Religion & Liberty Online Archives

International Affairs

December 11, 2018

Samuel Gregg: Paris is burning

“Since 1789, we’ve all had good reason to worry whenever riots break out in Paris,” says Acton research director Samuel Gregg. “Whether it’s 1848 or 1968, social upheaval in France rarely ends well.” Continue Reading...
December 10, 2018

A Hanukkah meditation on Maimonides … and venture capitalism

If the average person had to describe a capitalist, he might name “Dickens’ unredeemed Scrooge, or Gordon (‘Greed is good!’) Gecko from the movie Wall Street.” However, the real patron saint of venture capitalism may well be the great Jewish theologian and philosopher Moses Maimonides, writes Laurie Morrow, Ph.D., Continue Reading...
November 30, 2018

Explainer: Congress passes bill to help Christians and other genocide victims in Iraq and Syria

What just happened? Earlier this week the U.S. Congress voted unanimously to support HR 309, the “Iraq and Syria Genocide Relief and Accountability Act of 2018.” The purpose of the bill is to provide relief for victims of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes who are members of religious and ethnic minority groups in Iraq and Syria, for accountability for perpetrators of these crimes, and for other purposes. Continue Reading...
November 21, 2018

Gratitude: The heart of capitalism

As we gather around our Thanksgiving tables with our loved ones, we’re reminded of the imperative of gratitude. Counting our blessings is an integral part of the Christian life and increasingly recognized by science as having physical and psychological benefits. Continue Reading...
November 14, 2018

The intellectual maverick behind Brazil’s conservative wave

The recent victory of the conservative populist Jair Bolsonaro in the Brazilian presidential elections brought the name of the philosopher Olavo de Carvalho to the center of Brazilian political debate. Many have since stated that Carvalho is an intellectual precursor to the populist candidate – as someone who was able to reshape the Brazilian political discussion in ways that cleared an intellectual path for Bolsonaro’s electoral victory. Continue Reading...
November 08, 2018

The Acton Institute awards 2018 Novak Award to Lucas G. Freire

Fr. Robert Sirico presented the Acton Institute’s 2018 Novak Award to Brazilian professor Lucas G. Freire on Monday, November 5. Freire’s acceptance speech offered reflections on the “idolatrous distortions” evidenced in modern public discourse by placing too much trust in the state, and too little faith in markets and individuals. Continue Reading...