Christopher Helland is Associate Professor of Sociology of Religion in the Department of Sociology and Social Anthropology at Dalhousie University in Canada. His research focuses upon religion in contemporary culture from a sociological perspective. His primary work examines the impact of the Internet and World Wide Web on a variety of religious traditions and practices. Helland’s research examines the role of new media in relation to issues of religious authority and power, religious information seeking behavior, ritual practices, and even changing belief systems. His most current research project is investigating the effects of computer-mediated communications on diaspora religious groups. Member of the Global Agenda Council on Role of Faith.