Those of us who know Ryan Anderson have certain adjectives that come naturally to mind when we think of the country's most visible and effective under-40 defender of the truth about marriage. (And if I thought about it, I might drop the “under-40” qualifier.) Fearless, composed, tenacious, . . . . Continue Reading »
You might wonder whether questions as complicated and wrenching for people as these should be handled by contract law, as if they were equivalent to particularly difficult business transactions. Continue Reading »
The self-serving circus of political candidates and media coverage is on full display right now, and it’s not hard to understand why this job opening attracts such clown-like candidates. People who have an aversion to twenty-four hour public scrutiny, inhumane travel schedules, and . . . . Continue Reading »
Two traditionally Catholic countries recently legalized same-sex marriage. In Ireland, the constitution was amended by popular referendum; in Mexico, the legal change has quietly developed in the nation's court systems. Though Catholic bishops and other church officials in each country purport to adhere to the same theological underpinnings and Church teachings, there are glaring differences in their official responses. Continue Reading »
At the Center for Law and Religion Forum today, I interview historian Christian Sahner about his recent book, Among the Ruins: Syria Past and Present. In the book—the subject of a First Things event last winter—Sahner recounts his time as a student in Syria before the Arab . . . . Continue Reading »
I am not paid to write for the First Things blog. I write for it because I believe its vision and its voice are of vital importance at this time. In the public square, both left and right have generally degenerated to the level of shouting angry soundbites and indulging in bitter recrimination. The . . . . Continue Reading »