When a country is well governed, poverty and a mean condition are things to be ashamed of. When a country is ill governed, riches and honor are things to be ashamed of. — Confucius ConfuciusOn the CNBC Squawk Box program, Michael Schuman, a Time Magazine writer, explains how the ideas of the Chinese philosopher Confucius “could be influencing Asia’s economic rise and why American CEOs may benefit by understanding the history behind the philosophy.” In mentary on the segment, Newsbusters...

A Pentecostal chaplain once assigned to elite Navy SEAL units may be kicked out of the Navy for allegedly scolding sailors for homosexuality and premarital sex, reports the Military Times. Lt. Cmdr. Wesley Modder was given a “detachment for cause” letter on Feb. 17 after manders concluded that he is “intolerant” and “unable to function in the diverse and pluralistic environment” of his current assignment at the Navy Nuclear Power Training Command in South Carolina. Modder denies any wrongdoing and...

For those so inclined, St. Patrick’s Day is a great day to enjoy a pint of Guinness. The legendary beer of Ireland has not only a rich taste, but a rich history. Arthur Guinness was a brewer and entrepreneur in a time when clean drinking water was hard to find in Dublin. Alcoholic beverages were the norm. While alcohol is preferred to polluted water, it also has the unhealthy effects of drunkenness. Beer was deemed a healthier alternative to homemade...

The people of Seattle recently voted to put their poorest residents out of work by increasing the minimum wage to $15 over the next seven years. But wealthier residents may soon find out just how quickly it will affect them too. A number of area restaurants are already shutting down, and many others will soon closing their doors. As Anthony Anton, president and CEO of Washington Restaurant Association, says, “It’s not a political problem; it’s a math problem.” [Anton] estimates...

According to the UK Daily Mail, Pope Francis recently told a confidante that the Roman Catholic Church’s ban on priestly marriage was “archaic,” and that he hoped tooverturn the rule during his papacy.This is of course not the first time that Pope Francis has made a statement (or, in this case, has been alleged to have madea statement) that seems out of step with Roman Catholic doctrine or tradition; and as has often been the case in these situations, Acton...

Named after distinguished theologian, Michael Novak, this award recognizes outstanding scholarly research that examines the relationship between religion, economic freedom, and the free and virtuous society. Catherine Ruth Pakaluk, assistant professor of economics at Ave Maria University, is the latest Novak Award Winner. Pakaluk is Founder-Director of the Stein Center for Social Research at Ave Maria University. This center is an interdisciplinary institute for advanced studies in social science and social thought. It focuses on questions of gender, personality development,...

Trafficking in human organs is, sadly, one of the fastest growing criminal activities today. Often, victims are told they have an illness that requires the removal of a kidney or are offered large sums of money, which they often never collect. Kidneys are a popular item for trafficking, partly because of demand and partly because it does not require the death of the “donor.” The United Nations is now investigating charges that ISIS is trafficking in organs. The Iraqi ambassador,...

In a recent piece forthe Wall Street Journal, Rachel Feintzeig sets her sights on the latest trends in corporate “mission statements,” focusing on avariety of employer campaigns to “inject meaning into the daily grind, connecting profit-driven endeavors to grand consequences for mankind.” Companies have long cited lofty mission statements as proof they have concerns beyond the bottom line, and in the past decade tech firms like Google Inc. attracted some of the economy’s brightest workers by inviting recruits e and...

Max Weber’s classic study The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism made the case that the Reformation had a major impact on the rise of free market capitalism. But according to Gene Edward Veith, Weber misunderstood what it was about the Reformation that caused that impact. On February 26th, Veith came to Grand Rapids to talk about what Weber missed in his classic analysis – primarily Martin Luther’s doctrine of vocation, which taught that God is present and active...

In the fall of 2014, business people, scholars, and theologians converged on the campus of Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan, for the Symposium on Common Grace in Business. The event was conceived and co-sponsored by the Calvin business department and the Acton Institute as a way of highlighting Abraham Kuyper’s theological work mon grace – the grace God extends to everyone that enables him or her to do good – to the business world. The gathering was also a...