2013 Archives

March 07, 2013

Welfare Spending Equals $47,000 and a Ford Fiesta Per Family

When it comes to proving support for those in poverty, a significant number of economists, politicians, and pundits support direct transfer of money—just giving the poor cash. There are many moral and practical reasons I think that option is a suboptimal means of aiding the poorest of our neighbors. Continue Reading...

March 07, 2013

Audio Roundup: Acton Vatican Experts on the Conclave

Acton president and co-founder, Rev. Robert Sirico, and Director of Research, Samuel Gregg, are currently in Rome for the upcoming papal conclave. Here’s a roundup of their observations, including thoughts on the legacy of Pope emeritus Benedict XVI. Continue Reading...

March 07, 2013

Jayabalan: Possibility of a Non European Pope

Update: Video Interview with Kishore from Rome. As the world awaits the beginning of the conclave, many are looking at non European Cardinals as potentials for the next pope. Channel News Asia points out that “68 per cent of the world’s Catholics currently from Latin America, Africa and Asia, there are increased calls for the next pope to be a non-European.” Continue Reading...

March 07, 2013

Audio: Discussing ‘Becoming Europe’ on African-American Conservatives

Samuel Gregg recently spoke with Marie Stroughter from African-American Conservatives. They discuss Gregg’s new book, Becoming Europe: Economic Decline, Culture, and How America Can Avoid a European Future. Stroughter asked Gregg about the dichotomy between “cuddle capitalism” (the European social model) and a dynamic market economy. Continue Reading...

March 07, 2013

Rand Paul Knows What We Know: Power Corrupts

After nearly 13 hours of speaking in an attempt to stall the confirmation of CIA Director nominee John Brennan, Sen. Rand Paul ended his filibuster. The filibuster is a grandiose method of legislative stalling, requiring the speaker to hold the floor, talking the entire time and not sitting down. Continue Reading...

March 07, 2013

Orthodoxy and Natural Law: A Reappraisal

At Ethika Politika today, I examine the recent critique by David Bentley Hart in the most recent issue of First Things of the use of natural law in public discourse in my article, “Natural Law, Public Policy, and the Uncanny Voice of Conscience.” Continue Reading...

March 07, 2013

Creating a Culture That Lasts: Matthew Lee Anderson on ‘Radical Christianity’

I recently expressed my reservations about David Platt’s approach to “radical Christianity,” noting that, outside of embracing certain Biblical constraints (e.g. tithing), we should be wary of cramming God’s will into our own cookie-cutter molds for how wealth should be carved up and divvied out. Continue Reading...

March 07, 2013

Sirico: The Drama and Reality of Choosing a New Pope

In today’s The Detroit News, the Rev. Robert Sirico seeks to set aside some of the rumors, skewered Hollywood depictions, and media predictions that swirl around any papal conclave. Of course, this time is decidedly different, as the cardinals are coming together not after the death of a pope, but one’s retirement. Continue Reading...

March 07, 2013

Architecture, Human Flourishing, and Health Care

In a recent issue of Metropolis Magazine, Thomas de Monchaux tells the story of an amazing lesson about innovation that Americans can learn from Rwandans. This is no surprise, but readers will learn that burdensome government regulations stifle innovation and undermine human flourishing. Continue Reading...

March 06, 2013

The Gospel and the Church: Turning Criminals into Co-Creators

I’m just back from the republic of Texas and Acton’s Toward a Free and Virtuous Society conference. One of my fellow lecturers was Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary professor Ben Phillips. In between sessions, he showed me a recent Houston television news piece on SWBTS’s Darrington prison extension, where Phillips and other Southwestern profs are bringing prisoners to Christ, with a plan to send graduates of the program to other Texas prisons. Continue Reading...