Last night as I lay sleeping, I dreamed—oh blessed art!— of fountain water leaping and flowing in my heart. “Where is the hidden channel,” I cried, “that was equipped to bring to me this spring of life from which I never sipped?” Last night as I lay sleepi

Dear Reader, I am pleased to welcome you as one of our early Kindle readers. You may not know that First Things is a non-profit publication. For more than twenty years readers have provided donations that have sustained the journal. Now I’m inserting this

On a typical afternoon, I drop off my eight-year-old daughter and her best friend at ballet lessons and return home to meet my five-year-old son’s friend for a “play date.” Their mothers and I appear to have everything in common. We all order our children’s c

“Modern but Not Liberal” is one of three addresses given to a symposium on “After Liberalism,” put on in late February with the support of the Simon/Hertog Fund for Policy Analysis and of Fieldstead and Company. Shalom Carmy and Thomas Joseph White, O.P., res

   

Song of Songs: Brazos Theological Commentary on the Bible by Paul J. Griffiths Brazos, 240 pages, $32.99 In a justly famous study, Monks and Love in Twelfth-Century France, the great Cistercian scholar Jean Leclercq offered a psychohistory of monasticism to

Damian Michael Bentley (1834–1897) was the first cousin of one of my great-grandfathers (if I were patient enough, I would work out what that makes my relation to him). He was also, as far as I can tell, the only confirmed metaphysical materialist dangling fr

Rule and Ruin: The Downfall of Moderation and the Destruction of the Republican Party, From Eisenhower to the Tea Party Geoffrey Kabaservice Oxford University Press, 502 pages, $29.95 This year marks the fiftieth anniversary of the Port Huron Statement, the

Problematic Premises In response to John Haldane’s argumentum ad consummationem (“Against Erotic Entitlements,” April): Why shouldn’t it be made into a formally valid syllogism? 1. Determinants of human happiness should be consummated; 2. But sincere sexu

Ecclesial Movements and Communities: Origins, Significance, and Issues by Brendan Leahy New City Press, 200 pages, $16.95 Retired Cardinal Roger Mahony of Los Angeles tells a story of a conversation he once had with Pope John Paul II, when he pressed the la

Gathered for their ad limina, Eastern Catholic bishops from the U.S. were addressed last week by Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches, Leonardo Cardinal Sandri. His injunction—made not about abortion, the HHS mandate, war, wealth redistributi

There is an approach to the Christian life that I find particularly tiresome. It is that emphatic cheerfulness in which all must take part, that demand that you will be joyful. But Christian joy is in fact a great part of our faith. In a few years we will mar

Richard John Neuhaus was born seventy-six years ago last week. A friend made note of it at the time, and it sent my mind tumbling again into memories of the friendship we had. There’s little doubt in my mind that compared to all the people he knew and befri

At the height of the Cold War, political scientists questioned whether the Orthodox Church had become incompatible with the modern state. Although history textbooks highlight how patriarch and emperor were integral offices to the Byzantine Empire, the West ha

Poised as ever on the cutting edge of the politically correct and theologically dubious, the Episcopal Church–U.S.A. will soon consider adopting a Burial Service for Beloved Animals, in which the following two Collects appear: At the burial of a farm animal

“Why would a Christian identify as gay?” That was the question posed by many who read my previous piece for First Things, “Dan Savage Was Right.” Of course, there are many gay people who identify as Christian. But commenters were particularly confused becau

One difference between liberal Christians and conservative Christians is how much weight each places on the violence inherent in government action. While authorized for “the good,” according to St. Paul in Romans 13, the magistrate nonetheless “bears the swor

With college commencement season upon us again, it is time to revisit Steve Jobs’ famous June 12, 2005 Commencement Speech at Stanford University. In spite of Jobs’ “think different” mantra, his banner speech echoes the common inconsistencies and contradictio

We tend to love saints—provided they are safely dead. When they are alive, kicking up a storm, challenging us to live out the Gospel, they act like a thorn in our conscience. The saints inspire awe. There is nothing more holy—or terrifying—than reading what

News broke two weeks ago that Georgetown University, my alma mater, had invited Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, as a guest of honor for the Public Policy Institute’s commencement weekend festivities. It’s a headline that could have appe

President Obama tells NBC he hopes his trip to Cairo and the Middle East will create "constructive" discussions with Muslims. (Via: RealClearPolitics)

From the Washington Post: A diverse coalition of more than 100 clergy gathered in a Southeast Washington church yesterday to show their support for same-sex marriages in the District. "We declare that our faith calls us to affirm marriage equality for loving

From the Baptist Press: Oklahoma Democratic Gov. Brad Henry has signed into law bills banning sex-selection abortions and human cloning. The sex-selection prohibition also requires doctors to report to the state the reasons women choose abortion and complicat

From Christianity Today: As churches and religious groups eye President Obama's Supreme Court pick, U.S. Circuit Judge Sonia Sotomayor, they will likely take keen interest in her religious freedom cases. During her career, Sotomayor has written several deci

From the AP: A Hispanic Roman Catholic theologian who was an adviser to Barack Obama's presidential campaign will be nominated to serve as the next U.S. ambassador to the Vatican, the White House announced Wednesday. Miguel H. Diaz, 45, an associate professo

From LifeNew.com: The Caritas Catholic health care system faces continued criticism over a health insurance bid that will result in it making abortion referrals. Massachusetts state officials awarded the bid, which has Caritas Christi Health Care joining with

From the Washington Post: President Obama vowed last week to rein in the use of a legal privilege that allows the administration to discard lawsuits that involve "state secrets," promising that a new policy is in the works that will quell criticism by civil li

From the L.A. Times: Reporting from Washington -- President Obama will nominate federal judge Sonia Sotomayor of New York to the U.S. Supreme Court today, according to White House sources, positioning the longtime federal jurist to become the first Latino memb

From the Washington Post: Liberty University will no longer recognize its campus Democratic club because, officials say, the national party's platform goes against the conservative Christian school's moral principles. Officials at the private Lynchburg school

From USA Today: Most mainline Protestant clergy do not support legalizing gay marriage, even if they're not required to officiate at same-sex ceremonies. It was the only point on which the majority did not support gay rights, according to a survey of clergy f

R.R. Reno interviews Archbishop Charles J. Chaput about his “A Charitable Endeavor” which appeared in the November 2009 issue.

R.R. Reno interviews Maura about her article “Gambling With Lives” which appeared in the November 2009 issue.

R.R. Reno interviews Mary Eberstadt about her article “What Does Woman Want?” which appeared in the October 2009 issue.

R.R. Reno interviews Alan Jacobs about his article “Beyond the Wild Wood” which appeared in the October 2009 issue.

R.R. Reno interviews Reuven Brenner about his article “The Rule of Law and the Wealth of Nations” which appeared in the August/September 2009 issue.

R.R. Reno interviews Hadley Arkes about his article “Empathy & Apathy,” which appeared in the Aug/Sept 2009 issue.

R.R. Reno interviews Mary Eberstadt about her article “Pro-Animal, Pro-Life” which appeared in the June/July 2009 issue.

R.R. Reno interviews Joseph Bottum on his article “Of Second Things—And First Things,” which appeared in the May 2009 issue.

R.R. Reno interviews First Things’ new associate editor David Goldman on his article “Demographics & Depression,” which appeared in the May 2009 issue.

R. R. Reno interviews Gary Anderson on his article “Faith & Finance,” which appeared in the May 2009 issue.