Founded in 1920 as a focus of Catholic Christian reflection on current events, New Blackfriars publishes articles and book reviews of general interest, with an emphasis on theology, philosophy and cultural studies.

Theology, for New Blackfriars is ecumenical. The journal welcomes contributions in moral and practical theology, with an emphasis on matters of social justice. While the thought of Thomas Aquinas will always remain a touchstone of serious intellectual engagement with questions of Christian faith and doctrine, New Blackfriars does not represent any particular version of Thomism. The journal welcomes submissions from well established writers, but is just as happy to consider articles from new authors trying out their ideas in print for the first time.