Although some scholars once predicted the eventual demise of religion, current studies confirm that religion is alive and well and growing in many parts of the world. Today more than 80% of people worldwide identify with a particular religious tradition, and religion continues to play a significant role in many areas of cultural, social, economic, and political life. Thus, even those who are not directly involved in a religious community are affected by religion. Religions are diverse and even difficult to categorize. They include more well-known traditions, such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, as well as a host of others, and each tradition has its own complex history and internal diversity.

Historically and in the present, religion has been part of most children’s lives. ...