If you continue to wonder why the U.S. economy, long after it has shown signs of life and has started to recover from the Great Recession in fits and starts, refuses to take off, here’s a pretty good answer: “Our entrepreneurs have lost faith in the federal government,” says Michael Franc. He’s not the only one saying it, but he says it well. Uncertainty is the bane merce; thus it’s no mystery why businesses have stashed a record amount of...

Soli Deo Gloria: “to God alone be the Glory.” J. S. Bach often wrote this (or its abbreviation “S.D.G.”) at the conclusion of his scores (secular as well as sacred). Also listen to parts two and three of this recording made at Pilgrimage Church Maria Himmelfahrt, Tading, Germany, 2005. ...

L’Accorche-Choeur, Ensemble vocal Fribourg. Veni, Veni Emmanuel is a synthesis of the great “O Antiphons” that are used for Vespers during the octave before Christmas (Dec. 17-23). These antiphons are of ancient origin and date back to at least the ninth century. ...

In his annual mentary, Rev. Robert A. Sirico examines the meaning of a season “prompted by the very Incarnation of God’s Love, a love that goes beyond words, but rather is a Word – the Logos – that became flesh.” A shorter version of this article was published on Dec. 21 in the Detroit News. Sign up for the free, weekly email newsletter Acton News & Commentary here. The ‘Small’ God Who Brought Heaven Down to Earth By Rev. Robert...

News from the Acton Institute: The Acton Institute for the Study of Religion & Liberty is joining forces with Refo500, a project that aims to bring international attention to the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. Leading up to the anniversary in 2017 of Martin Luther’s posting of his Ninety-Five Theses, Refo500 is engaging with a variety of partner organizations to promote the importance of the Reformation period and its relevance for today’s world. “Refo500 has the potential to help Acton...

Merry Christmas. And God bless us, everyone. Here’s hoping that all readers have enough to keep them warm and safe this holiday season and throughout ing year. By all means, if you have more than enough, it might warm your soul to share with those less fortunate. My new mentary: Scrooge and the Ghosts of Charity By Bruce Edward Walker “Man,” said the Ghost, “if man you be in heart, not adamant, forbear that wicked cant until you have discovered...

Christianity Today has named the Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization at Cape Town one of the top news stories of 2010: Thousands of global evangelical leaders gather in Cape Town to discuss missions, highlight evangelicalism’s global diversity, pray for religious liberty, and build relationships that will likely bear unexpected fruit in the decades e. Check out some of the resources from the Acton Institute related to Cape Town 2010: Jordan Ballor, “The Ecumenical Future,” Acton Institute PowerBlog (November 19, 2010).Brett...

Our Savior, the Dayspring from the East, has visited us from on high, and we who were in darkness and shadow have found the truth; for the Lord is born from the Virgin (Exaposteilarion, tone 3) The video features the Romeiko Ensemble, a Byzantine choir, performing hymns for the Feast of the Nativity in 2006 at the Hellenic Library in Athens, Greece. About those Byzantine brims: The cantors (psaltes) wore wide-brimmed hats (skiadion) or tall “bullet” hats (skaranikon) and dressed...

We have tried to raise awareness of the persecution and violence Coptic Christians face in Egypt and around the world at the Acton Institute and in the pages of Religion & Liberty. On New Year’s Day, a suicide-bomber killed 21 Coptic Christians as they left al-Qiddisin Church in the port city of Alexandria, Egypt. On the heels of the attack, news reports have surfaced that al-Qaeda lists Coptic Churches in the Netherlands as targets for their terror. CNN also reports...

The Acton Commentary this week from my friend John pares church budgets to government budgets, and what “government thinking” might look like if it were reflected in charitable and ecclesiastical budgeting. He writes, “If we think the government is the best source passion for the needy and the engine of economic growth, then it makes sense to set taxes at high rates so the government can do all good things for the people.” On that point, over at Evangelical Perspective...