ABSTRACT
Chapter six presents an American comparison considering the reasons why Christianity continues to thrive in the US. It considers US literature on the American Sunday School Movement and the context of religion in America today, particular for young people. It argues that religion in America contains a number of paradoxes; between choice and custom, innovation and rigidity, inclusivity, and intolerance. Drawing on the literature and interview accounts, it argues that US religion may thrive due to their being an open market that encourages active engagement by churches and active faith choices by individuals but that the dominant moral discourse of the religious right may increasingly alienate young people.
