hope

Hope Beyond Politics in Europe

I went to Europe expecting to be somewhat discouraged by what I would see. I returned exhilarated. Continue Reading »

11 Jul 2024

Letters

It was good to see Mark Movsesian (“Defining Religion in the Court,” June/July 2023) tackle the issue of judicial religious exemptions for the increasing numbers of religious Nones among us. But I don’t think his guideline for distinguishing “religious” claims from other, conscientious . . . . Continue Reading »

1 Oct 2023

Chilton Williamson’s Errand into the Wilderness

by M. D. Aeschliman

We ought to value persons for their habitual qualities and their achievements. Chilton Williamson’s character and accomplishments are in many respects exemplary—especially his Christian hope. Continue Reading »

1 Aug 2023

Cormac McCarthy Was No Nihilist

by Michael Crews

Readers would be hard-pressed to find a religious creed in the often dark works of Cormac McCarthy. But the writer's depictions of darkness are never devoid of light, however tragic or precarious its place in the narratives. Continue Reading »

22 Jun 2023

Out of the Abyss

by Liel Leibovitz

One day this winter, I found myself staring into a deep, dark, menacing hole. I mean that literally: I was visiting Khor Virap, an Armenian monastery in the foothills of Mount Ararat and the site of a miracle we could all use just about now. Feeling depressed about the fate of Western civilization? . . . . Continue Reading »

1 Apr 2023

Truth’s Many Triumphs

by R. R. Reno

As readers, you have signaled your support for First Things and our combination of spirited opposition to our wayward world with cheerful celebration of truth’s many triumphs. Continue Reading »

11 Jan 2023

Remembering Benedict

by Charles J. Chaput

For me, two couplets will always capture the essence of Pope Benedict XVI: faith and reason, realism and hope. Continue Reading »

4 Jan 2023

Fun Trumps Fear

by Liel Leibovitz

What to make of the midterm elections? You may, if you wish, lend your ear to the ululations of our self-appointed intellectual and moral betters, who are eager to tell you that the mythical Red Wave failed to materialize because of Donald Trump, or because of Dobbs, or because of January 6th, . . . . Continue Reading »

1 Jan 2023