Hello, welcome to the editor's desk.

This is the podcast where we take a closer look at the essays and articles in the latest print issue of First Things magazine.

I'm Rusty Reno on the editor of First Things magazine, and I'm here with you today at the editor's desk.

As I said, I'm Rusty Reno, and I'm the editor of first things, and it's my pleasure to welcome

everyone to the 37th annual Erasmus lecture.

I'd like to take this moment to thank the generous donors who have sponsored this lecture,

and I'd especially like to thank those whose generosity over many years

has made this series of lectures possible, and not just this series of lectures,

but a very fine magazine and publication called First Things.

And with that in mind, I think I'd be remiss if I didn't use this moment to put in a plug for first things.

I mean, I'm assuming that everyone in this room is a subscriber to first things, but I know that sometimes there may be one or two people who've forgotten to

renew their subscriptions in the room. So this is a great opportunity for you to first turn off your cell phones. And then when you turn the cell phone

back on again, at the end of the lecture, you can go online and subscribe to First Things magazine.

But do turn off those cell phones. So just, again, the plug.

Become a subscriber.

Join the First Things community.

Now, we've been blessed to host many outstanding thinkers and writers over the years at this podium.

Joseph Ratzinger was among the early Erasmus lecturers, and he delivered a lecture about the need to revive theological exegesis. More recently, Rabbi Jonathan Sacks delivered

a lecture and addressed the role that Christians must play in secular society,

the role of creative minorities. And then last year, Carl Truman spoke to us about the desecration

of man. And tonight it's my pleasure to introduce Paul Kingsnorth, who is going to add still

more lustre to our roster of, I guess what I would call Arasmians. I don't know. Is that,

...