The Execution Will Not Be Televised

The editors discuss the blue wave in the midterm elections, the 39th Annual Erasmus Lecture, and Bob Dylan's audience with Pope Leo XIV.

Further reading:"A Eulogy for Bullfighting," by Germán S. Díaz del Castillo (First Things)"The Stench of Corruption," by R. R. Reno (First Things)"Foucault’s Principalities & Powers," by Angela Franks (First Things)"Foucault’s Idol of Nothingness," by Carl R. Trueman (First Things)

Further reading:2026 Erasmus Lecture tickets.Rape and Modern Sex War, by Camille Paglia"The Great Feminization Comes to Cornell," by Helen Andrews (Compact)"Number of teens who identify themselves as gay or bisexual is in ‘free fall’," by Casey Park (Washington Post)"Anthropic bans ‘abusive or cruel behavior’ toward Claude," by Hayden Field (The Verge)"Beware Its Voice," by Ned Desmond (The Widening Gyre)

In this episode, First Things senior editor Dan Hitchens joins R. R. Reno on The Editor's Desk to talk about his recent essay, “The Making of Roger Scruton,” from the October 2026 issue of the magazine.

In this episode, Mark Regnerus joins R. R. Reno on The Editor's Desk to talk about his recent essay, “Living Humanae Vitae in Poland,” from the October 2026 issue of the magazine.

Further reading:Christopher Caldwell, “Why the AfD Wins” (First Things)Dan Hitchens, “How Britain Escaped Assisted Suicide” (First Things)Dan Hitchens, “How Britain Defeated ‘Assisted Dying’” (Compact)Imogen Garfinkel, “Our 83-year-old Christian grandmother was euthanised against her will under Canada's assisted dying system - she died covered in blood with her hands clasped in prayer” (Daily Mail)

In this episode, Christopher Caldwell joins R. R. Reno on The Editor's Desk to talk about his recent essay, “Why the AfD Wins” from the October 2026 issue of the magazine.

Further reading:Darel E. Paul, “Jason Arday and the Therapeutic Academy”  (First Things)Carl R. Trueman, “How the Therapeutic Killed Academic Standards” (First Things)Bethel McGrew, “Jason Arday and the Merciless Lie” (First Things)Tyler Austin Harper, “Why I Quit the Tenure Track” (The Atlantic)R. R. Reno, “The Failed 9/11 Memorial” (First Things)

In this episode, Brad Littlejohn joins R. R. Reno on The Editor's Desk to talk about his recent essay, “Left to Our Own Devices,” from the August/September 2026 issue of the magazine.

In this episode, James F. Keating joins R. R. Reno on The Editor's Desk to talk about his new bimonthly topical newsletter for First Things, The Fourth Watch.