Rev. Ben Johnson

Rev. Ben Johnson is an Eastern Orthodox priest and served as executive editor of the Acton Institute from 2016 to 2021. His work has appeared in a wide variety of publications, including National Review, the American Spectator, The Guardian, National Catholic Register, Providence, Jewish World Review, Human Events, and the American Orthodox Institute. His personal websites are therightswriter.com and RevBenJohnson.com. You can find him on X: @therightswriter.

Posts by Rev. Ben Johnson

June 13, 2019

New French language article: « Bonne nouvelle, même les socialistes aiment le marché libre! »

The Acton Institute’s Religion & Liberty Transatlantic website has published its second article translated into French: « Bonne nouvelle, même les socialistes aiment le marché libre! » It is a translation of the article, “Great news: Even ‘socialists’ love the free market (poll),” which notes that the same Gallup poll showing socialism’s growing popularity also finds that the vast majority of Americans trust the free market, rather than the government, to regulate the economy. Continue Reading...
June 06, 2019

Jordan Ballor: The price of D-Day and the Prince of Peace

In a radio address broadcast 75 years ago today, Franklin D. Roosevelt asked Almighty God to lead the United States “with our sister Nations into a world unity that will spell a sure peace a peace invulnerable to the schemings of unworthy men, and a peace that will let all of men live in freedom, reaping the just rewards of their honest toil.” Continue Reading...
June 04, 2019

A new Member of European Parliament exposes Europe’s self-doubt

Last week’s elections for European Parliament swept a bountiful harvest of Euroskeptic thorns into the EU’s side. Among them are the Sweden Democrats; Trey Dimsdale has interviewed successful SD candidate Charlie Weimers for the Acton Line podcast, and Weimers contributes a book review of Kasja Norman’s stirring book Sweden’s Dark Soul: The Unraveling of a Utopia to Acton’s transatlantic website. Continue Reading...
May 31, 2019

The tax that closed 3,600 doctors’ offices

A UK tax policy intended to soak the rich has caused highly specialized physicians and surgeons to retire early, depriving more than a million citizens of their services. A new report details the extent to which progressive taxation has harmed British patients. Continue Reading...
May 31, 2019

Labour pains: The far-Left’s anti-Semitism problem

This week, a UK government office launched an investigation into the Labour Party over charges the party “unlawfully discriminated against, harassed, or victimised people because they are Jewish.” Allegations of anti-Semitism are nothing new against the Labour Party (which, ironically, founded the investigating body, the Equality and Human Rights Commission, a dozen years ago), but the charges – and their lack of resolution – reveal two important truths about socialism. Continue Reading...
May 29, 2019

Bernie Sanders’ socialist utopia crumbles

When asked to name a successful example of democratic socialism, one nation always rises to the top of the list: Denmark. However, a Reuters news story shows that the socialists’ model nation is providing fewer and fewer services to citizens despite its hefty tax bill. Continue Reading...