Dear Readers,
Over the last few years, I’ve been making a case for a strong Christian witness in today’s society. From the beginning of my time as editor of First Things, I’ve argued that progressivism represents a war on the weak. And I’ve argued that social and religious conservatism, rather than progressivism, is what best serves the poor and disadvantaged. It promotes solidarity and strengthens our commitment to serve the good of our neighbor.
In Resurrecting the Idea of a Christian Society, my new book appearing on August 1, I draw these strands together into a sustained argument for a Christian vision of moral and social renewal.
I know, it seems like a pipe dream. So much is going against us these days. But the decline of marriage, rising drug addiction, suicide, and a general pessimism about the future indicate that there’s a hollowness at the center of today’s secular establishment. Which means that men and women of faith have a real opportunity to fill the void. Religious communities remain powerful sources for moral formation and communal renewal. I don’t imagine a return to an earlier era. But I argue that you and I can better serve our fellow citizens if we offer a clear analysis of today’s problems—and a confident Christian vision of the future.
You can order it now from Amazon and Barnes and Noble.
Thanks for being loyal readers of First Things.
Yours,
R. R. Reno
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.
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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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