Journal of religion and public life featuring leading scholars on faith, culture, and public policy.
Republicans say the war will end when Trump declares victory. But Iran will have a say over the conclusion, too
Reading—for obvious reasons—Henri Daniel-Rops’s The Church in the Dark Ages, I have been repeatedly struck by the truism that moments of institutional crisis demand genuinely great leaders. Movements, forces, trends. The post The Almost-Greatness of Donald Trump and Leo XIV appeared first on First Things
For Instanceby rhina p. espaillatwiseblood books, 126 pages, $18 Dominican-American poet and translator Rhina Espaillat, at ninety-four, has spent decades examining life and then, graciously and modestly, punching us. The post A Gracious and Modest Punch to the Gut appeared first on First Things
When it comes to papal matters in Rhode Island, I am often interviewed on the local news. Thus, I get my “fifteen minutes of fame” whenever a pope dies. The post An American Pope at a Time of War appeared first on First Things
In this episode, Brad East joins R. R. Reno on The Editor’s Desk to talk about his recent review, “Mainlining Nostalgia” from the April 2026 issue of the magazine. The post The Return of the Mainline? (ft. Brad East) appeared first on First Things
Just war is again being discussed in the public square by policymakers and prelates alike. Recently, the chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Doctrine, Bishop James Massa, made a. The post The USCCB’s Just War Error appeared first on First Things
As the United States approaches the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, Americans are reflecting again on the principles that shaped their political order. The declaration famously appeals. The post Two Visions of Religious Liberty appeared first on First Things
In the latest installment of the ongoing interview series with contributing editor Mark Bauerlein, Michael Clune joins in to discuss his recent novel, Pan. The conversation is embedded below. The post Art Criticism for Art’s Sake (ft. Michael Clune) appeared first on First Things
Your Eminence: In an article recently published by a major German Catholic website, you suggested that the question of whether the Church can ordain women has not been definitively. The post An Open Letter to Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich, S.J. appeared first on First Things
On Sunday night, after a heated and chaotic election campaign, Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán and his Fidesz party lost in a landslide after sixteen years in power. The. The post The Smoke Clears in Budapest appeared first on First Things
More than two centuries ago, Søren Kierkegaard attacked the established church of his native Denmark. He denounced it for encouraging outward “Christian” behavior rather than authentic belief. People identified. The post In Defense of Cultural Christianity appeared first on First Things
New York governor Kathy Hochul recently made headlines for decriminalizing assisted suicide, claiming as motivation her compassion for the terminally ill. Now her state’s public health agency has targeted. The post New York Is Bullying Nuns Who Care for the Dying appeared first on First Things