Drawing upon a wide range of sources and theoretical perspectives in the fields of religion and literature, Professor Renger’s work focuses on the creation and dissemination of myths, legends, idols and icons in a variety of ancient and modern cultural contexts. Primarily, she is concerned with the Western classical tradition, with numerous articles and books that explore the continuing effects of Ancient Greek and Roman mythology and religion throughout history up to the present day. This work consistently centers on the use of mythological themes and motifs in literary texts, film and popular culture as well as in modern and contemporary forms of esotericism and alternative religion.

Another research area investigates dynamic tensions in the history of religions between Asia, Europe and the U.S. In particular, she is interested in cross-cultural interactions and their impact on religious agency as manifested both in society and literature. Of specific concern in this connection are charismatic teachers and leaders, their self-conception and attraction to followers, as well as the topics of discipleship and the transmission and transformation of religious and philosophical knowledge. Related to this, she specifically examines cultural transformations of Buddhism in the 20th and 21st centuries.

Books and Special Issues of Journals

Mythos Narziß. Texte von Ovid bis Jacques Lacan, 1999; Narcissus. Ein Mythos von der Antike bis zum Cyberspace, 2002; Mythos Pandora. Texte von Hesiod bis Sloterdijk, 2002; Mythos Europa. Texte von Ovid bis Heiner Müller, 2003; Zwischen Märchen und Mythos: Die Abenteuer des Odysseus und andere Geschichten von Homer bis Walter Benjamin, 2006; Europa – Stier und Sternenkranz. Von der Union mit Zeus zum Staatenverbund, 2009; Performanz von Wissen: Strategien der Wissensvermittlung in der Vormoderne, 2012; Meister und Schüler in Geschichte und Gegenwart.Von Religionen der Antike bis zur modernen Esoterik, 2012; Ancient Worlds in Film and Television. Gender and Politics, 2012; Oedipus and the Sphinx. The Threshold Myth from Sophocles through Freud to Cocteau, 2013; Meditation in Religion, Therapie, Ästhetik, Bildung, 2013; Genealogie und Migrationsmythen im antiken Mittelmeerraum und auf der Arabischen Halbinsel, 2014; Buddhism and Film, 2014; Erleuchtung. Kultur- und Religionsgeschichte eines Begriffs, 2016; Meister und Schüler. Master and Disciple. Tradition, Transfer, Transformation, 2016; Pythagorean Knowledge from the Ancient to the Modern World: Askesis, Religion, Science, 2016; Religion und Literatur. Konvergenzen und Divergenzen, 2017; Buddhismus im Nationalsozialismus, 2017; Übungswissen in Religion und Philosophie, 2017 (in press).