Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT) discusses religion and faith in America, his own religion, and his recent book An American, A Mormon, and A Christian: What I Believe (Plain Sight, 2012), with Joseph Planta.

An American, A Mormon, and A Christian: What I Believe by Orrin Hatch (Plain Sight, 2012). Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: An American, A Mormon, and A Christian

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver at TheCommentary.ca.

Senator Orrin Hatch joins me now. First elected in 1976, he is the most senior Republican, and the second longest serving member of the United States Senate. He was re-elected to his seventh term this past November, marking his 36th year in the Senate. He is currently the ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, and is a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, which he chaired for many years, and the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. In his recent book, An American, A Mormon, and A Christian: What I Believe, he writes thoughtfully about his faith and how it guides his life and career. It’s a thorough primer on his religion, one that’s occasionally maligned, sometimes made fun of, and often misunderstood. Some view the Church of Jesus Christ and Latter Day Saints as a cult. I’ll get Senator Hatch to tell us about Mormonism, and about the intersection of faith and politics, something that he’d be appropriately suited to discuss. We’ll find out if the candidacy of Mitt Romney for the presidency did anything for the perception that people have of Mormons, and perhaps we’ll reflect on the state of religion in America. The book is published by Plain Sight Publishing, which is an imprint of Cedar Fort. I am very pleased to welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, the Senior Senator from the great state of Utah, Orrin Hatch; Senator Hatch, good morning.

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