They told us that we lost our lofty place
when Galileo shattered Ptolemy’s
concentric spheres, hurled Earth into the seas
of ever-growing, godless outer space.
They told us that the precious human race
originated in a cosmic sneeze,
dust specks upon a dust speck in the breeze.
They lied about our Father to our face.
If in a suburb of the Milky Way
man shelters in a modest cottage, he
must do so lest he love excessively
this paltry place, take breaking dawn for day,
or looking up adore the finite skies
and lose a universe that never dies.
Dear Reader,
Can I be direct with you?
War abroad. Socialists on the rise. AI upending human life. Endless uproar online. The modern attention economy doesn’t want readers — it wants users enslaved to the tyranny of the present.
First Things is the antidote: literary excellence, timeless truths, and a fixed point of reference in a culture that has lost its bearings.
But we can’t do it without readers like you.
Our goal: Raise $150,000 by November 1 to sustain First Things in the year ahead.
Your gift anchors readers in the permanent things.
Make your Fall Campaign gift now using the button below.
If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact Giovanni Del Piero, Director of the Editor’s Circle, at gdelpiero@firstthings.com or 212-627-1985.
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