The 2012 Sweetser Lecture Series will kick off April 25 with a talk by James Carroll, a historian, author, and contributing Boston Globe columnist. Carroll will speak on “City on a Hill: Religion and American Politics’’ at 7:30 p.m. Organized by the town through a nonprofit advisory committee, the annual series features three talks on varied topics. This year’s series also features lectures by Glenn Stout and David Gallo. Stout, an author and sports analyst, will speak May 9 on “Fenway 1912: the Birth of a Ballpark.’’ Gallo, director of special projects at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, on May 20 will talk about “The Titanic and Beyond: Lessons from the Deep Ocean.’’ All talks will be at the Wakefield High School Center for the Performing Arts. Tickets are $10 per lecture ($5 for students) or $25 for the series. They may be purchased at the door or in advance at Smith Drug Store on Main Street and The Medicine Store on Lowell Street. Net profits will be donated to local charities. For more information, call 781-245-7231. - John Laidler