Candida Moss The Myth of Persecutions, joins Thom Hartmann.Candida Moss The Myth of Persecutions, joins Thom Hartmann. For tonight's Conversation with Great minds I'm joined by Candida Moss. Candida is the Professor of New Testament and Early Christianity at the University of Notre Dame and an expert in the role of martyrdom in Christian theology. A renowned scholar in her field of study - she has received recognition for her research from the Woodrow Wilson Foundation - the National Endowment for the Humanities - and the John Templeton Foundation. Her new book - "The Myth of Persecution - How Early Christians Invented A Story of Martyrdom" - reveals the truth behind centuries of Christian persecution stories and is a must read for anyone who wants to understand the mindset of the American religious right.