This chapter lays a foundation for the handbook. It provides an introductory background to the field of religion, health, and development in Africa by analyzing as well as explaining the intersection of religion and health, and how this intersection influences health-seeking behaviors, the establishment of healthcare facilities, and the involvement of different agencies in healthcare. The chapter highlights how people’s religious and spiritual beliefs influence ways in which they relate with their health as well as health-seeking practices. The chapter shows that Africa is a widely religious continent, and that the agency of religion contributes in diverse ways to health, both in negative and positive dimensions. Further, the chapter shows how people respond to the issues affecting their health may largely be determined by their religious and spiritual orientations. The chapter also provides an overview of the themes in the handbook and summarizes the chapters under these themes.