Religions by nature seem to be conservative. Yet the modern world has endured profound changes in economics, politics, lifestyles, and cultural interactions. It really is virtually impossible for separate religions to remain separate any longer. Some of the greatest challenges facing religion in the modern world come from three areas—the women's movement, science, and secularism. The women's rights movement is striving to eliminate traditional restrictions placed on women. This has led to a greater role for women in religious leadership and sensitivity to the use of inclusive language. There has also been a renewed religious appreciation of feminine concerns and even an exploration of feminine aspects of the divine in some groups. A parallel development is the reassessment of the role and purpose of sexuality in human life. This has led to the questioning of traditional sexual ethics and prohibitions in religious traditions.

Controversies and sometimes contradictory stances have been developed by religions around such issues as divorce, birth control, use of violence, and same-gender relationships. Many modern changes are driven by science and technology. Scientific theories have transformed our view of the universe, from Big Bang cosmology to Darwinian evolution. On a more basic level, we now know causes of illness and natural disasters, yet these are still sometimes called "acts of God," which reflects an earlier pre-scientific view. Industrialization and technology have produced environmental degradation but also reduced mortality rates, increased standards of living, and extended life spans. The growth of secularism, or the separation of religion from everyday life, is another change that challenges traditional religions. Also, more people today admit to atheism or agnosticism without fear of scorn.

Yet the religious impulse is alive and well despite the above challenges. Spiritual themes and images permeate popular culture in films, music, and television. Even the news media regularly includes reports on religion. In spite of historical and contemporary clashes, representatives of different religions increasingly meet to discuss their similarities and differences and to focus on common concerns.

All religions that survive somehow adapt to changing circumstances whether they acknowledge the adaptations or not. The process is a painful struggle in which the pendulum swings back and forth between retrenchment and radical change. The conservative reaction to the massive changes of the modern world can be seen in fundamentalist movements, which share similar features in widely divergent religions. At the opposite end of the spectrum is a turn to nature as a spiritual path. Another development in the modern world is the appearance of an eclectic spirituality that attempts to assemble elements of different belief systems to satisfy needs met traditionally by one religion. Though difficult to define because of its diversity, modern spirituality generally manifests three aspects or values: interrelatedness of all reality; reverence and respect of others and nature that is capable of seeing the miraculous in the ordinary; and a contemplative stance that seeks experiences of inner peace and a feeling of harmony between oneself and the outer world.