Religion & Liberty Online Archives

Acton Occasional Series

June 23, 2014

7 Figures: Trafficking in Persons Report

Last week the State Department released the 2014 Trafficking in Persons Report, a congressionally mandated report that looks at the governments around the world (including the U.S.) and what they are doing to combat trafficking in persons – modern slavery – through the lens of the 3P paradigm of prevention, protection, and prosecution. Continue Reading...
June 19, 2014

7 Figures: American Time Use Survey

Every year the Bureau of Labor Statistics releases the American Time Use Survey (ATUS), which measures the amount of time people spend doing various activities, such as paid work, childcare, volunteering, and socializing. Continue Reading...
June 12, 2014

What Christians Should Know About Money

Note: This is the latest entry in the Acton blog series, “What Christians Should Know About Economics.” For other entries in the series see this post. The Term: Money What it Means: In economics, money is a broad term that refers to any financial instrument that can fulfill the functions of money (more on that in a moment). Continue Reading...
June 12, 2014

Explainer: What’s Going on in Iraq?

What just happened in Iraq? Conflicts in Syria and Iraq have converged into one widening regional insurgency and Iraq risks a full-scale civil war after an al-Qaeda-linked militant group called ISIS quickly seized a large section of the country’s northern region. Continue Reading...
June 05, 2014

What Christians Should Know About Unemployment

Note: This is the latest entry in the Acton blog series, “What Christians Should Know About Economics.” For other entries in the series see this post.  The Term: Unemployment What it Means: If you consult a dictionary, you’ll find a number of commonsensical definitions for unemployment: the state of being without a job; being without a paid job but available to work, etc. Continue Reading...
May 29, 2014

What Christians Should Know About ‘The Economy’

Note: This is the latest entry in the Acton blog series, “What Christians Should Know About Economics.” For other entries in the series see this post. The Term: ‘The Economy’ (aka Gross National Product) What it Means: When people refer to “the economy” they are usually referring to a particular idea—Gross Domestic Product (GDP)—which is itself simply an economic metric. Continue Reading...
May 22, 2014

Argument Outline: Why Religious Freedoms Apply to For-Profit Corporations

[Note: “Argument Outline” is a new occasional series that provides summaries of religious, economic, and public policy arguments presented in the public square.] The Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) states that government shall not substantially burden a person’s exercise of religion even if the burden results from a rule of general applicability, except in certain conflicts with a compelling governmental interest. Continue Reading...