with tradition has implications far beyond the community on which it is focused, particularly in the area of identity construction. Its lively use of narratives makes it a fascinating read.

• Introduction1. Theoretical Starting Points2. Entering the Ethnographic Field3. Dinah: Radical and Liberal in Theology, Traditional in Practice 4. Micah: Music as a Bridge between Diverse Jewish Experiences5. Esther: Singing as a Form of Understanding6. David: The Wish to Have a Broader Sort of Thing7. Rachel: “It’s Not the Words, It’s the Melodies”Conclusion

Ruth Illman is docent (associate professor) of comparative religion at Åbo Akademi University, Finland, and history of religions at Uppsala University, Sweden. She is currently the director of the Donner Institute for Research in Religion and Culture in Turku, Finland.

This carefully researched book is based on the author’s longstanding experience. Its innovative exploration of how vernacular religion uses music to link with tradition has implications far beyond the community on which it is focused, particularly in the area of identity construction. Its lively use of narratives makes it a fascinating read.

• Introduction1. Theoretical Starting Points2. Entering the Ethnographic Field3. Dinah: Radical and Liberal in Theology, Traditional in Practice 4. Micah: Music as a Bridge between Diverse Jewish Experiences5. Esther: Singing as a Form of Understanding6. David: The Wish to Have a Broader Sort of Thing7. Rachel: “It’s Not the Words, It’s the Melodies”Conclusion

Ruth Illman is docent (associate professor) of comparative religion at Åbo Akademi University, Finland, and history of religions at Uppsala University, Sweden. She is currently the director of the Donner Institute for Research in Religion and Culture in Turku, Finland.

This carefully researched book is based on the author’s longstanding experience. Its innovative exploration of how vernacular religion uses music to link with tradition has implications far beyond the community on which it is focused, particularly in the area of identity construction. Its lively use of narratives makes it a fascinating read.

• Introduction1. Theoretical Starting Points2. Entering the Ethnographic Field3. Dinah: Radical and Liberal in Theology, Traditional in Practice 4. Micah: Music as a Bridge between Diverse Jewish Experiences5. Esther: Singing as a Form of Understanding6. David: The Wish to Have a Broader Sort of Thing7. Rachel: “It’s Not the Words, It’s the Melodies”Conclusion