On the Square Today

William Doino Jr. on why Christianity is not for quitters :

At his famous Harvard Commencement address in 1978, Alexander Solzhenitsyn remarked, “A decline in courage may be the most striking feature which an outside observer notices in the West.” Thirty-five years later, one could add: “and an increase in pessimism and despair.”

Defeatism and disillusionment have become fashionable in certain circles, considered high acts of sophistication. Books announcing the ruination and end of America flood the marketplace and are praised for their black humor. Hopelessness has become chic.

Next
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE

Our Most Popular Articles of 2025

The Editors

It’s been a big year for First Things. Our website was completely redesigned, and stories like the…

Our Year in Film & Television—2025

Various

First Things editors and writers share the most memorable films and TV shows they watched this year.…

Religious Freedom Is the Soul of American Security

Christopher J. Motz

In the quiet sanctuary of West Point’s Old Cadet Chapel, a striking mural crowns the apse above…