R. R. Reno

A friend wrote me today, saying, “When I was studying philosophy in graduate school I never imagined that I would live to see a thoughtful profile in the New York Times on Alvin Plantinga, let alone a respectful discussion of his new book on religion and science and the renaissance of . . . . Continue Reading »

A fortnight ago I made the case that the social democratic project in the West is under stress and may come unraveled. This does not mean I think it was a mistake. On the contrary, it was a brilliant achievement in its day. During the dark years of the Great Depression neither democracy nor free market capitalism seemed likely to survive. Fascism and Communism presented themselves as the only truly modern approaches to political and economic life, and their followers strutted, arrogantly confident that the future was theirs… . Continue Reading »

Rush-hour traffic emerged from the Battery Tunnel and roared up West Street on that gray, overcast afternoon as I made my way through the narrow, temporary passageways that snake around partially constructed buildings and deep foundation pits. My ticket for the National September 11 Memorial at the . . . . Continue Reading »

The current Eurozone crisis may end up as a defining moment in post-War European, and indeed American, history. Most of my leftist friends regarded the financial crisis of 2008 as a “market failure” that vindicated their views about the evils of capitalism. The debt crisis in Europe offers no such consolations to modern liberals, who may now be facing their Waterloo. That’s because it is very hard to ignore that the Eurozone crisis concerns sovereign debt. Greek bonds have become toxic because of decades of political decisions. Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian bonds may go the same way, and for the same reasons… . Continue Reading »

Referendum? No referendum? A special parliamentary vote? A unity government? Greek prime minister George Papandreou doesn’t know what to do. Which is not surprising. The Greek debt crisis now exposes the fundamental weakness of the European Union”its democratic deficit. From its beginnings in the early 1950s as a common market of coal and steel, post-war efforts to unify Europe have been based on the presumption that interlocking economic interests would lead to a new and harmonious international system… . Continue Reading »

For a long time Irish politics and culture have been married to Catholicism. Now we seem to be witnessing the beginnings of a very public divorce. The Diocese of Cloyne has been the center of attention. Roiled by revelations of decades of clerical sexual abuse, in 1996 the Irish bishops put . . . . Continue Reading »

It’s not money that’s the root of all evil; it’s tenure. A bit of an exaggeration, perhaps, but in her latest book, The Faculty Lounges (Ivan R. Dee), Naomi Schaefer Riley argues that eliminating tenure presents the most promising first step for the reform of our colleges and universities. It’s the “game changer for American higher education.” What is the real significance of tenure? … Continue Reading »

I was visiting Columbia recently, and Fr. Dan O’Reilly, the chaplain there told me that Fr. Richard John Neuhaus often preached there—and that his homilies were recorded and are available on the Columbia Catholic Ministry website. “No way,” I said. “Yes, way,” he . . . . Continue Reading »

We’re in the middle of our Fall fundraising campaign, a new effort to raise funds for the mission and work of the First Things website. I hope you will step forward to be counted among those who give. The First Things website does many things. We provide one and often two (and sometimes even . . . . Continue Reading »

[Note: The following is R.R. Reno’s foreword to The Glory of Kings: A Festschrift in Honor of James B. Jordan , edited by Peter J. Leithart and John Barach.] James B. Jordan is remarkable. There are plenty of Bible preachers in America who know the Scriptures well. Lots of professors read . . . . Continue Reading »