In Fjord’s Cold Reality, Charlotte Allen examines Cristian Mungiu’s film "Fjord", which follows a Romanian-Norwegian family caught in a legal battle with Norway’s child-welfare authorities. The film explores tensions between religious conviction, parental authority, cultural conformity, and the limits of tolerance, while portraying the complexities and imperfections of the people at the center of the story. To read the piece, visit firstthings.com/fjords-cold-…

In the ​latest installment of Conversations, Scott Greer joins Mark Bauerlein to discuss his recent book, Whitepill. To listen to the conversation, visit firstthings.com/the-politics…

In We Can Build Things, Erika Bachiochi reflects on the need for a renewed women’s movement rooted in human flourishing, family, virtue, and the wisdom of generations past. Drawing on her own experiences building a school and raising a family, she explores the importance of formation, interdependence, and recovering the guidance needed to live well. To read the piece, visit firstthings.com/we-can-build…

In The Zone of Commitment, a memoir of mountaineering and mortality, R. R. Reno recounts a perilous ascent of Mount Kitchener to explore the exhilaration of total concentration, the appeal of risk, and the human desire to affirm life in the face of death. Reflecting on the dangers of climbing, the anxieties of loved ones, and the devastating loss of his son, he considers how moments of complete self-possession can illuminate both the limits of human control and the preciousness of being alive. To read the piece, visit firstthings.com/the-zone-of-…

In The Trouble with Elliotgate, Bethel McGrew examines the controversy surrounding claims about Elisabeth Elliot’s sexuality and Christianity Today’s handling of the resulting article. McGrew critiques the evidence behind the speculation, considers the broader tensions within evangelical debates over same-sex attraction and sexual identity, and questions whether publicizing such uncertain personal claims serves the Church or its readers. To read the piece, visit firstthings.com/the-trouble-…

In "Prime Rib of Unicorn", John Wilson celebrates the rediscovery of Henri Coulette, a poet whose wit, formal brilliance, and gift for irony have long been overlooked. Through close readings of Coulette’s poems and his unexpected friendship with novelist Ross Macdonald, Wilson explores the art of borrowing, the distance between poet and speaker, and the strange intersections of literary influence, personal hardship, and creative imagination. To read the piece, visit firstthings.com/prime-rib-of…

In A Culture of Parricide, Ephraim Radner reflects on the spiritual and creative power of inheritance, exploring how gratitude toward parents, teachers, and predecessors sustains a living chain of wisdom, love, and artistic achievement. Through music, philosophy, and personal memory, the essay challenges a culture of repudiation and celebrates the generational bonds that make creativity not an act of self-creation, but a gift received and passed on. To read the piece, visit firstthings.com/a-culture-of…

In the recent episode, Meagan O’Rourke joins Virginia and Germán. Reporting on Gen-Z trends has become trendy. It’s an easy way to get a few views and likes. “Gen Z aren’t drinking alcohol,” “Gen Z are Nixonmaxxing,” “Gen Z are turning their backs on technology,” and many more. It’s tempting to believe this sort of reporting without much inquiry. It makes Gen Z seem interesting and helps explain apparent cultural differences between generations. But is this reporting based on reliable data? Some of these pieces surely are, but many are a product of taking a viral concept and assuming that it is a widespread phenomenon. Why should we care? Because political decisions are being made in response to these supposed trends, and our political future is being set by misinformation. Meagan O’Rourke is an associate editor at Reason and has been pointing out the discrepancy between trends and data for a long time. We’ll discuss particular claims, why they might be false, the reason why they are trending, and the consequences of not slowing the brakes in trend reporting. To listen to the conversation, visit firstthings.com/three-tiktok…

In The Real World of Francisco de Zurbarán, Jaspreet Singh Boparai explores the profound spirituality, haunting realism, and imperfect genius of a seventeenth-century master whose paintings transcend technical flaws to reveal something beyond the visible world. For Zurbarán, art was more than an instrument of contemplation or prayer; it was prayer itself. To read the piece, visit firstthings.com/the-real-wor…

When does love of country become an idol? In his review of Keith L. Johnson’s "Karl Barth and the Idolatry of the Nation", James R. Wood examines the tension between Christian faith, national identity, and cultural belonging. To read the piece, visit firstthings.com/smashing-the…

What do Gothic literature’s darkest tales reveal about the human soul? Algis Valiunas explores the enduring power of "Dracula", "Frankenstein", and other classic works to confront temptation, sin, pride, and the struggle for salvation. A compelling reflection on why the greatest Gothic stories remind us that the stakes of human existence reach far beyond life and death. To read the piece, visit firstthings.com/souls-at-sta…

As artificial intelligence reshapes our world, the Church’s most urgent task may be to remind us what makes us human. George Weigel argues that evangelization must begin with a fundamental truth: we are creatures of a Creator, not merely algorithms to be optimized. A timely reflection on AI, human dignity, and the meaning of our humanity. To read the piece, visit firstthings.com/ai-and-evang…

A life of contradictions, a mind of extraordinary gifts, and prose of cold beauty. Dan Hitchens reflects on Jan Morris’s remarkable legacy in Sara Wheeler’s "Jan Morris: A Life". To read the piece, visit firstthings.com/a-cold-beaut…