One of the issues that arose during last week’s law and religion symposium (in the questions following Wim Decock’s thorough and engaging paper on Leonardus Lessius’ engagement mercial affairs from the perspective of moral theology and philosophy) had to do with the understanding of the relationship between material pursuits and eternal salvation. In some way you might say that Lessius held to a view mercial activity as a worthy expression of the stewardship responsibilities of human beings. At the time...

The Russian Orthodox naval cathedral in Kronstadt, reconsecrated in April From Interfax: Moscow, May 15 — On Tuesday, there will be 80 years since the Soviet government issued a decree on “atheistic five-year plan.” Stalin set a goal: the name of God should be forgotten on the territory of the whole country to May 1, 1937, the article posted by the Foma website says. Over 5 million militant atheists were living in the country then. Anti-religious universities — special educational...

Kids these days. Am I right or am I right? For many adults (i.e., parents) that is all that needs to be said to generate sympathetic nods. But for those without an older teen or younger twentysomething living at home, I should probably elaborate: When es to work, kids these days have expectations that are . . . unrealistic. Consider some findings from a recent surveyof 22-26 year-old recent graduates with a four-year degree who are entering today’s workforce. Dubbed...

Now that our friend Eric Teetsel is moving over to the Colson Center, AEI’s Values and Capitalism project is looking for a new program manager. You can find more about the job here. Also, PowerBlog readers will be interested in V&C’s excellent blog. Check it out. ...

I haven’t been able to work out all the specifics (perhaps some of my colleagues would be better suited for that), but somehow I feel like this video of the Casteller festival in Spain is a metaphor for the Eurozone. Thoughts? ...

Our friends at the Foundation for Research on Economics & the Environment (FREE) in Bozeman, Mont., have put together another strong slate of summer programs for clergy, seminary professors and other religious leaders with the aim of deepening their understanding of environmental policy. In its description of the program, FREE notes that many in munities “see an inherent conflict between a market economy and environmental stewardship.” Major religious groups assert that pollution, deforestation, endangered species, and climate change demonstrate a...

“We make men without chests and expect of them virtue and enterprise,” wrote C.S. Lewis in The Abolition of Man. “We laugh at honour and are shocked to find traitors in our midst.” Even if you’ve read that passage many times (like me) you might have glossed over (as I did) the word “enterprise.” Jacqueline Otto explains why it is significant: Is it possible then, as Lewis asserts, that by making men without chests, we make men that are not...

Right now I am reading an advanced copy of Os Guinness’s A Free People’s Suicide: Sustainable Freedom and the American Future. The book will be released by IVP on August 6. It’s an essential read and I pledge to publish a future review for our PowerBlog readers. Guinness was interviewed in Religion & Liberty in 1998. In my recent talks around town I have been asking questions about our capacity and desire for self-government as munity and nation. I recently...

In a recent speech, President Obama invoked Scripture to justify his ambitious spending plans. In this week’s Acton Commentary (published May 25), Acton Research Director Samuel Gregg notes that the president said nothing about the role of munities and associations in helping our brothers and sisters in need. What’s more, “our leader hasn’t noticed that even some European governments, many of whom have been handing out as much pork as possible to politically-connected, politically-correct crony-capitalists over the past 15 years,...

The Regnery Publishing news release for Rev. Robert Sirico’s new book, Defending the Free Market: The Moral Case for a Free Economy is online. The book’s publication date is set at May 22nd and is available to order at Amazon. ...