First Things: The Moral, Social and Religious Challenges of the Day

These are impassioned pieces of writing by four individuals who are among the few people who can be counted on to be interesting whatever they write about. The topics are varied but the underlying theme of the dignity of the individual is one which underlies much of the Catholic perspective on the complicated and turbulent modern world. Cherie Booth writes about a Catholic perspective on human rights. Charles Moore, former editor of The Daily Telegraph writes about witnessing to the truth and personal courage in public life. George Weigel, best selling biographer of the present Pope discusses the free and virtuous society drawing on catholic social teaching, and the book concludes with a chapter by Gyles Brandreth on reinventing childhood. The lectures on which this book is based were originally delivered at Tyburn Convent in London, the site of the execution of the Tyburn martyrs. The word martyr means witness, as each author reminds the reader. If you have been given the truth, says Charles Moore, you must bear witness to it. The ultimate act of witness is martyrdom. In the context of modern journalism, Moore writes about the abuse of press power - something to do with the scrutiny to which everybody in public life is subjected.