This is thinking in public a program dedicated to intelligent conversation about

front-line theological and cultural issues with the people who are shaping them.

I'm Albert Mowo, your host and president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville,

Kentucky.

DG Hart is Distinguished Associate Professor of History at Hillsdale College in Michigan.

He earned the Master of Theological Studies from Harvard University

before earning his PhD at Johns Hopkins University.

His degree was in American history. Professor Hart is a renowned historian of American history.

He's written 13 books on a range of topics including American evangelicalism,

J Gresham Macian, American Protestantism,

but his most recent book is American Catholic,

the politics of fate during the Cold War, which chronicles the intersection between Roman

Catholicism, American conservatism, and American nationalism at a crucial time in the nation's history.

His book, American Catholic, is the topic of our conversation today.

Perhaps her heart is a friend of many years, more than 30 years, and about 30 years ago we co-edited a book together.

I'm looking forward to updating our conversation.

Darryl Hart, welcome to thinking in public.

Thanks for having me and it's good to be with you.

Yeah, I think it was now approaching 35 years ago that we found ourselves unexpectedly

in a room together as part of an academic research project and at that point I wasn't even

myself 35 years old I couldn't imagine knowing people for more than 35 years.

Yeah, I was going back over that with my wife, either yesterday morning or this morning, thinking about when we first met and the circumstances and it's been a long time.

...