Happy New Year!
I am writing to thank you, our readers, for your generous contributions during the First Things campaign last month. Because of you, we were able to raise over $517,000! Your support makes it possible for First Things to continue to be a place where faith has a voice—a strong, articulate, and confident voice.
That has been especially important to me. I came to First Things a year-and-a-half ago, though I remain a professor of English at Emory U. I needn't explain just how crimped and guarded are the conversations that transpire in academia, especially when it comes to those delicate areas of race, sex, and politics. How refreshing it has been to attend First Things events, the seminars and book presentations along with the running of the magazine and web site. The atmosphere of ideas is more free and open, the range of opinions wider, and the frank and sharp profession of religious faith inspiring.
The support you have shown us during this campaign is equally inspiring. Our readers have generously invested in the mission of First Things, and we seek to be good stewards of these gifts. Your donations will be put to good use. The contributions we’ve received over the course of this campaign will help to defray the costs of publishing ten issues of the magazine each year, maintain and expand the firstthings.com website, and allow us to continue our other work, including the Junior Fellows Program, symposia, evening lectures, and other public events.
If you were not able to contribute during the campaign, or if you’d like to help us start the year ahead with an extra gift, we welcome donations of any size.
Once again, thank you for your generosity.
Sincerely,
Mark Bauerlein
Senior Editor
