It worked. Sorry that I can’t offer constructive criticism. Maybe the only thing is to work on the consistency of the knowledge of Gideon’s bible about the times. He asks is Reagan is president, which gets a good laugh, but then seems aware, if I recall correctly, of the Cubs winning the world series. If he was aware of an event such as the Cubs winning the series, then he would surely be aware of Trump becoming president. Both jokes landed perfectly, however, maybe you could re-work the language in a way where there is consistency with regards to what Gideon knows about the present and what he doesn’t. That is honestly the only thing that stands out.
My overall impression
Outstanding! Managed to weave a very complex and controversial topic that has the potential to be overly pedantic (religion) together with a potent, well-fleshed out dramatic premise. Not a dull moment, I could not find a fault with either the acting, writing, or directing. Great, thought-provoking and often funny performance and piece of writing.