After reading this chapter, you will be able to:

• How do sociologists define religion,  religiosity, and spirituality?
• What are pluralism and secularization?
• What is fundamentalism?
• What are the current trends in religious affiliation and participation in the  United States?
• How does the process of global  diffusion apply to religion?
• How do each of the major theoretical paradigms in sociology explain religion?
• What are some recent examples of how religion has fostered social change efforts?