Taking God Seriously

I first picked up a copy of First Things about fifteen years ago. I spent several years in religious formation; both the seminary and the monastery in which I lived had First Things subscriptions. I vividly remember how impressed I was with the breadth and depth of the articles. A magazine that published everything from Fr. Thomas Joseph White on nuanced theological topics to Dana Gioia on what constitutes good Catholic fiction was a rare treasure.

Today, there are many excellent journals and magazines that I read, write for, and support. Yet First Things continues to stand out as a uniquely beautiful and necessary publication for our culture. There are many reasons for my love of First Things, but two stand out: the focus on “first things” that is so desperately needed to restore culture; and the community built around the magazine.

The problems that plague our society are at heart religious problems. If man does not know what he is, why he exists, what he is made for, or what he is doing on this earth, then he has little chance of getting any of the other questions right. Yes, policy, politics, culture all matter deeply. We need good statesmen, good leaders, good writers, and good poets to have a good society. But these conversations are unlikely to bear much fruit if God and the renewal of religion are not considered.

While atheistic belief systems try to construct a meaningful philosophy of life without God, this path cannot heal what ails us. I am very skeptical that a society can ignore God, the Creator of all things, and still come up with coherent answers to create a good society. Without putting God and religion at the heart of the discussion, how can man be good? How can he even articulate what it means to be good? Many publications are publishing excellent work on the cultural and political questions of the day. But few address the religious roots of culture, society, and our current crisis with the seriousness and depth of First Things. 

While the magazine itself is well worth supporting, the communities built around First Things are a unique and powerful gift to society. Each month, my wife and I are blessed to host the local Readers of First Things (ROFTer) group in our living room. Some of the most brilliant and interesting people from our region—none of whom we knew before starting this group—have become a close community of friends. Here, we discuss the articles of the month, the issues of the day, whatever is on the minds of the people present. And like First Things itself, these people are all united by the knowledge that without the first things—faith, God, religion—no other issues can be solved or made sense of. This elevates the conversation; it also brings deep peace. As we discuss with our fellow readers of First Things everything from personal trials to political upheavals and frightening cultural decay, we are able to view them in the light of faith. God is at work in all of this mess. And it is only by taking God seriously that we will find the proper answers.

First Things stands alone as a publication dedicated to seeing all things in the light of God. This publication brings people together in faith, hope, and a serious commitment to the truth. It is precisely this, rather than endless political hot takes and hopeless fretting about the state of affairs, that is needed to restore a sane culture. I support First Things as a publication and a community uniquely dedicated to the rebuilding of a religious citizenry needed to save and preserve what we hold dear. I hope you will join me in my support. 

Frank DeVito serves as counsel at the Napa Legal Institute. The views expressed by the author are not necessarily those of his employer.