Only Francis Can Go to China?
by George WeigelThe Holy See's puzzling passion for getting a deal done with Beijing. Continue Reading »
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Daily Writings from First Things’ Top Writers
James Stoddard's Interior Castle
by David RandallJames Stoddard ought to be famous for his Christian-fantasy Evenmere trilogy. He isn’t, unfortunately. Continue Reading »
The One Really Interesting Story
by Timothy GeorgeThe Book of Acts opens with two events of great salvation-historical importance: the going up of Jesus from earth into heaven (the Ascension), and the coming down of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples (Pentecost). Both events are commemorated by Christians in this season of the year. Jesus’s resurrection from the dead inaugurated God’s new beginning, which the New Testament calls “the last days.” . . . . Continue Reading »
Euphemisms for Killing
by Wesley J. SmithWords matter. The terminology we employ not only reflects our values but helps to define them. Language is particularly important in bioethical debates, in which dehumanizing verbiage can distance us from our fellow human beings.When embryonic stem-cell research was in the news, we were told . . . . Continue Reading »
The Other Footnote in Amoris Laetitia
by Michael PakalukPope Francis’s recent Apostolic Exhortation Amoris Laetitia is, for the most part, a beautiful presentation of Catholic teaching on marriage and the family. But its eighth chapter strikes many readers as problematic. This chapter attempts to identify the patterns of reasoning by which a prudent . . . . Continue Reading »
The Pope and the SSPX: Is Reconciliation Near?
by William Doino Jr.Of all the initiatives taken by Pope Francis, the most surprising is his latest effort to reconcile with Traditionalist Catholics—especially given their relentless criticisms of him as a progressive and even a “Modernist.” But the Pope has a generous heart. In 2013, Francis gave a surprise . . . . Continue Reading »
Intolerance and Evangelization
by George WeigelCardinal Robert Sarah is one of the adornments of the Catholic Church, although it’s very unlikely that this man of faith, humor, intelligence, and profound humility would appreciate my putting it that way. His 2015 book, God or Nothing, is selling all over the world, currently available in twelve . . . . Continue Reading »
Where the Icons Aren't Yet Dry
by Matthew MillinerThis monk is not letting us go without a sermon, but he’s earned it. We—a group of scholars brought together for a conference in Romania celebrating the legacy of the historian Peter Brown—have been treated well. We are standing in the Neamț monastery library, where the Philokalia, that . . . . Continue Reading »
The Latino Marriage Paradox
by Nicholas H. Wolfinger and W. Bradford WilcoxEduardo and Graciela Valdez met on the dance floor of a New York salsa club in 2000. Graciela, a single mother, had returned to her childhood Catholicism after giving birth to a son out of wedlock. Continue Reading »
The True History of Women Deacons
by Charlotte AllenWhen Pope Francis announced his willingness to appoint a commission to study whether women can serve as deacons in the Catholic Church, my first thought was: Here we go!And sure enough, FutureChurch, the liberal Catholic organization that has subtly pushed for the ordination of women to the hitherto . . . . Continue Reading »
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