In this episode, Acton’s President and Co-founder, Rev. Robert Sirico, offers some thoughts on what the role of the government should be during a crisis. When we’re confronted with unique crises, especially like the Coronavirus pandemic the world is facing now, there are justified government interventions. Continue Reading...
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March 25, 2020
Lesser-known books by Wilhelm Röpke that you should read
With so many people around the world in moderate or full quarantines and lockdowns, many of them are turning to books to pass the time, ease their fears, or simply take advantage of an unexpected and involuntary opportunity to recharge their intellectual batteries. Continue Reading...
March 25, 2020
How to grow in wisdom in a time of uncertainty
Earlier this week, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer issued a “stay at home” order in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19. As a result, many people have taken on new responsibilities and challenges in addition to their existing duties. Continue Reading...
March 24, 2020
Review: ‘America Lost’ and the crisis of faith and work
However unique their history or circumstances, communities experiencing high unemployment are pockmarked by the same sights: shuttered factories, rows of abandoned homes bulldozed or set ablaze by arsonists, and a debilitating hopelessness. Continue Reading...
March 20, 2020
Is Latin America prepared for coronavirus?
This morning Alejandro Chafuen, Acton’s managing director, international, wrote in Forbes about Latin American countries’ response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The virus there hasn’t reached the levels we see in China or Europe or even the U.S., Continue Reading...
March 20, 2020
This Alabama church is offering COVID-19 tests
Given the dramatic disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic, many are reflecting on ways to better love and serve our neighbors during times of crisis. While disciplined social distancing is the obvious first step, we also see a number of ground-up efforts to mobilize congregations and institutions to support the evolving needs of individuals and communities. Continue Reading...
March 20, 2020
Spain learned the wrong lessons from the ‘yellow vests’
With COVID-19 ushering in a new era of social distancing, the idea of a mass demonstration seems as quaint as a delivery from the milkman. However, as recently as last month the memory of France’s gilet jaunes—the yellow-vested protesters who blocked French intersections over proposed fuel taxes—inspired Spanish farmers to block streets and wring ill-conceived concessions from the government. Continue Reading...
March 20, 2020
€153M in coronavirus philanthropy helps plug Italy’s drained public coffers
Clearly, we are facing a disheartening situation here in Italy, where I study at one of Rome’s pontifical universities. It seems that every day brings more bad news, more regulations, and more uncertainty. Continue Reading...
March 19, 2020
How creative Christians should handle ‘dangerous wealth’
In exploring the intersection of Christianity and economics, we routinely see several tensions come into play, particularly between notions of generosity and personal profit. The key question is: How do we reconcile our calling to be both a selfless servant and a maker and multiplier? Continue Reading...
March 19, 2020
How to turn social distancing into love
The most ubiquitous phrase popularized by the coronavirus epidemic, “social distancing,” carries connotations of shunning or anti-social behavior. The isolation of the elderly particularly tugs at our heartstrings. The widely shared photo of 88-year-old Dorothy Campbell speaking through a nursing home’s window to her 89-year-old husband, Gene, poignantly depicts the deep-seated need for human contact amid the obstructions of anti-virus protocols. Continue Reading...