And America is, of course, an intensely religious place – something that is not difficult to trace to its foundation by a band of hardy religious zealots.
If anything, over time, it is getting more religious rather than less. The motto In God We Trust was not added to American banknotes until the 1950s, for example.
Americans tied themselves in knots two years ago agonising over whether a black man, or a white woman could yet be elected president.
But here is a safe prediction. It will be a very long time before an atheist or agnostic gets anywhere near the White House.
A stark contrast with Europe where the opposite is increasingly the case.
Read it all.
The BBC's America correspondent Kevin Connolly gives a guide to American Culture
And America is, of course, an intensely religious place – something that is not difficult to trace to its foundation by a band of hardy religious zealots.
If anything, over time, it is getting more religious rather than less. The motto In God We Trust was not added to American banknotes until the 1950s, for example.
Americans tied themselves in knots two years ago agonising over whether a black man, or a white woman could yet be elected president.
But here is a safe prediction. It will be a very long time before an atheist or agnostic gets anywhere near the White House.
A stark contrast with Europe where the opposite is increasingly the case.
Read it all.