Dear Dr. Boli: You’ve tried to explain American religion several times before, but those essays are, like, dozens or even hundreds of words long. Could you distill that information into a portable form for the busy executive on the go? —Sincerely, Francis, Vatican City.

Dear Sir: Everything there is to know about the religious attitudes of the American people is summed up in the words of a bumper sticker that has been popular on pickup trucks for a generation or more:

I’d rather PUSH a Ford
than drive a Chevy

Sometimes the brands are reversed, but the religious sentiment is the same. Remember the words of that bumper sticker, and you will know what religion means to Americans and in what gods they place their faith.