Conversation so far:
Are there any interesting aspects about John Updike?
John Updike was recognized for his careful craftsmanship, his unique prose style, and his prolific output – he wrote on average a book a year.
What was John Updike's most prominent theme?
The principal themes in John Updike's work are religion, sex, and America as well as death.
How did the public take to Updike's themes of religion, sex, death, and America?
John Updike's work has attracted significant critical attention and praise, and he is widely considered one of the great American writers of his time.
What was the title of a John Updike novel that chronicles this?
The decline of religion in America is chronicled in In the Beauty of the Lilies (1996).

Question: Did the critics say anything about this?
Self-contained rewrite: Did the critics say anything about In the Beauty of the Lilies?