One of the charges sometimes leveled against classical liberal thought is thatit opposes all authority; that it seeks toreduce society to an amalgamation of atomized individuals, eliminating the role of munity, and vibrant social institutions. Historian Ralph Raico seeks to argue the very opposite in his dissertation, The Place of Religion in the Liberal Philosophy of Constant, Tocqueville, and Lord Acton.The work has been republished for the first time by the Mises Institute. (A particularly interesting note is that the...

Krista TippettKrista Tippett is the host of the radio program Speaking of Faith, broadcast weekly on NPR since 2003. In her conversations with people of all faiths and occupations, Christian and Hindu, novelist and physicist, Tippett aims to better understand the way that belief and spirituality affect our society, worldview, and personal well-being. In the two books she has published in the last few years, certain themes stand out that define her own view of religion and its place in...

I mentioned Lester DeKoster’s little classic, Work: The Meaning of Your Life—A Christian Perspective, in the context of the Lutheran World Federation’s General Assembly and the theme, “Give us today our daily bread.” In this book, DeKoster makes a pointed connection between work and food: “I was hungry and you gave me something to eat.” The Lord is saying that where humans are hungry, there he too chooses to hunger. He waits in the hungry man or woman or child,...

Compared to the Republican Party, the Democrats’ embrace of politicized religion came late. And because Democrats have only in the last 5-6 years learned how to do the God talk (thanks in large part to the efforts of Jim “The Prophet” Wallis) they can be excused as greenhorns when they whine about not getting the Church folk more mobilized for blatantly partisan efforts. But it is really annoying when those in the pews don’t go the extra mile, isn’t it?...

This week I’m attending Mises University, one of the largest and most rigorous summer courses in the Austrian School of economics (or “reality economics,” as my friend Michael McKay likes to call it). Among the various lectures, there was one in particular that struck me as particularly relevant to the work of the Acton Institute. Peter Klein, professor of economics at the University of Missouri, delivered a presentation on entrepreneurship, a large part ofthe focus of his academic work. Dr....

In this week’s Acton Commentary, “Lutheran World Federation Misses the Mark on Work and Wealth,” I reflect on the recently concluded general assembly of the Lutheran World Federation, held in Stuttgart. The theme of the meeting was “Give us today our daily bread,” but as I note, the assembly’s discussion of hunger, poverty, and economics lacked the proper integration of the value, dignity, and importance of work. As I contend, work is the regular means God has provided for the...

Here is the new trailer for the 7-part Birth of Freedom DVD Curriculum, created by Acton Media and released next month by Zondervan. You can pre-order the curriculum at the Acton Book Shoppe. ...

I think that the oppression threatening democracies will not be like anything there has been in the world before…. I see an innumerable crowd of men, all alike and equal, turned in upon themselves in a restless search for those petty, vulgar pleasures with which they fill their souls…. Above these men stands an immense and protective power which alone is responsible for looking after their enjoyments and watching over their destiny. It is absolute, meticulous, ordered, provident, and kindly...

During a recent conversation, a Chinese friend of mented on the lack of political involvement that she has observed in her peers, especially parison to American college students. She attributes this lack of involvement to the fact that the Chinese do not believe that political action can change the policies or even the identities of their leaders. As a result, non-politicians in China do not get involved in politics, and politicians there focus on achieving their own goals rather than...

Last Saturday’s New York Times contains an entertaining, edifying but ultimately sad tale on what ails the Italian economy. Entitled “Is Italy Too Italian?“, the Global Business article seeks to explain why Italy often tops “the informal list of Nations That Worry Europe” economically. Part of the problem may be the reluctance to use modern industrial techniques that can reduce costs of production – can you afford to pay $4,000 for a suit??? – or the large public debt run...