It’s been a big year for First Things. Our website was completely redesigned, and stories like the death of Pope Francis, the election of Pope Leo XIV, and the assassination of Charlie Kirk drove our coverage. Here are the most-read articles First Things published in 2025. If you missed an article, check it out now.
- “He Died with a Microphone in His Hand” by Robert Barron
- “Voyages to the End of the World” by Peter Thiel and Sam Wolfe
- “A Turning Point for America” by R. R. Reno
- “The Epstein Myth” by Matthew Schmitz
- “The Church After Francis” by Charles J. Chaput
- “Francis in Full” by Robert Barron
- “Gen Z Longs for Home” by Eddie LaRow
- “Goodbye ‘Big Eva,’ Hello ‘Gig Eva’” by Carl R. Trueman
- “The Shifting Narrative Around Pornography” by Jonathon Van Maren
- “Tyler Robinson and the Violence of Porn” by Samuel D. James
We’ll bring you more outstanding writing on religion and public life next year—but only with your help. Please consider donating today, and heartfelt thanks to those who already have.
See you in 2026!
The Church in the Age of Therapy
In 1966, Philip Rieff wrote in The Triumph of the Therapeutic that “Religious man was born to…
Canada’s Deadliest Blind Spot
On September 20, the Daily Mail ran a story with the provocative headline, “Our 83-year-old Christian grandmother…
The Faithful Joy of Dolly Parton and Fulton Sheen
Dolly Parton and Fulton Sheen seem to have had little in common. She favored rhinestones; he wore…