Donald Trump’s second term as U.S. President will surely raise significant questions about the ethics of migration policies. How might we resist extremism and polarization while retaining a commitment to the church’s teaching on the dignity of all peoples?
Theology
What comes next? A moral theologian’s 5 post-election takeaways
Five matters have been on my mind in the weeks since Donald Trump won the 2024 U.S. presidential election, each of them connected to my work as a moral theologian.
Pope Francis: ‘All-male theology is an incomplete theology’
At a conference on the Future of theology, the pope stressed the need to expand the role of women in academic theology: “There are things that only women understand, and theology needs their contribution.”
An atheist’s return to the Catholic Church: a story of death, love and meaning
From Nietzsche and Heidegger to Charles Taylor, Dostoevsky and the Gospels, one believer’s journey to faith.
How a 4th-century poem combating heresies became a Christmas carol
Discover how a 4th-century poem by Aurelius Clemens Prudentius to respond to Christian heresies evolved into “Of the Father’s Love Begotten” by the 19th century.
Never die? The dangers of transhumanism in the 21st century
Laws aimed at providing “death with dignity” and internet influencers promising to extend life unnaturally are actually two sides of the same coin: In both circumstances, humans usurp a role intended for God.
A ‘fourth order’ for women deacons in the Catholic Church? Reflecting on the possibility
The possibility of a “fourth order” of deaconess in the Catholic Church has become part of the conversation around women deacons. But is it the right response?
What do Catholics really believe about purgatory?
If heaven is like a wedding banquet, then purgatory may be understood as preparation for a great celebration. It is not a dreary waiting room at the D.M.V., but a place of lively hope.
Why you should get to know St. Thomas Aquinas, even 800 years after he lived
Aquinas’ embrace of insights from Greek, Muslim and Jewish thinkers stems from his passionate pursuit of the truth about God and creatures—a pursuit that demands an open heart.
Remembering the spiritual poverty and subversive laughter of Gustavo Gutiérrez
In faith, in love and in hope, Gustavo Gutiérrez gave everything to the present. The world is a better place for it.
