First Thoughts

​The Real Role of Diversity

Why campus leaders are so craven. Continue Reading »

​Against the Academic Culture of Privilege

Olivia Legaspi is a Haverford College freshman. After working at McDonalds during the summer to save up enough for her contribution to her financial aid package, she entered into the dream-world of elite higher education where everyone is encouraged to speak up, feel safe, and give priority to their . . . . Continue Reading »

For Those Curious Young Minds

Some of my fellow staff members here at First Things have written reflections on what sets First Things apart for them, and why our magazine is worthy of support—see Matthew Schmitz’s, Alexi Sargeant’s, and Carl Trueman’s here. They’ve covered a lot of ground. I will add this: There is a . . . . Continue Reading »

Good Guys Have More Fun: What Works in The Force Awakens

I caught Star Wars: The Force Awakens with my family over the past weekend. Before we got to the scrolling text on starry background (greeted by audience cheers) we were bombarded by trailers, mostly for movies about aliens blowing things up, with the occasional detour into mutants and/or Egyptian . . . . Continue Reading »

A Personal Reflection on First Things

I’m grateful to my parents for many reasons. But one thing I’m especially grateful about these days is that they left issues of First Things lying around our house. Even when I was a wee bit younger than the target audience, I loved reading Father Neuhaus’s warm or trenchant reflections in the . . . . Continue Reading »

The Right Kind of Despair

Despair of transcendent politics to get better politics. Continue Reading »

South Park, First Things, and the Need for a ‘Safe' Place

Why First Things is needed — and worthy of your support. Continue Reading »

Letters from Santa

It was the Christmas of 2013, and my 10-year-old twin sons were having a crisis of faith.Their elder brother had already settled into a comfortable skepticism about flying reindeer, toy-making elves, and Santa Claus. To their younger sister, the existence of such things was a matter of uncomplicated . . . . Continue Reading »

Disagreement, charity, and Islam

It was about animosity to Muslims, not theology. That’s what Miroslav Volf claimed in a Washington Post editorial condemning Wheaton College administrators, who are currently investigating a professor who said that Christians and Muslims worship the same God. Ironically, in making this accusation, . . . . Continue Reading »

First Links — 12.22.15

The Little Way of Terry Pratchett
Leah Libresco, Aleteia

Michael Wyschogrod, Dean of Orthodox Jewish Theologians, Dies at 87
David P. Goldman, Tablet

Crisis of Character
Brendan O’Neill, spiked

A Medieval Antidote to ISIS
Mustafa Akyol, New York Times

A Preacher Without a Congregation
Peter Blair, The American Interest

Poetry of Propaganda: Act One, Guerilla Marketing
Ira Glass, This American Life
(transcript here)

A Design of Eternal Salvation
James V. Schall, S. J., The Catholic Thing

Holiday Despair and the Meaning of Christmas
Jennifer Fitz, Patheos

Application Information: Religious Freedom Project
Nicholas Fedyk, Georgetown University’s Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs