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

October 09, 2018

Listen: The Christian case for capitalism

The Institute of Economic Affairs explores the ethical argument for a free economy – and why Christians are not making it. In the latest episode of its podcast, an Anglican priest and a Catholic scholar discuss that question, as well as Archbishop Justin Welby’s homily against Amazon, Jesus’ supposed condemnation of wealth, and why clergy tend to support government intervention into the economy. Continue Reading...
October 03, 2018

This politician nails entrepreneurship and the importance of work

The news highlights from Theresa May’s speech this morning at the Conservative Party’s 2018 conference may be that she branded Labour the “Jeremy Corbyn Party” while committing her party to “ending austerity,” increasing spending on the NHS (which, she said, “embodies our principles as Conservatives more profoundly” than any other institution), and suspending the national gasoline tax for the ninth year – a move that saved British taxpayers £9 billion a year. Continue Reading...
October 01, 2018

Walmart removes hammer-and-sickle merchandise

After backlash from across the globe, Walmart has stopped selling items bearing the hammer-and-sickle insignia of the Soviet Union. This followed strongly worded letters from Baltic leaders and a U.S. educational effort largely spearheaded by Mari-Ann Kelam through the Acton Institute. Continue Reading...
September 21, 2018

The failure of ‘Homo Economist’

When Pope Francis denounced “libertarian individualism” last year, few people could find a flesh-and-blood example of the philosophy as articulated by the pontiff. However, the gimlet eye of Stream editor John Zmirak may have found a related species in a creature he identifies as Homo Economist – a theoretical person who contrasts almost completely with the human person as viewed by advocates of constitutional government, ordered liberty, faith, and adherence to the precepts of natural law. Continue Reading...