Richard John Neuhaus

Of course, the literal meaning of potpourri is "rotten pot," but it has come to refer to a miscellany of flowers, foods, or ideas. In this miscellany, the first item is definitely not the most important. But we’ll take things as they’ve been plopped into the pot. There was a . . . . Continue Reading »

Aside from his inability, or unwillingness, to recognize that the denial of legal protection to human beings because of their age, size, dependency, or location (for example, in the womb) undercuts the foundation of human rights and the liberal democracy erected on that foundation, William Saletan, . . . . Continue Reading »

Philip Jenkins begs to differ. But first a word on the discussion that prompts his dissent. Over the years, First Things has devoted substantial attention to the thesis that Europe is a dying continent. In the fine phrase of David Hart, Europe is dying of “metaphysical boredom.” We were . . . . Continue Reading »

The Public Square The argument advanced by Zev Chafets—with an engaging mix of urgency, frustration, and humor both high and low—is really quite simple: American evangelicals are, next to American Jews, Israel’s best friends, and American Jews are monumentally dumb in not appreciating that . . . . Continue Reading »

Herewith a couple of items from a forthcoming installment of "The Public Square" in First Things , plus Mark Sargent’s important article on the distortion of the quest for justice. Odium theologicum ¯the ill-feeling and nasty polemics to which theological controversy can give . . . . Continue Reading »

I’m not convinced that this week’s Supreme Court decision on partial-birth abortion is as good as Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg says it is , but I certainly hope she is right. She says it is alarming; it reflects manifest hostility to the unlimited abortion license imposed by Roe ; it . . . . Continue Reading »

In the context of his Urbi et Orbi address on Easter Sunday, Pope Benedict observed that "nothing positive comes from Iraq, torn apart by continual slaughter as the civil population flees." An Italian-speaking friend tells me a better translation would be, "There is no good news from . . . . Continue Reading »

“Through Mary he received his humanity, and in receiving his humanity received humanity itself. Which is to say, through Mary he received us. In response to the angel’s strange announcement, Mary said yes. But only God knew that it would end up here at Golgotha, that it had to end up here. For . . . . Continue Reading »

To look at the big picture of the relationship between Christ and culture is, at the beginning of the twenty-first century, a dizzying experience. Our most immediate cultural world is chiefly Europe and the Americas. We do well to keep in mind, however, that the majority of Christians, and the most . . . . Continue Reading »

Valparaiso University had an inestimable part in shaping my understanding of the Church and its mission in the world, as it did for many Lutherans of the time. There at Valparaiso was the Lutheran Human Relations Association under the leadership of the sainted Andrew Schulze. There was the annual . . . . Continue Reading »