Aims to be broad in scope yet practical in approach, so that it can serve the needs of several different audiences, including researchers, teachers, developers, and theologians; Covers a wide variety of issues which have been neglected in other research texts; Studies the impact of creating a digital immortal on relatives and friends, the consequences of persistent digital legacies, and ways digital media are currently being used to expand the possibilities of commemorating the dead and managing the grief of those left behind; Analyzes the extent to which digital media are complementing or replacing the well-established formal structures and religious rituals; Explores the legal and ethical impact of creating a digital immortal.