Richard John Neuhaus

That April 8, 1966, cover of Time magazine became something of a cultural marker. It was completely black, except for the three words in bold red, “Is God Dead?” The subject, of course, was the “death of God” movement with which some theologians had excited public interest for a time. Now . . . . Continue Reading »

The argument is that religious freedom is itself an achievement of religious freedom. Then too, protecting the rights of those with whom we disagree is in the self-interest of all. On most controverted issues in our public life, there is no stable majority, only ever shifting convergences and . . . . Continue Reading »

At least since Ronald Reagan vs. Jimmy Carter in 1980, the question of religion in public life and, more specifically, the meaning of “the separation of church and state,” has surfaced in presidential elections. Sen. Obama has been working hard to overcome the perception that his party is . . . . Continue Reading »

“Oh look, the sun is rising again.” Most of us manage to contain our surprise. As predictable as the rising of the sun is the emergence of religion in our political contests¯and the feigned surprise of much of our political class. Or maybe the surprise is not feigned. For some it is a . . . . Continue Reading »

American Babylon: Notes of a Christian Exile . I really like the title of the book I’m writing, in the hope of having it ready for publication in the first part of 2009. That can be a problem in writing books. You fall in love with a title and then labor to build a book around it. But I’m . . . . Continue Reading »

I have been reflecting here on the ways in which, also for Christians, and maybe especially for Christians, being American is part of our inescapable identity. These reflections will, God willing, be part of a forthcoming book, American Babylon: Notes of a Christian Exile .Thought that is real and . . . . Continue Reading »

I once wrote a book on the American experiment and the idea of covenant, Time Toward Home. A covenantal understanding of America is distinct from, although not incompatible with, a contractual understanding. Most writing about the American experience, and especially about the American political . . . . Continue Reading »

I’ve been discussing themes that will be developed in a forthcoming book, American Babylon: Notes of a Christian Exile . The book, God willing and my complying, will be out in the first part of next year. As you may remember from last week, the subject is living an authentic Christian life . . . . Continue Reading »

I mentioned here before Bishop Eusebius (260¯339), who is often called the father of Church history, and wrote about the conjunction of Church and Empire in a manner that is today frequently dismissed as “triumphalistic.” Even in his own time, Eusebius’ hyper-confident reading of . . . . Continue Reading »

This will, in due course, become a book, tentatively titled American Babylon: Notes of a Christian Exile . The subject is living an authentically Christian life between the “now” of Christ’s victory and the “not yet” of a promised Kingdom delayed. The “not yet” . . . . Continue Reading »