James S. Bielo

James S. Bielo is an Associate Professor of Religious Studies at Northwestern University, specializing in the anthropology of religion with a focus on Christianity in the United States. His research investigates materiality and language as lived resources in religious life, exploring the intersections of religion and power through ethnographic fieldwork.

• Key projects include the interactive digital scholarship initiative Materializing the Bible, featuring physical exhibits at institutions like the Martin Marty Center and Newberry Library special collection.
• His recent Secondhand Sacred project examines the circulation of Christian material culture through estate sales, thrift stores, and digital platforms.

Bielo's scholarship spans books like Ark Encounter (2018) and Anthropology of Religion: The Basics (2015), blending ethnography with public scholarship.