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 Mola, your host and president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in

Louisville, Kentucky.

In the history of our nation, only 43 men have served as President of the United States.

The 39th President was Jimmy Carter.

Any opportunity to discuss anything with a former President of the United States

represents an historic opportunity.

I'm very thankful of that opportunity today and to the conversation that follows.

Jimmy Carter served as the 39th President of the United States.

In 2002 he won the Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to receive that prize after leaving

office.

He's the author of many books, including the most recent The Lessons from Life Bible and it's the Bible

we're going to talk about. President Carter, welcome to thinking in public.

Well it's a pleasure to be with you, thank you Dr. Mola.

Mr. President you have been known as one who's loved the Bible for the entirety of your public life.

And when I think about your biography, and I know the deep rootage you had, not only in the soil of Georgia but also in the Southern Baptist

convention and in the local church. Could you just describe for us how you came to have such a deep love for the

Bible? Well I was a Southern Baptist when I was a child. My father was a

Sunday school teacher and was a deacon in the Plains Baptist Church. So when I

went off to the Naval Academy I was 18 years old, it was natural for me to accept their invitation to teach Sunday school lessons, so I did it for three years while I was at Annapolis. And then when I was on a submarine in the Navy I also taught

Bible lessons on occasion not every Sunday but on Easter service and that sort of thing.

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