Michael Brooks
First Things is an interreligious, nonpartisan research and education journal that examines controversial issues at the intersection of religion and public life. It was founded in 1990 by Richard John Neuhaus, a Lutheran pastor turned Catholic priest, and is published by the Institute on Religion and Public Life, which Neuhaus also founded. The journal aims to strengthen and unify communities of religious believers, with contributors representing Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, Protestant, Jewish, and Islamic viewpoints. While it is not officially Catholic, First Things has been described as a Catholic publication, with several Catholic figures serving as editors and executive editors. The magazine publishes articles in its Web Exclusives section daily and also produces two regular podcasts.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Founder | Richard John Neuhaus |
| Founding Date | March 1990 |
| Frequency | 10 issues per year |
| Publisher | Institute on Religion and Public Life |
| Website | firstthings.com |
| Podcasts | Conversations with Mark Bauerlein, The Editor's Desk |
| Contributors | Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, Protestant, Jewish, Islamic viewpoints |
| Content | Ecumenical and interfaith engagement |
| Content | Religion, culture, politics, theology, science & technology, family, arts & letters, sexual revolution, popular culture, conservatism, American politics, abortion, law, foreign affairs |
| Audience | Religious believers |
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What You'll Learn
First Things is a Catholic magazine
First Things has often hosted statements by Evangelicals and Catholics Together, a group of leading scholars in the United States who are either evangelical Protestants or Catholics. The magazine has also featured columns by Shalom Carmy, an Orthodox rabbi teaching Jewish studies and philosophy at Yeshiva University, and Liel Leibovitz. In addition to the print magazine, First Things also encompasses a website that publishes daily "web exclusive" articles and two regular podcasts: Conversations with Mark Bauerlein and The Editor's Desk.
The magazine's founding editorial, "Putting First Things First", sets the tone for the publication's content and focus. While First Things is not officially Catholic, its editor, ex-editor, and managing editor are all Catholic, and it has published articles by prominent Catholic figures such as Mary Ann Glendon, George Weigel, and Avery Dulles. The magazine has also featured articles by non-Catholic contributors, including rabbi David Novak, Lutheran historian Robert Louis Wilken, and Lutheran ethicist Gilbert Meilaender.
First Things has been described as an "oasis of sanity" in the secular culture of higher education, and its articles are known for their depth and intellectual engagement. The magazine has a reputation for taking ideas seriously and for addressing hot-button issues in a spirited and thoughtful manner.
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It was founded by a Catholic priest
First Things is a magazine that was founded by Richard John Neuhaus, a Catholic priest, in March 1990. Neuhaus was a Lutheran pastor who later converted to Catholicism. He founded the magazine with the help of some long-time friends and collaborators after leaving the Rockford Institute. The inaugural issue of First Things was published in March 1990, and it is currently in its 35th year of publication.
The magazine is run by the board of the Institute on Religion and Public Life (IRPL), which was also founded by Neuhaus in 1989. The Institute's mission is to promote a religiously informed public philosophy that shapes society. First Things is an interreligious and nonpartisan research and education journal that explores controversial issues at the intersection of religion and public life in America. It has a print magazine published ten times a year, a website with daily "web exclusive" articles, and two podcasts: "Conversations with Mark Bauerlein" and "The Editor's Desk."
First Things has a diverse range of contributors, including Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, Protestant, Jewish, and Islamic viewpoints. It has featured prominent figures such as Catholic jurist Mary Ann Glendon, rabbi David Novak, and Catholic philosopher Michael Novak. The magazine often hosts statements by Evangelicals and Catholics Together, a group of leading scholars who are either evangelical Protestants or Catholics.
First Things has been described as a "'Catholic journal'" by some, and it has been praised for its depth and intellectual engagement. It has also been recognised as an "oasis of sanity" in the secular culture of higher education. The late Father Neuhaus, a civil rights activist, played a significant role in bringing together Protestant, Catholic, and Jewish thinkers in the magazine. He was known for his tendency to confront perceived threats to American culture and religious freedom, which has been a trademark of the magazine's spirited responses to controversial issues.
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It covers controversial topics
First Things is a journal that covers a wide range of topics, including theology, liturgy, history of religion, church history, culture, education, society, politics, literature, book reviews, and poetry. It is published by the Institute on Religion and Public Life (IRPL), a nonprofit organization with the mission of advancing a religiously informed public philosophy for the ordering of society.
The magazine was founded in March 1990 by Richard John Neuhaus, a Lutheran pastor who later became a Catholic priest, and its contributors represent a variety of religious viewpoints, including Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, Protestant, Jewish, and Islamic traditions.
First Things has addressed controversial topics since its inception. For example, in 1996, the magazine published a symposium titled "The End of Democracy?" in response to the Colorado Supreme Court's decision in Romer v. Evans. The symposium denounced the ruling and included an essay by Charles Colson calling for a violent uprising against the United States government. This led to widespread criticism and the resignation of two editorial board members.
