We instinctively think that what’s most real or true is what has always been the case. Timeless truth means truth that was already true at the dawn of time.
That’s a big problem. It means that nothing that emerges in time is fully real or true. It’s true, only in a manner of speaking, or only if we can see it as an expression or manifestation of something that always was the case.
But it’s a big problem mainly because it’s still in the grip of tragic metaphysics.
For Christianity, the truth is what will always be true. “Jesus rose from the dead” became true after it happened. It wasn’t true on holy Saturday; it became true in time. But it’s “absolute” truth because it will remain forever.
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.
Make your Fall Campaign gift now using the button below.
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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