After careful consideration, the American Academy of Religion has decided that Reading Religion, our openly accessible book review website, will cease operations on May 31, 2026. This decision reflects broader efforts to ensure the long-term sustainability of AAR’s work and mission, and it was made thoughtfully and with deep appreciation for what Reading Religion has contributed to our work over the past decade.
Since its launch in 2016, Reading Religion has published thousands of reviews and provided up-to-date coverage of scholarly publishing in religious studies, reviewed by scholars with special interest and expertise in related subfields. As an important scholarly and public service, Reading Religion has provided opportunities for graduate students, adjunct and independent scholars, mid-career scholars, and senior faculty to write concise, comprehensive, and timely book and film reviews and review essays. As both a scholarly and public-facing resource, Reading Religion has played a meaningful role in supporting intellectual exchange within and beyond the academy.
While AAR is no longer able to sustain the infrastructure required to continue Reading Religion as an active publication, we are committed to preserving its legacy. Reviews will continue to be published through the end of May 2026, after which the site will transition to an archival site. The archive will preserve ten years of content, including one of the largest curated repositories of works on religion and theology, along with book and film reviews and review essays, and will remain open and accessible to the public.
Authors with outstanding reviews intended for publication on the archived site will hear directly from the Reading Religion editors in the coming weeks with additional information.
We recognize that this transition may raise questions, and we welcome the opportunity to engage in conversation. You are invited to attend the webinar “Archiving Reading Religion: A Member Q&A” on Monday, March 23, at 12:00 PM (Eastern Time). AAR Executive Director Claudia Schippert and Chief Financial Officer/Chief Operating Officer Nicholé Franklin will discuss the transition and respond to questions. Those unable to attend may submit questions or concerns by email to cschippert@aarweb.org.
We are grateful to the editors, reviewers, authors, and readers who have made Reading Religion such a valued and enduring resource.