For the past few years Pope Francis has made it clear he considers climate change to be an essential issue of concern. In his recent encyclical, Laudato Si’, he wrotethat climate change is one of the “principal challenges facing humanity in our day.” Has Francis been able to convince American Catholics to share his concern? Maybe so. A new Pew Research survey shows that Catholics, along with people who are unaffiliated with major religions, are more likely to agree with...

On October 29th, the Acton Institute was pleased to e author and National Review Senior Editor Jay Nordlinger to the Mark Murray Auditorium as part of the 2015 Acton Lecture Series. Nordlinger’s address shared the title of his latest book,Children of Monsters:An Inquiry into the Sons and Daughters of Dictators, which examines the varied fates of the children of some of the 20th century’s most notorious dictators. We’re pleased to present the video of Nordlinger’s talk here on the PowerBlog....

Last weekend was the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church, an annual day to put special emphasis on praying for the persecuted Church. Remembering the persecuted church around the globe, though, should be a continual effort for all Christians. We need to continually remind ourselves that our brothers and sisters arebeaten, jailed, or even killed for their faith. One group in particular that we need to remember to pray for is the underground church in China. In this...

Due to a surprising series of events, Wisconsin congressman Paul Ryan is nowSpeaker of the House. Given the range of interparty disruptions that preceded the event, many are wondering what, if anything, he might plish. Those questions won’t be answered anytime soon, but if Ann Coulter’s recent criticismsoffer any clue, his views on poverty alleviation area good appetizer tohis broader vision for the country. More recently, Ryan embarked on a series of on-site visits in poor neighborhoods, learning how local...

Fox News anchor Shepherd Smith in the studio Yesterday at The Federalist, I examined the claims of Florida Sen. Marco Rubio and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz during last week’s GOP primary debate that the “mainstream media” is dominated by “liberal bias.” While there is some truth to this claim, as I point out in my article, the data paints a plicated picture: Conservative outlets such as Fox News and (editorially) the Wall Street Journal outperform the closest left-leaning ones, CNN...

What was China’s “one-child” policy? In an attempt to limit population growth, China implemented a policy in the late 1970s that forbid families from having more than one child (there were, however, no penalties for multiple births, such as twins or triplets). Over the years, though, numerous exceptions have been allowed and by 2007 the policy only restricted 35.9 percent of the population to having one child. What is the new policy? Starting next March, a change to current family...

Series Note: Jobs are one of the most important aspects of a morally functioning economy. They help us serve the needs of our neighbors and lead to human flourishing both for the individual and munities. Conversely, not having a job can adversely affect spiritual and psychological well-being of individuals and families. Because unemployment is a spiritual problem, Christians in America need to understand and be aware of the monthly data on employment. Each month highlight the latest numbers we need...

The nonpartisan Congressional Research Service estimates that there are currently over 80 federal programs that provide food, housing, healthcare, job training, education, energy assistance, and cash to e Americans. How do they fit together to serve the poor? During a hearing on Tuesday about better coordinating welfare programs to serve families in need, the chairman of theHouse Ways and Means Human Resources mittee provided the following chart (click to enlarge). Confused? You’re not the only one. As Rep.Charles Boustany (R-LA)...

Russell Kirk Writing for the Morning Sun, Acton’s frequent contributor Bruce Walker, discusses Russell Kirk, calling him a “Christian Humanist.” Walker argues that not only was Kirk a talented writer, but he also understood other Christian humanists and was able to clarify some of their works and theories: Kirk may not have been the first, but was the scholar best able to identify [T. S.] Eliot’s nameless targets in the poem “The Hollow Men” as H.G. Wells, Bernard Shaw and...

Homelessness seems like it should be one of the most straightforward social problems to solve. The obvious solution would be to simply give people in need a place to live. Getting people off the street and into shelter is certainly be beneficial. And in the winter months it can even save lives. But does providing housing end homelessness? Unfortunately, asKevin C. Corinth explains,housing people who are homeless doesn’t necessarily reduce the number of people who are homeless over the long...