John Couretas

is a writer and editor based in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Posts by John Couretas

June 26, 2013

Report: ‘A Clamp-Down on Religious Liberty’

From a June 22 CNA/EWTN news article on the 2013 National Religious Freedom Conference in Washington, sponsored by the Ethics and Public Policy Center’s American Religious Freedom Program. The Very Reverend Dr. Continue Reading...

June 25, 2013

Perfect Equality and Extreme Despotism

From Main Currents of Marxism by Leszek Kolakowski (1927-2009): Marx took over the romantic ideal of social unity, and Communism realized it in the only way feasible in an industrial society, namely, by a despotic system of government. Continue Reading...

June 11, 2013

Schmemann on Socialism

Man’s nature is to reject it, because it can only be thrust on people by force. The most fallen possession is closer to God’s design for man than malicious egalitarianism. Possession is what God gave me (which I usually (mis)use selfishly and sinfully), whereas equality is what government and society give me, and they give me something that does not belong to them. Continue Reading...

June 07, 2013

Audio: Acton-St Vladimir’s Poverty Conference

Many thanks to Ancient Faith Radio for graciously sharing its podcasts of the Conference on Poverty at St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary in Yonkers, N.Y. The May 31-June 1 event was co-hosted by the Acton Institute. Continue Reading...

May 07, 2013

Samuel Gregg: The Incredible Shrinking Monsieur Hollande

At The American Spectator, Acton Research Director Samuel Gregg looks at France’s embattled Socialist president, François Hollande, as the first anniversary of his term in office approaches. As Hollande’s approval ratings hit new lows, “Mr. Continue Reading...

April 08, 2013

Video: Thatcher on Socialism

More interesting archival video and quotes here, including: “No one would have remembered the Good Samaritan if he’d only had good intentions. He had money as well” — Television interview, 1980. Continue Reading...

April 02, 2013

Report: Mass Murder of Christians in Syria

(HT: Pravoslavie.ru. Also see the interview with Russian Orthodox Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeyev) in the new issue of Religion & Liberty on the dire situation of Christians in Syria.) In his interview to the MEDIA, a Hierarch of the Antiochian Orthodox Church, Bishop Luke of Seidnaya, has disclosed the scale of persecutions suffered by Orthodox Christians of this region since the very beginning of the uprising against the regime of Bashar Al-Assad, reports Agionoros.ru Continue Reading...

April 01, 2013