Kevin Schmiesing

Kevin Schmiesing, Ph.D., is a research fellow for the research department at the Acton Institute. He is a frequent writer on Catholic social thought and economics, is the author of American Catholic Intellectuals, 1895-1955 (Edwin Mellen Press, 2002) and is most recently the author of Within the Market Strife: American Catholic Economic Thought from Rerum Novarum to Vatican II (Lexington Books, 2004). Dr. Schmiesing holds a Ph.D. in American history from the University of Pennsylvania, and a B.A. in history from Franciscan University ofSteubenville. Author of Within the Market Strife and American Catholic Intellectuals, 1895—1955 (2002), he serves as Book Review Editor for the Journal of Markets & Morality. He is also executive director of CatholicHistory.net.

Posts by Kevin Schmiesing

December 19, 2006

Churchly Environmentalism

I’ll post the link to this story on an eco-friendly church being built in the Philippines with only one further comment: I am very surprised at the claim that this is the “world’s first-ever environmentally-friendly church.” Continue Reading...
December 14, 2006

Politicians and Pigskin

Geoffrey Norman at NRO offers a delightfully sarcastic discussion of the move by a couple of Michigan state senators to use the BCS title game controversy as an opportunity for political grandstanding. Continue Reading...
December 12, 2006

Trimming the Fat

As I’ve noted previously, it is probably best for the cause of limited government that political power be divided rather than in the hands of a single party, no matter which party. Continue Reading...
December 07, 2006

Costly Coal Clean-up

Coal has long been a target of environmentalist anger. Soot, strip-mining, smokestacks—so many ugly features. Much of that opposition is overblown, of course (we’ve got to get energy from somewhere), but some of it has merit. Continue Reading...
November 30, 2006

The Good That Business Does

The Acton Institute’s newest publication is volume 10 in the Christian Social Thought Series, The Good That Business Does, by Robert G. Kennedy. From my foreword: [Professor Kennedy] helps to elucidate the place of the modern business enterprise within contemporary society. Continue Reading...
November 29, 2006

Pope Benedict in Istanbul

It won’t be news to anyone that the pope is currently visiting Turkey. It is tempting to read too much into a single visit, which can only accomplish so much one way or another, but it is true that the implications and symbolism of the visit are manifold. Continue Reading...
November 21, 2006

Natural Law and Christian Social Thought

Two new and intriguing books from Cambridge University Press have crossed my editorial desk recently. Anticipate reviews to appear in the Journal of Markets & Morality sometime next year; but in the meantime I wanted to give them each a plug. Continue Reading...
November 07, 2006

Ripped Off by Business and Government

According to a superficial view of politics held by some, “conservative” tends to imply “pro-business.” This identification conceals a number of crucial distinctions. In my view, one essential component of conservatism is advocacy of limited government. Continue Reading...
November 02, 2006

Religion and Family Policy Fellowship

Familyfacts.org is a project of the Heritage Foundation, the aim of which is to collect and promote research into the relationship between religion and family welfare. It announces a new fellowship for graduate students in social sciences with an interest in writing theses in the area of religion and religious institutions, particularly as they relate to the family and domestic public policy. Continue Reading...