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 Mowel, your host and president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

in Louisville, Kentucky.

Religious freedom is a front line issue and often a headline issue these days, and one of its most ardent defenders is Luke Goodrich

who serves as vice president and senior council at the Beckett Fund for

Religious Liberty. Mr. Goodrich earned his baccalaureate from Wheaton College and his law degree from the University of Chicago. During his time at Beckett, Mr. Goodrich and his team have won major victories before the United States Supreme Court,

including the cases known as Little Sisters of the Poor

versus Burwell and Burwell versus Hobby Lobby.

He's known for his numerous media appearances.

Just this year, he authored the book Free to Believe the Battle

Over Religious Liberty in America which was awarded Book of the Year by the Gospel Coalition

and World magazine.

Ms. Goodrich welcome to thinking in public and you have experience not only of course as an author and scholar dealing with these issues, but also as a litigant, as a lawyer deeply involved in these issues and

and many of the crucial cases of recent years

your book entitled free to believe the battle over religious liberty in America

is is one of those titles that isn't particularly dated.

I think you could possibly have published a book with that title in 1789, but

there is a particular urgency to it in 2019, 2020.

Why this book right now?

Why that title?

Well, as you mentioned, I've had the privilege of litigating religious freedom cases on the front

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