In this episode, John and Jason are joined by Dr. William Portier, a renowned theologian, historian of American Catholicism, and the academic mentor who originally guided Jason into his doctoral program. As the author of "Tradition and Incarnation," a textbook used by nearly every Mount Marty student for the last several years, Dr. Portier helps the hosts unpack the complex relationship between faith and culture.

The conversation begins with Portier’s colorful biography—from entering seminary at age fourteen in Alabama to navigating the chaotic, desk-less classrooms of 1970s high schools, and finally finding his home at Mount St. Mary’s University. They dive deep into the central thesis of his work: the challenge of "Americanism," which reduces religion to a private hobby rather than a shared, public reality. The discussion touches on the loss of external judgment in modern society, the "prophetic body," and the work of his daughter, biblical scholar Anathea Portier-Young.