Virtue

February 16, 2024

Public Life, Private Vice in American Life

In his latest book, Moral Vision: Leadership from George Washington to Joe Biden, Marvin Olasky, author of the highly influential Tragedy of American Compassion (and Acton affiliate scholar), examines American history in light of a Turkish saying, “the fish stinks first at the head,” meaning that moral decay at the highest echelons of society inevitably affects the whole. Continue Reading...

November 23, 2023

Thank God for Virtue

Each night, when it’s my turn to tuck in my littlest kids—Erin (5) and Callaghan (3) … and sometimes Aidan (6)—we say the same traditional prayers together: the “Our Father,” the “Axion Estin,” and the Creed. Continue Reading...

July 04, 2023

Hope for America Lies in a Grateful Heart

“Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others.” —Cicero, Pro Plancio, 54 B.C. Whenever I act out of anger or fear, I make mistakes—sometimes serious mistakes. Continue Reading...

May 24, 2023

Tim Keller Lives

I’ve been a Christian for almost half a century, sometimes with a critical spirit toward sermons. So I’ll now write something I’ve never written before and never expect to write again: the best preacher I’ve ever heard “died” last Friday. Continue Reading...

May 30, 2022

‘What Shall Men Remember?’: Relearning the forgotten history of Memorial Day

Memorial Day has historically been a day set aside to commemorate the millions of Americans fallen in war. Although the day now involves celebrating America’s war dead regardless of color or creed, what many may not know is that Memorial Day’s origins are actually deeply linked to America’s struggle with racism. Continue Reading...

February 15, 2022

Modesty for thee but not for me: Brian Sauvé, Beth Moore, and Ephesians 4

For those of us who have dealt with compulsive behavior or addiction in our families or our own lives, there are clues—perhaps too seemingly unrelated for some to notice—that tip us off that someone might be engaged in an internal battle. Continue Reading...

November 23, 2021

Planes, Trains, and Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a distinctively American holiday, unlike Christmas, and yet we have very few popular movies about it. Maybe this is a good thing—it’s a family affair, not necessarily a public spectacle. Continue Reading...

October 30, 2021

Discovering human dignity in Villeneuve’s Dune

With an opening weekend revenue of $41 million, director Denis Villeneuve’s Part 1 of his adaptation of Frank Herbert’s science fiction classic Dune has succeeded in getting Warner Bros. to greenlight Part 2, set for a 2023 release. Continue Reading...

September 19, 2021

The impact of church attendance on child development and family life

Only 47% of Americans belong to a church of any faith. This matters, especially for families and children, as well as our communities, as church attendance and religious adherence not only benefit family life, but also the development of children, as both church and a strong family life positively form children and help them become productive members of society. Continue Reading...

June 21, 2021

Entertainment as leisure

Americans on average spend 470 minutes, or 7.83 hours, a day with digital media. For example, people watched “The Office” for over 57 billion minutes in 2020, and another favorite, “Grey’s Anatomy” held viewership for over 39 billion minutes in 2020. Continue Reading...

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