Matthew Schmitz

Not yet a fan of  First Things on Facebook? Didn’t know First Things was on Facebook? Well, it is, and you can become a fan  here . You also can become a fan of Richard John Neuhaus and some members of the First Things family: Robert P. George John Haldane David Bentley Hart Richard . . . . Continue Reading »

Today Public Discourse publishes the first installment of a two-part review-essay in which Ryan T. Anderson takes up Redeeming Economics , a new book by John D. Mueller. There’s a lot to chew on in this review, but I want to highlight just one of the interesting things Anderson . . . . Continue Reading »

Yesterday I highlighted the distortions and errors in Michael Sean Winters’ reporting on Archbishop Charles J. Chaput’s recent address at Notre Dame. Now the author of the original news report , Ann Carey, has commented on my post. Carey points out that in his rush to criticize Chaput, . . . . Continue Reading »

Sit down to the traditional Passover meal at Brigham Young University and things may seem a little strange: Inside the student center, the tables were set with all of the Passover staples: bitter herbs,  haroset , parsley sprigs and salt water, a Haggadah at each place setting. By 6:15 on a . . . . Continue Reading »

Today  Public Discourse has published the second half of an interview that Joe referred to on Wednesday. The interview, conducted by Sherif Girgis, is a conversation between Robert P. George and Arthur Caplan, two of the nations most prominent bioethicists. Here’s a taste: . . . the . . . . Continue Reading »

Instead of engaging with the text of Archbishop Charles J. Chaput’s recent remarks at Notre Dame, Michael Sean Winters of the National Catholic Reporter has attacked Chaput for saying that it might sometimes be necessary to deny communion to abortion-supporting politicians. Winters claims . . . . Continue Reading »

Last winter Sherif Girgis, Ryan T. Anderson, and Robert P. George posted online their paper What is Marriage? , a comprehensive, accessible argument for the view that marriage necessarily involves one man and one woman. The article was an unlikely hit, climbing to become the number one paper on . . . . Continue Reading »

During the health care debate, pro-lifers were reassured that the proposed law would have more than sufficient conscience protections and abortion restrictions. Anyone who raised concerns about a big, messy, and very complicated bill was accused of “crying wolf” . Well, here comes the . . . . Continue Reading »

One of the stranger responses to the controversy over Juan Williams’ firing was National Review’s attack on public radio for rural America. They singled out for scorn the idea of “coastal liberalism” being broadcast in Ogallalla, Nebraska. They might as well have said . . . . Continue Reading »

Eric Rohmer, leading director of the French New Wave, died in January at age 89. During a career that spanned fifty years, he gained international acclaim and some box-office success. But he died having been loved for the wrong reasons… . Continue Reading »