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

July 23, 2018

Africa needs trade, not more weapons

The EU is considering a $12-billion peace plan that would supply weapons to war-torn western and central Africa, known as the Sahel region. But Ibrahim Anoba – who hails from Lagos, Nigeria – says trade and economic development, including lower EU tariffs, would go a long way toward bringing peace to the area. Continue Reading...
July 20, 2018

Enjoying your weekend? Thank God and free markets

No two words in the English language create the feeling of relaxation as perfectly as “summertime weekend.” But the two days of physical and spiritual rest we enjoy each week are not the inevitable products of the cosmic order: They have been made possible by the unique marriage of the free market and faith. Continue Reading...
July 19, 2018

A bishop opposes mandatory union membership (video)

Some Catholic leaders have called the Supreme Court’s Janus decision “disappointing.” But a bishop says the Court ruled correctly, both because the union funds immoral activity and because compulsory union dues violate Catholic teachings on the freedom of association. Continue Reading...
July 17, 2018

The Trump-Putin summit: A view from Eastern Europe

American commentary on Trump’s meeting with Vladimir Putin ranges from “a great idea and a good idea” to “treasonous.” But outside the traditional U.S. talking points, an Eastern European leader says the summit was “a missed opportunity” to promote faith and liberty. Continue Reading...
July 10, 2018

Video: Rush Limbaugh on clergy who accept socialism

Occasionally, the themes the Acton Institute dedicates itself to proclaiming, in season and out of season, burst into the mainstream. On Monday’s “Rush Limbaugh” program, a female caller was perplexed that too many pulpits preach leftist ideals, which undermine the faith. Continue Reading...
July 09, 2018

A British view of the Brexit resignations

Last Friday, Theresa May’s Cabinet met to accept her plan for the UK’s future after Brexit. Over the weekend, a series of resignations began that could imperil her government. Rev. Richard Turnbull of the Oxford-based Centre for Enterprise, Markets, and Ethics analyzes these developments, and why they came about, in a new essay on Acton’s Religion & Liberty Transatlantic website. Continue Reading...