Another example of First Things engaging with controversial topics is its coverage of same-sex marriage. In 2025, the magazine noted the tenth anniversary of the Supreme Court's decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, which invalidated state laws defining marriage as between a husband and wife. Additionally, First Things published a review by a Dominican priest, Romanus Cessario, of Vittorio Messori's book "Kidnapped by the Vatican?" The book discusses the case of Edgardo Mortara, a Jewish boy who was mistakenly baptized by Italian nuns and kidnapped by the Vatican, and Cessario's review expressed support for the Vatican's actions.
First Things also covers topics related to popular culture and current events, such as American Eagle's advertisements featuring actress Sydney Sweeney and Martin Scorsese's film "Silence." The magazine's podcasts, "Conversations with Mark Bauerlein" and "The Editor's Desk," provide additional platforms for discussing controversial and timely issues.
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It publishes articles, reviews and poetry
First Things is a journal founded in March 1990 by Richard John Neuhaus, a Lutheran pastor turned Catholic priest, intellectual, writer, and activist. The journal is published by the New York-based Institute on Religion and Public Life (IRPL) and is released monthly, except for bi-monthly issues covering June/July and August/September. The magazine has a circulation of approximately 30,000 copies and is published ten times each year.
First Things publishes articles, reviews, and poetry. The magazine publishes articles daily in the "Web Exclusives" section of its website, and each issue of the magazine hosts poetry. The journal also encompasses two regular podcasts: Conversations with Mark Bauerlein and The Editor's Desk. The journal's seminars and intellectual retreats often include seminal First Things articles in their syllabi, enabling participants to discuss those pieces with their authors.
The journal is inter-religious, inter-denominational, and ecumenical, with a focus on Christian and Jewish viewpoints. Contributors usually represent traditional Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, Protestant, Jewish, and Islamic viewpoints. The journal aims to "advance a religiously informed public philosophy for the ordering of society", covering topics such as theology, liturgy, history of religion, church history, culture, education, society, politics, literature, book reviews, and poetry.
First Things has hosted statements by Evangelicals and Catholics Together, a group of leading scholars in the United States who are either evangelical Protestants or Catholics. The magazine has also featured regular columns by Shalom Carmy, an Orthodox rabbi teaching Jewish studies and philosophy at Yeshiva University. In addition, the magazine has published reviews by Catholic priests, such as Romanus Cessario's review of Vittorio Messori's book Kidnapped by the Vatican? The Unpublished Memoirs of Edgardo Mortara.
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It's an interreligious, nonpartisan journal
First Things is a magazine and journal that is considered by some to be a Catholic publication. However, it is officially an interreligious, nonpartisan research and education journal. It was founded in 1990 by Richard John Neuhaus, a Lutheran pastor who later became a Catholic priest. The journal is run by the board of the Institute on Religion and Public Life (IRPL), which Neuhaus also founded in 1989.
The IRPL's mission is to advance a religiously informed public philosophy for the ordering of society. First Things publishes articles from a range of religious perspectives, including Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, Protestant, Jewish, and Islamic viewpoints. It has hosted statements by Evangelicals and Catholics Together, a group of leading scholars in the United States who are either evangelical Protestants or Catholics. The journal also features regular columns by Jewish scholars, such as Shalom Carmy's "Litvak at Large" and Liel Leibovitz's "Leibovitz at Large."
The magazine has a print and online version, with daily "web exclusive" articles, and two regular podcasts: "Conversations with Mark Bauerlein" and "The Editor's Desk." First Things also holds seminars, lectures, and intellectual retreats that often include discussions of seminal articles from the journal. These programs aim to strengthen the intellectual core of the journal and foster community among its readers.
While First Things is not officially Catholic, it has been associated with Catholicism due to the religious background of its founder and the involvement of Catholic scholars and editors. The journal's focus on religion and public life has attracted readers from various religious backgrounds, and it continues to be a platform for interreligious dialogue and engagement.
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Frequently asked questions
First Things is an interreligious, nonpartisan research and education journal that examines controversial issues arising at the crossroads of religion and public life. While it is not officially Catholic, it has been considered a Catholic publication by many, including its deputy editor, David Mills. The magazine was founded by a Catholic priest, Richard John Neuhaus, and has featured statements by Catholics, such as Catholic jurist Mary Ann Glendon and Catholic philosopher, diplomat, and author Michael Novak.
The editor of First Things is R. R. Reno, a professor of theology and ethics at Creighton University. He is a Catholic convert from the Episcopal Church and has been involved with the magazine for over a decade.
First Things publishes articles, reviews, and poetry. The magazine covers a range of topics, including theology, culture, science and technology, family, arts and letters, and public life. It also hosts podcasts, such as "Conversations with Mark Bauerlein" and "The Editor's Desk."
