Today is the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, a holy day of obligation for Catholics. It is an amazement how many people, including otherwise thoughtful Catholics, think the immaculate conception of Mary means that she was not conceived by the natural means of procreation. Immaculate . . . . Continue Reading »
Two items from last month I missed in the general rush around Thanksgiving. Or maybe I mean the particular rush. No, general rush. It’s always rushed. Rush, rush, rush. Sometimes I just want to settle back and relax a little. Calm the busy tides of commerce. Still the rapid waters of . . . . Continue Reading »
“When men stop believing in God they don’t believe in nothing; they believe in anything.” Umberto Eco said that observation is commonly attributed to G.K. Chesterton, and I flatly asserted in response that it is attributed to him because he wrote it. I may have been wrong about . . . . Continue Reading »
A good general rule for preachers is this: If a story does not serve the gospel, it will distract from the gospel. Too often, homiletical "illustrations" employed to illuminate the scriptural text displace the text. How often have you gone away remembering the cute story but forgetting . . . . Continue Reading »
A lively, interesting discussion seems to be developing on various websites about Jonathan V. Last’s article in the last issue of FIRST THINGS, "God on the Internet." The blog-search-engine Technorati offers three pages of links to websites that mention the article. Against the . . . . Continue Reading »
The annual appeal to subscribers is in the mail. If you’re not a subscriber to FIRST THINGS, that can be remedied by hitting the “Subscribe” button above. Our survival depends upon your generosity. Thank you. . . . . Continue Reading »
Totalitarianism takes many different forms, writes Pope Benedict XVI in his article in the forthcoming issue, “Europe and its Discontents.” In the course of his reflection, there is this: "This scientific façade hides an intolerant dogmatism that views the spirit as produced . . . . Continue Reading »
The flood of commentary on the Vatican instruction on homosexuality and the priesthood will not likely abate for some time. Here is William Saletan at Slate targeting what he views as the pope’s hangup about homosexuality, imaginatively titled “Gland Inquisitor” : “Notice . . . . Continue Reading »
There is lively interest, to put it gently, in the instruction from Rome regarding the admission of those with strong same-sex attractions to the seminary and priesthood. The instruction, which is not officially released until today, was leaked last week to an Italian newspaper and has since been . . . . Continue Reading »
In the Washington Post ( November 18 ), Michael Kinsley returns to the complexity of abortion politics. “Machiavellians of my acquaintance believe that it is the anti-abortion folks who are getting conned. The last thing in the world that Republican strategists want is repeal of Roe . If . . . . Continue Reading »
Subscribe
Latest Issue
Support First Things
