First Things See other projects related to this listing. About The Institute on Religion and Public Life, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization and the publisher of First Things, was founded in 1989 by Richard John Neuhaus, a Lutheran pastor who later became a Catholic priest. The Institute’s mission is to advance a religiously informed public philosophy for the ordering of society.The inaugural issue of First Things was published in March 1990. The magazine’s founding editorial, “Putting First Things First,” can be found here. Today, First Things encompasses the print magazine, which is published ten times each year; firstthings.com, which publishes daily “web exclusive” articles; and two regular podcasts: Conversations with Mark Bauerlein and The Editor’s Desk. The editors may not respond to all submissions. After waiting 56 days, assume your submission will not be accepted. Country of Publication & Year Established United States Established in 2007 Publication Media & Frequency Electronic Publication Electronic PublicationPublished 10 x per yearPrint Publication Print PublicationPublished 10 x per year AI Policy Human-created work only; no AI use allowed Statistics Synopsis Regular Speed First Things's overall average response time is within a normal range for magazines. Collapse section Nonfiction Open Audience:Open to a broad Audience, including: Christians.Lengths: Article: 2,500 - 4,000 words. Essay: 1,000 - 2,000 words.Styles:Open to all/most Styles, including: Mainstream.Topics: Religion/Spirituality. Society/Culture.Payment:Unknown payment Unknown payment.Submissions:Method: Email. Reprints: Reprints are NOT allowed.Simultaneous submissions: Simultaneous submissions are NOT allowed.Media: Text. Collapse section Poetry Open Audience:Open to a broad Audience, including: Christians.Genres: GeneralLengths: Poem: No line limits known.Poetry Forms:Open to all/most Forms.Styles:Open to all/most Styles, including: Mainstream.Topics: Religion/Spirituality. Society/Culture.Payment:Unknown payment Unknown payment.Submissions:Method: Email. Reprints: Reprints are NOT allowed.Simultaneous submissions: Simultaneous submissions are NOT allowed.Media: Text. Always check guidelines for details and restrictions. If you aren't familiar with these terms, see our glossary. Go to publication's website Report: Submission/Response Correction/Update New Cover ArtSocial:Facebook FacebookInstagram @firstthingsmagX (Twitter) @firstthingsmag Support this Publisher: Make a Donation Subscribe For the Editor(s): Request Interview Duosuma Submission Manager Link to Duotrope First Things Submission Statistics The statistics in this section are compiled from submission reports sent to us through our submission tracker. They are not provided by the publication's editors/staff or by Duotrope's admins. Information in this section is updated a few times per day. Learn more about the statistics. Filter: Category: All Categories Nonfiction Poetry Group by submission Include outliers Include related projects Accuracy We have received 6 reports from 6 different members within the past 12 months. The more responses reported, the more accurate the information. Days Reported 2 min | 73.7 mean avg | 66.5 median | 210 max days (72.9 std dev) Other Information The editors will try to make a decision within 56 days. (66.7 % of the responses reported to us for this listing have taken longer than 56 days.) The editors may not respond to all submissions. After waiting the time indicated above, assume your submission will not be accepted. Most recent response reported was received on 04 Sep 2026. Responses have been received for submissions sent as recently as 21 Jun 2026. Date compiled: 07 Sep 2026 02:58 UTC (1 hour, 36 minutes ago). View report of recent responses from this project Work submitted here was also submitted to...This section is available to subscribers only. Sign up and start your free trial today!Members accepted here also had work accepted by...This section is available to subscribers only. Become a member and start your free trial today! Your Submissions This section is available to subscribers only. Join today! Related ProjectsFirst Things Annual Poetry Prize Before SubmittingWe cannot guarantee that the information on this page is correct. It is not unusual for publications to evolve or close without notice. We do our best to keep up, but it isn't always possible. Duotrope listings do not imply endorsement or recommendation of the project being listed. Before submitting, you should use your own judgment to determine whether the project meets your standards.Always read the full guidelines provided by the publisher.Try to read at least one previous publication to get a better idea of what the editor would like to see.Unless the publisher's guidelines state otherwise, always use industry standard manuscript formatting.Be professional, patient, and persistent. DatesLast Updated: 09 Aug 2026We check their guidelines for changes every four weeks, and we audit the listing twice a year. 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