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On the Square Today

From First Thoughts

Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap. on  evangelizing young adults : The current White House, and many others in our nation’s leadership classes, have a very different understanding of religious liberty from what our country’s founders intended. As a result, I’ve thought a great deal . . . . Continue Reading »

On the Square Today

From First Thoughts

Elizabeth Scalia on thinking respectable thoughts—or paying the consequences : For Pastor Louie Giglio, a frequent visitor to the Obama White House in 2012, an invitation to pray the Inaugural benediction meant a spotlight on his efforts to end global human trafficking, an issue which deserves . . . . Continue Reading »

On the Square Today

From First Thoughts

William Doino Jr. on the Christian Witness of Roberto Clemente : Watching Roberto Clemente play baseball was to have seen the game at its best, but to have known him as a man, and appreciate him as a leader, was even better. Forty years after his death, in a tragic plane crash on New Year’s . . . . Continue Reading »

On the Square Today

From First Thoughts

Wesley J. Smith on the coming public conflict over human cloning : Ultimately, cloning would be the key that opens the door to countless other brave new world technologies, like one possible future procedure already termed “fetal farming,” whereby cloned fetuses would be matured in . . . . Continue Reading »

On the Square Today

From First Thoughts

Leroy Huizenga on the new Philippians : As the West goes ever faster through the process of de-Christianization, the Church approximates ever more the situation of the Church before Constantine, God’s people on earth challenging and converting the pagan culture and empire with which it was . . . . Continue Reading »

On the Square Today

From First Thoughts

Collin Garbarino on the fiscal cliff and the fifth commandment : The federal government paused at the edge of the fiscal cliff and decided to look before it leapt. Last week the Senate passed a compromise bill, which raised some taxes and postponed most discussion about spending cuts, and the House . . . . Continue Reading »

On the Square Today

From First Thoughts

Elizabeth Scalia on the Republicans’ atomic stupidity : The GOP, even if they could figure out exactly what they want and then rouse themselves to something resembling tenacity, has no equivalent support, and would therefore be unable to successfully bring about their policy ideas by using . . . . Continue Reading »

On the Square Today

From First Thoughts

R.R. Reno on First Things in 2013 : Readers very likely will not be surprised that I frequently write notes to myself about the nature and mission of First Things . The magazine is something of a cipher. It has a strong Catholic dimension, but it’s certainly not merely Catholic. Furthermore, . . . . Continue Reading »

On the Square Today

From First Thoughts

Peter J. Leithart on the process of writing a book : Writing a book is like groping through a cave that no one else has explored or ever will, because you create the cave as you go. When it’s all done I can’t remember how I got through all the tunnels to emerge, blinking, into the sun. . . . . Continue Reading »

On the Square Today

From First Thoughts

Russell E. Saltzman asks what has Jesus done? What would Jesus do? That’s pretty hard to say, but it doesn’t prevent people from speculating about it. The what-would-Jesus-do fad seems to have faded somewhat, but only after raking in multi-million dollar sales in WWJD bracelets, . . . . Continue Reading »