This is Thinking in Public, a program dedicated to intelligent conversation about frontline theological and cultural issues with the people who are shaping them.

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

Dr. John Wilsey is professor of church history and philosophy.

He also serves as chair, the Department of Church History and Historical Theology at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Professor Wilsie earned his Master of Divinity and Ph.D. from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Prior to his tenure at Southern Seminary, he was the William E. Simon Visiting Fellow in Religion and Public Life

for the James Madison Program and American Ideals and Institutions at Princeton University.

Professor Wilsey is the author of dozens of articles and several academic books,

including One Nation Under God, an Evangelical Critique of Christian America,

American Exceptionalism and Civil Religion,, reassessing the history of an

idea and God's Cold Warrior, the Life and Faith of John Foster Dulles. That was a topic of a

previous episode of Thinking in Public. It's his two most recent books, Religious Freedom,

a conservative primer, and God and Country upholding faith, history, and national identity

that are the topic of our conversation today.

Professor John Wilsey, welcome to Thinking in Public.

Thanks for having me, Dr. Mueller.

You know, you have a very important project going on here, especially in your two latest books,

and I want us to talk about the two books.

But I want to start by talking about the project.

What is it?

The project is a civilizational project.

The books, especially religious freedom and conservative primer, this book is dedicated to

...