How much of sexual identity is innate, and how much is shaped by culture and social influence? In this piece, Darel E. Paul examines recent shifts in LGBTQ identification among young Americans, exploring changing social attitudes, the influence of elite institutions, and the political and cultural forces shaping the evolution of sexual identity. To read the piece, visit firstthings.com/lgbtq-is-far…

Can the Church remain silent when political decisions touch on the foundations of life, marriage, and the common good? In this piece, Paul D. Scalia examines two proposed amendments to Virginia’s constitution concerning abortion and marriage, exploring the Church’s responsibility to speak on moral questions, the limits of state authority, and the role of religious witness in public life. To read the piece, visit firstthings.com/virginias-ba…

In this piece, James Hankins explores whether history can offer a way to preserve a nation’s cultural identity while navigating religious and demographic change. To read the piece, visit firstthings.com/a-muslim-ans…

Particularly among elites and young women, it’s far too early to say that heterosexuality is staging a comeback. firstthings.com/lgbtq-is-far…

The case for rethinking America's absolutist doctrine of religious freedom in the case of an exclusivist political religion, namely Islam @HumbleFlow @realMaalouf @FeserEdward @RichLowry @JDVance @shaig @the_culturist_firstthings.com/a-muslim-ans…

Meet the Post-Religious Right - My review of @ScottMGreer's new book Whitepill: The Online Right and the Making of Trump’s America firstthings.com/meet-the-pos…

In the ​latest installment of Conversations, Bonnie Kristian joins Mark Bauerlein to discuss her recent book, In Defense of Evangelicalism. To listen to the conversation, visit firstthings.com/the-survival…

Can a society limit the harms of pornography without questioning the sexual revolution that helped normalize it? In this piece, Niall Gooch examines Britain’s new restrictions on certain forms of pornography, exploring the contradictions of a sexual ethic centered on individual consent, the challenges of rebuilding shared moral standards, and the enduring role of commitment, marriage, and religious belief in understanding sexual intimacy. To read the piece, visit firstthings.com/britains-por…

How does artificial intelligence change not only what we do, but how we think and relate to one another? In this piece, J. Jacob Tawney examines the distinction between AI algorithms and their interfaces, exploring how automation may erode human expertise and how conversational AI shapes our understanding of friendship, communication, and human reason. The piece considers two guiding principles for evaluating AI’s long-term consequences: technology replaces what it automates, and it forms us through its very use. To read the piece, visit firstthings.com/algorithm-in…

"Conservatives, of course, can reasonably point out that this sounds like reverse-engineering marriage from first principles." firstthings.com/britains-por…

I have a short piece at @firstthingsmag today reflecting on sex, porn bans and the contradictions of the permissive society (link below).

On the latest @firstthingsmag podcast, R.R. Reno, @germansdiaz & I discuss the ethics of public execution, perceived Trump-world corruption, & the legacy of Foucault. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcas…

The editors discuss the canceled livestreaming of the Nidal Hasan execution, the stench of corruption in the Trump administration, and the 100th anniversary of Michel Foucault’s birth. To listen to the conversation, visit firstthings.com/the-executio…

How does a modern adaptation reshape one of John Steinbeck’s most enduring novels? In this piece, Veronica Clarke examines Zoe Kazan’s adaptation of "East of Eden", exploring its reinterpretation of Cathy Ames, the role of maternal love, and the enduring themes of parental rejection, guilt, and forgiveness. To read the piece, visit firstthings.com/a-womans-eas…

A little late to the party, but I reviewed Zoe Kazan’s seven-part Netflix adaptation of John Steinbeck’s “East of Eden” for @firstthingsmag. Kazan brings a woman’s sensibility to a man’s epic—for better and for worse. firstthings.com/a-womans-eas…

Why has pornography become a point of contention even among conservatives? In this piece, Freya India examines the impact of porn on relationships and marriage, exploring its connection to trust, intimacy, and marital stability, particularly among religious couples. To read the piece, visit firstthings.com/women-should…

Many young women today have unrealistically high standards. But not wanting their partner to watch porn isn't one of them. My latest for @firstthingsmag firstthings.com/women-should…

Can the American Founding still guide a nation transformed by centuries of political, economic, and cultural change? In this piece, R. R. Reno examines the legacy of the Founders and the revolutions that reshaped American government, exploring the challenges posed by concentrated economic power, mass migration, and declining civic responsibility, and considering the need for a bold renewal of the nation’s traditions of liberty and republican self-government. To read the piece, visit firstthings.com/new-founders…

“Catholics, both churchgoing and nominal, report lower perceived marital stability than Protestants and secular couples, even though they report higher marital satisfaction and have lower divorce rates. This may be because religious wives are less likely to tolerate porn.” @freyaindiaa writes for @firstthingsmag: firstthings.com/women-should…

What happens when a philosophy rejects objective truth and leaves no foundation for meaning? In this piece, Carl R. Trueman examines the enduring influence of Michel Foucault, exploring the tensions within his critique of power, his rejection of stable moral values, and the nihilism that Trueman sees at the heart of his thought. To read the piece, visit firstthings.com/foucaults-id…