How is the theme of religion brought out so far in the novel by Jerry Barker?

In addition to this moral education of having good character and not treating animals with cruelty, Sewell includes religious education in her book. She references Christian values throughout the book, and many of the story’s heroes are practicing Christians. Scattered throughout are references to Biblical stories, like the various characters with Biblical names whose characters reflect their namesakes’ stories, or the narrating of the Biblical account of God creating everything. In several key conversations, Sewell has some heroes of the story express their support for religion. Jerry in particular expresses such sentiments, refusing to work on Sundays to not break the Sabbath and insisting on going to Church and defending religion when his fellow cab drivers denounce it. Through these characters, Sewell is not defending all religious practice. Instead she attempts to encourage a sincere practice that creates good in society. As John Manly argues, if religion does not bring good, then it is doing wrong. And as Jerry argues, if people are not sincerely following the religion’s rules, they will not be achieving success nor will they be representing religion. So she does not defend all people practicing religion. Instead, she critiques those who claim to practice religion while they do not create good and they instead create corruption. As a note, while Sewell never mentions a specific denomination and never goes beyond the more general practices, this brand of religious education is markedly Christian.