Richard John Neuhaus (1936–2009) was a prominent American Catholic priest, theologian, public intellectual, and editor who played a pivotal role in shaping conservative religious thought in the United States. Born in Pembroke, Ontario, Canada, to a Lutheran pastor father, Neuhaus moved to the United States as a child and was deeply influenced by the Lutheran tradition. He earned a Bachelor of Arts from Valparaiso University in 1957 and a Master of Divinity from Concordia Seminary in 1960. Ordained as a Lutheran minister that same year, he served as pastor of St. John the Evangelist Lutheran Church in Brooklyn, New York, for over two decades. In the 1960s, Neuhaus was a leading figure in the civil rights movement and anti-Vietnam War activism, co-founding the Clergy and Laity Concerned About Vietnam (CALCAV) alongside figures like Abraham Heschel and Daniel Berrigan, reflecting his early commitment to social justice and interfaith solidarity.

By the 1970s, Neuhaus's views evolved toward neoconservatism, emphasizing the importance of religion in public life and staunch opposition to abortion. He co-authored influential works like 'A Call to Conscience' and became a key architect of the 'Catholic-Evangelical alliance' against secularism. In 1990, he converted to Roman Catholicism and was ordained a priest in 1991 by Cardinal John O'Connor. Neuhaus founded and edited First Things magazine in 1990, which became a cornerstone publication for conservative Christian commentary on politics, culture, and theology. His seminal book 'The Naked Public Square: Religion and Democracy in America' (1984) argued against the exclusion of religious voices from public discourse. He advised U.S. presidents, including George W. Bush, and was a founding member of the Institute on Religion and Democracy.

Neuhaus's later years were marked by his defense of traditional moral teachings amid cultural shifts, though he faced criticism for his strong pro-life stance and perceived alignment with Republican politics. He died on January 8, 2009, in New York City from complications of cancer, leaving a legacy as a bridge-builder between Protestant and Catholic traditions in American conservatism.