This morning Pope Francis gave an address to the UN General Assembly. As the pontiff mentions in his speech, this is the fifth time since 1965 that a pope has visited the United Nations. In the lengthy address Pope Francis covers a wide range of topics, from the rule of law to nuclear weapons to the drug trade. Here are 15 key quotes from the speech: Usury and Oppressive Lending Systems [The equitable influence on decision-making processes by all countries]...

Longtime Acton University lecturer (andauthor of “Islam Without Extremes: A Muslim Case for Liberty”) Mustafa Akyol discusses the recent tragic deaths at Mecca in The New York Times. More to the point, Akyol talks about the fatalism which seems inherent in Islamic theology. More than 100 people died when a crane collapsed in Mecca earlier this month. While Saudi Arabian authorities spoke of negligence on the part of the crane operators, pany itself seemed to be absolved of guilt: The...

When Pope Francis gave addresses at the White House, Congress, and the UN, he mentioned the importance of religious freedom. But many people (including me) were rather disappointed that he didn’t speak more specifically about what sorts of religious liberties are under threat. Once aboard the papal plane, though, it appears the pontiff provided more clarity on the issue. According to Reuters, the pope said government officials have a “human right” to refuse to discharge a duty, such as issuing...

During his visit to the U.S. Pope Francis has been treated likea rock star. So it’s probably not surprising that he’ll soon be doing what real rock start do: releasing an actual rock album. A prog-rock album. According to Rolling Stone magazine, The Vatican-approved LP, a collaboration with Believe Digital, features the Pontiff delivering sacred hymns and excerpts of his most moving speeches in multiple languages paired with uplifting musical paniment ranging from pop-rock to Gregorian chant. Wake Up! arrives...

Acton Institute President Rev. Robert A. Sirico had the privilege of attending the special joint session of Congress today as the guest of Michigan Representative Bill Huizenga; after Pope Francis’ address, he was asked for his take by Neil Cavuto on the Fox Business Channel; the video is available below. And of course, be sure to monitor our special page covering Laudeto Si’, the pope’s visit to the United States, and the news and perspectives surrounding his pontificate for all...

I have a friend who owns a vacation home that he rents out by the week and on weekends. It’s a cozy place surrounded by forest with access to one of the Great Lakes. It’s a perfect place to get away from it all, replenish the spirit and relax. The rent also helps my friend financially. Lately, however, he feels less inclined to offer his house to vacationers. It seems some of his renters take it upon themselves to move...

Your writer has identified a surefire, two-word mantra guaranteed to elicit shrieks of terror and the rending of garments from the left: “Citizens United,” shorthand for the Supreme Court decision that overturned the Bipartisan Campaign Finance Reform Act of 2002. The runner-up spot is reserved for the phrase “dark money,” which are trigger words for private donations from individuals and corporations. Despite all the phony-baloney rationalizations the left hurls at private donations and limits, there’s nothing really to be concerned...

Today at the Library of Law and Liberty, I take a cue from probablist Nassim Nicholas Taleb and call for memoration of a National Entrepreneurs Day: One has been proposedin the U.S. House of Representatives, and probabilist Nassim Taleb has given us a fully developed argument as to why we should have one. I second the motion. In Antifragile, his 2012 book, Taleb confesses that he is “an ingrate toward the man whose overconfidence caused him to open a restaurant...

In 1958, Leonard Read published his brilliant essay, “I, Pencil.”Read’s original essay was written from the point of view of the pencil and the humble writing implement explains why it is as much a creation of God as a tree. Since only God can make a tree, I insist that only God could make me. Man can no more direct these millions of know-hows to bring me into being than he can put molecules together to create a tree. For...

Several years ago, as a music student in college, I remember hearing plaints about “lack of funding for the arts.” Hardly a day would go by without a classmate or professor bemoaning the thin and fickle pockets of the bourgeoisie or Uncle Sam’s lack of artistic initiative. Little did we know, a shake-up was already taking place, driven by a mysterious mix of newfound prosperity, entrepreneurial innovation, and the market forces behind it. The digital revolution was beginning to level...