Is Donald Trump actually a Christian? You may find it unseemly to question the authenticity of Trump’s professed faith. However, this question preoccupies a lot of evangelical leaders in this country.

Despite the fact that support for Trump from evangelical voters is not predicated on his professed Christian beliefs, evangelical leaders have been desperate to paint him as part of the club — a true man of faith — ever since he started leading in the Republican primaries. They’ve gone to great lengths to convince Christians that Trump is a consenting instrument of God’s will.

The Faith of Donald J. Trump, by David Brody and Scott Lamb, is the latest in this effort. The authors do not disappoint in their ability to rationalize every ill-considered utterance and misstep as yet more proof that Trump is the greatest presidential ally Christendom has ever witnessed—even though heroic perfection is not required when one’s audience is so willing to accept the premise right from the start.