R.R. Reno is editor of First Things.

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Jesus Says, Supersize Me

The International Journal of Obesity doesn’t sound like exciting nightime reading. But ever vigilant, the people over at ARTnews saw an interesting article. Analysis recently published in a study by Brain and Craig Wasnik shows the the problems of portion control aren’t new. They . . . . Continue Reading »

28 Jul 2010

More on Galileo

After writing about a weird swerve in a New York Times article that was determined to revive old canards about the Catholic Church vs. True Science and Reason, readers chimed in with helpful background about Galileo. As has been the case since I met him in 1984, David Yeago’s razor sharp mind . . . . Continue Reading »

27 Jul 2010

Digging Up Galileo, Again

Last week the New York Times carried one of those slow news, feel good, summertime stories . The recently renovated museum of the history of science in Florence was christened the Galileo Museum, honoring one of the most famous scientists of the early modern era. Simple story, it would seem. But . . . . Continue Reading »

26 Jul 2010

Glenn Beck and the Future of Punditry

Yesterday I posted some thoughts about Byron Williams, a wannabe Right Wing revolutionary, pointing out that a false rhetorical urgency in political discourse is likely to contribute to the unbalanced thoughts of people like Williams. I want to clarify the obvious. In no way should we pin the blame . . . . Continue Reading »

23 Jul 2010

Worse Than Boorish

Earlier this week, Byron Williams headed out with his private arsenal. (See the San Francisco Chronicle article) Stopped by police for speeding, a gunbattle ensued. Now, as initial police reports reveal, “His intention was to start a revolution by traveling to San Francisco and killing . . . . Continue Reading »

22 Jul 2010

Cultural Background of Pedophilia

Mercatornet recently posted an interview with Fr. Giovanni Cucci, S.J., who, along with Fr. Hans Zollner, S.J., is the author of ŒChiesa e pedofilia. Una ferita aperta. Un approccio psicologico-pastorale (The Church and Paedophilia. An Open Wound. A Pastoral-Psychological Approach) Milan, . . . . Continue Reading »

21 Jul 2010

Divorce Breeds Divorce

OK, surely this is a man bites dog story. A new study shows that if a close friend gets divorced, then you’re more likely to get divorced . Gee, who would have imagined that we’re influence by other people’s behavior. We’re, er, social animals? Long ago Aristotle recognized that . . . . Continue Reading »

21 Jul 2010

Boorish Behavior

Politics evoke passions, and cultural politics passionate passions. That shouldn’t surprise us. After all, unlike tax policy, questions about abortion, marriage, raising children, the role of religion in public life, and so forth touch on our deepest beliefs. Which makes this story of boorish . . . . Continue Reading »

21 Jul 2010

Islam in the German Universities

Paul Hockenos has a fine article in The Chronicle of Higher Education detailing plans by the German government to establish institutes for the study of Islamic theology. In Germany, the universites have faculties of Protestant and Catholic theology responsible not only for academic study but also . . . . Continue Reading »

20 Jul 2010

College Admissions and Race

Yesterday, Ross Douthat has a thoughtful column that brings forward data that confirms what everybody knows. In the race for admissions to fancy private colleges and universities it doesn’t help to be a white and relatively poor Jane or Joe “For minority applicants,” Douthat writes, . . . . Continue Reading »

20 Jul 2010