In his Prayer Intentions for May 2021, Pope Francis is asking that Catholics pray for strict regulation of financial markets to protect the poor. But is strict government oversight what really protects the vulnerable from financial harm? Continue Reading...
Latest Posts
May 10, 2021
How global leaders used COVID-19 to restrict religious liberty
COVID-19 has posed unique challenges to religious liberty across the United States, spurring politicians to impose public health measures that restricted in-person worship services. Globally, the situation has often been much worse, with many governments using the pandemic as an excuse for targeted persecution through a mix of misinformation and coercive action. Continue Reading...
May 10, 2021
Biden’s ‘stimulus’ for a growing economy is all about central control
Proposals for “economic stimulus”, the use of monetary or fiscal policy to stimulate the economy, have become a permanent fixture of our politics.
President Joe Biden recently proposed $1.8 trillion dollars in additional “economic stimulus” in the form of the American Families Plan. Continue Reading...
May 07, 2021
Sen. Tim Scott’s message of redemption resonates
In his first address to a joint session of Congress, President Biden offered a renewed vision of America, claiming a revitalizing economy, a growing distribution of vaccinations, and efforts to end injustice against race and gender identity. Continue Reading...
May 07, 2021
A silver lining in the Golden State’s school shutdowns
What happens in California doesn’t tend to stay in California – and that’s usually bad for America. For instance, “55% of all public school students, including those in charter schools, were at home, in distance learning, as of April 30, according to an EdSource analysis of new data released by the state.” Continue Reading...
May 06, 2021
Efficiently combating poverty
This essay won firstplace in the essay contest of the Acton Institute’s 2020 Poverty Cure Summit, which took place on Nov. 18-19, 2020. This essay is presented as it was submitted. Continue Reading...
May 06, 2021
John Paul II on work, socialism, and liberalism
This year marks the 30th anniversary of John Paul II’s important encyclical, Centesimus Annus. While the average lay person might not pay attention to formal pronouncements by the Roman Catholic Church, papal encyclicals are significant in their affirmation of the church’s social doctrine. Continue Reading...
April 30, 2021
Goodbye to the Acton Institute
As a member of the clergy with multiple secular jobs, things are always hectic. I’ve decided I must step away from my work with the Acton Institute beginning the first week of May and, I’m sad to say, this marks my final new blog for the Acton Institute. Continue Reading...
April 30, 2021
‘More Work, Fewer Babies’: The future of family in an age of ‘workism’
Birth rates are in free fall across the Western world, spurred along by a complex web of factors, from increases in economic prosperity and egalitarianism to declines in religiosity to idols of choice and convenience. Continue Reading...
April 29, 2021
The 3 things you need to make ‘socialism’ work
Occasionally, our antagonists think they have discovered the silver bullet argument in favor of “Christian socialism.” One such apology recently came into my inbox. In its entirety, it read:
Acts Chapters 4 and 5 Tell of The Holy Spirits Work with The Apostles to Establish SOCIALISM for The Christian Church…What further proof is needed ??? Continue Reading...