The authors state at the outset that since 'some form of religion seems to have appeared in and to have endured almost uninterruptedly throughout every known culture', it follows 'that religion serves society or its members in some important way' and therefore merits the serious attention of the behavioral scientist. They continue that it is their hope 'to systemize the ways in which similar ideas, contents, and influences are utilized in mental illness' and 'to demonstrate … that religion pertains not just to the psychology of the child, the mentally ill, and the primitive, but also that in spite of the anti-religious ambiance of our times, it continues to play a significant role in the efforts of modern man to come to terms with the society in which he lives'.

The monograph documents the ways in which religious observance can shore up wavering defenses and help postpone the onset of overt mental illness. A case history illustrates the way in which religious upbringing can provide models for acting and feeling,