The opening essay of the collection uses a global perspective to first define how belief systems are formed and then compare the aspects of various world religions. The next essay continues to name the fundamentals of religion by way of measuring “religiosity,” or the “intensity” of a community’s practice, the membership of religious organizations, and the attendance of its services. Ruth A. Wienclaw and Jeremy Baker turn to the topics of “religious economy” and the assortment of denominations and sects found in religion. According to the authors, “many religions are distinguished internally by subdivisions that differ on issues of orthodoxy, theology, and practice.” In the United States, for example, the religious landscape is dominated by several major faiths, but a diversity of belief systems flourish in the margins. Carolyn Sprague’s essay on religion and industry charts the development of religious faith in predominantly industrial societies. The final essay in this group looks at the subject of sexuality, which is a major topic in the sociology of religion that cuts across all cultures. The essay studies the attitudes adopted by the major religions of the world and compares the changing perspectives toward sexuality in modern Catholic, Jewish, and Islamic faiths.