[2] Bloom says, literary criticism involves aspects of history et cetera, but is distinguished by having a focus on aesthetic judgments concerning literature.

Bloom's religious criticism thus will involve history et cetera, but also pay attention particularly to the spiritual values of religions.

Bloom identifies Ralph Waldo Emerson and William James as previous scholars who practiced religious criticism of American religion.

[6] While Bloom suggests that this American form of religion is to some extent a continuation of Enthusiasm in Europe, American religious groups are rightly distinguished from traditional Christianity: Although all of these groups identify as Christian, Bloom believes they represent a radical departure from the core aspects of that religion.

[12] Writing in America, James P. Hanigan says that Bloom offers "suggestive and important insights", particularly the claim that traditional Christianity is not well-suited to Americans, and that the belief in direct experience of God is connected to anti-intellectualism.