The problem munitarianism, claims Bradley C. S. Watson, is that it views religion as an instrumental good and individual virtue as destructive: es to sight as a movement that sees, far more clearly than liberalism, that the private sphere and private goods are rooted in, and in turn have an effect on, public goods. President Clinton, as a “new” Democrat, has effectively enlisted the intellectual backing of munitarian theorists in his efforts to distance himself and his party from the...

In this week’s Acton Commentary, “Contagious Community,” I look at the positive as well as the negative aspects of coordination and cooperation between human beings on a global scale. The film Contagion provided the occasion for these reflections, and I argue that while the film is clear about the dangers of globalized human relationships, it also teaches a more subtle lesson. Even as disease represents a danger that can have worldwide impact, such dangers remain the exception rather than the...

If you haven’t ordered your copy of Defending the Free Market: The Moral Case for a Free Economy, what are you waiting for? For those who still need some convincing, Rev. Robert Sirico continues to make the media rounds, and we continue to bring you the highlights. Last night, Rev. Sirico was the guest of Raymond Arroyo on The World Over on the EWTN network; you can watch his 20 minute appearance below: Father Robert also made a radio appearance...

One of the powerful things about Memorial Day is that we live in munity and an America that is worthy of sacrifice. Many feel, for good reason, the foundational ideals of our Republic are in peril. The proclamation of the first Memorial Day by General John A. Logan in 1868 stated the importance of guarding the graves of those slain in battle with “sacred vigilance.” It is a calling bestowed upon all of us to toil for improvement of mon...

Prominent Catholic leaders, including Acton President and Co-founder Fr. Robert Sirico, are speaking out against the deliberate withholding of news regarding the Catholic lawsuit versus the Obama Administration. ABC World News and NBC Nightly News have given the lawsuit no coverage, and CBS Evening news had 19 seconds of coverage, according to NewsBusters.org. Here are Fr. Sirico’s thoughts: The Obama Administration’s assault on religious liberty has united the Catholic Church in a way no one thought possible. Among those suing...

Are you attending the 2012 Acton University conference? If so, I can only hope that you are as excited as I am about all of the wonderful things we have planned for the event. To get your mind in gear for the conference, why not participate in a Q&A session with a member of Acton’s staff? On Wednesday May 30 at 6:00pm ET, we will be organizing an AU Online Q&A session with Dr. Stephen Grabill, director of Programs and...

e inequality has been around as long as humans have had es, yet over the past year it has been presented as one of our economy’s greatest injustices. With so much shoddy zero-sum reasoning being presented, it’s refreshing to find an economist who can apply both sound economic and Biblical thinking to the topic. Anne Bradley, Vice President of Economic Initiatives at the Institute for Faith, Work & Economics, has a blog series summarizing her research report, “Why Does e...

Fr. John Zuhlsdorf has reviewed Defending the Free Market: The Moral Case for Free Economy at his popular blog, “What Does the Prayer Really Say”. This is a timely book, given that we are in a crucially important election cycle in the USA. Profoundly different visions are on ballot in November. A major dimension of the different visions involves contingent choices concerning the economy, and therefore jobs, entitlements, etc. In the last chapter Sirico describes the fictive homo economicus, a...

Rev. Robert A. Sirico, President of the Acton Institute, continues to make appearances in the media to promote his new book, Defending the Free Market: The Moral Case for a Free Economy. Today’s appearances include an guest spot this morning on the voice of the Mid-Ohio Valley, WMOV, on WMOV Live with Greg Gack: [audio: Father Robert was also in-studio today with G. Gordon Liddy, broadcasting nationwide from Washington, D.C.: [audio: You’ll also be able to listen to Rev. Sirico...

Fr. Robert Sirico appeared on Varney & Co. May 24. Here is his interview: Fr. Sirico on Varney & Co. ...