Acton Line

We talk to Thomas Kidd professor of history at Baylor, Associate Director of Baylor's Institute for Studies of Religion and author of the new book Benjamin Franklin: The Religious Life of a Founding Father. After that, Bruce Walker and Marc talk about the recently released Mavis Staples concert album I'll Take You There: An All-Star Concert Celebration. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we talk with Acton Research Fellow and Managing Editor of the Journal of Markets and Morality Dylan Pahman on his new book, "Foundations of a Free and Virtuous Society." Then on Upstream with Bruce Edward Walker, we catch up on current horror films and television, with discussions on Alien: Covenant, Twin Peaks, and more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we talk with John Lauck - founding president of the Midwestern History Association, the associate editor and book review editor of the Middle West Review, and an adjunct professor of history and political science at the University of South Dakota - about his new book on the American Midwest, "From Warm Center to Ragged Edge". Then Bruce Edward Walker shares his review of the latest work from former Pink Floyd frontman Roger Waters on our cultural segment, Upstream. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this edition of Radio Free Acton, we talk with Acton Institute Director of Research Samuel Gregg about the surprising results of the snap parliamentary election in the UK that saw the conservatives lose their majority in the House of Commons, and discuss what this means for the Brexit process and British politics in general. We're also excited to introduce a new segment on Radio Free Acton: Upstream with Bruce Edward Walker. We'll be talking about culture in this regular feature - movies, music, literature, and more - and we start with a review of Wonder Woman, the latest film from DC Entertainment and Warner Brothers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lawrence Reed is the President of the Foundation for Economic Education, and he joins us on this edition of Radio Free Acton to talk about his new book, "Real Heroes: Inspiring True Stories of Courage, Character, and Conviction". Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this edition of Radio Free Acton, we're joined in studio by Dr. John Mark Reynolds, President of the St. Constantine School, to talk about beauty, and whether or not we can truly know if something is beautiful or not. We also talk about the St. Constantine School and how the educational model they use differs from the more common pedagogy seen in American education today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this edition of Radio Free Acton, we're joined by Micah Watson, the William Spoelhof Teacher-Scholar Chair at Calvin College, to discuss the views of C.S. Lewis on democracy, specifically as they relate to the area of education. Lewis was not a fan of democracy, and worried about the effect of democratic inclinations within a culture on the quality of education systems. Watson - joined by Acton Institute Senior Research Fellow Jordan Ballor and Director of Programs and Education Paul Bonicelli - explores the thought of Lewis on this vital topic. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this edition of Radio Free Acton, we're excited to talk to John Stonestreet, President of the Colson Center for Christian Worldview. We examine the major contributions of Christianity to western culture, try to figure out if there's a reasonable system of thought that could replace it in our society, and explore a bit of what the secular left has replaced Christianity with. Spoiler alert: it's sex. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this edition of Radio Free Acton, we talk with Brent Waters, Jerre and Mary Joy Stead professor of Christian social ethics at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary and author of Just Capitalism: A Christian Ethic of Economic Globalization. The market economy is often criticized as being unjust and harmful to the poor, but Waters makes the argument that global capitalism is well-suited to provide the material goods that are a necessary prerequisite for human flourishing, thus offering the most realistic and promising way for Christians to exercise the preferential option for the poor. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this edition of Radio Free Acton, international trade attorney and Cato Institute Adjunct Scholar Scott Lincicome joins us to give us the real story on the benefits of international trade for the United States, and dispels some myths about the impacts of trade on U.S. industry and consumers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today on Radio Free Acton, we talk with Anne Rathbone Bradley, Ph.D. She serves as Vice President of Economic Initiatives at the Institute for Faith, Work and Economics, and joins us to talk about the vital role that economic freedom plays in lifting people out of poverty. We also address some of the common clichés that are used to attack the market economy, and even take a short peek into the political economy of Al Qaeda. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this edition of Radio Free Acton, we welcome back John Wilsey - Assistant Professor of History and Christian Apologetics and Associate Director of the Land Center for Cultural Engagement at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary - and hand over the reins of the podcast to him as he talks with author and social theorist James Poulos about his new book, "The Art of Being Free: How Alexis de Tocqueville Can Save Us from Ourselves". Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this edition of Radio Free Acton, we speak with Acton Institute Director of Research Samuel Gregg about the life and impact of Michael Novak, who passed away on February 17, 2017. Novak, a Roman Catholic theologian, philosopher, and author, was a powerful defender of human liberty and made vital contributions to our understanding of the morality of the market economy. Novak's influence was an important factor in Rev. Robert A. Sirico's effort to found the Acton Institute, and he served as a mentor to many at Acton over the years. Gregg shares Novak's history, starting with his time on the left in the 1960s and 70s, and recounting his gradual shift toward conservative thought that culminated with the publication of his masterwork, 1982's "The Spirit of Democratic Capitalism." Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this edition of Radio Free Acton, we're joined by Judge Joseph Scoville, former United States magistrate judge for the western district of Michigan, to review the nomination of Judge Neil Gorsuch to replace the late Justice Antonin Scalia on the United States Supreme Court. We examine the qualifications and judicial philosophy of Judge Gorsuch, and address the question of whether or not the left is correct to accuse Republicans of "stealing" the seat from President Obama. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this edition of Radio Free Acton, we're joined by Ilya Shapiro, Senior Fellow in Constitutional Studies at the Cato Institute and the editor of the Cato Supreme Court Journal, to discuss the politics surrounding judicial nominations in modern America, and the judicial legacy that presidents leave behind. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this edition of Radio Free Acton, we have a panel discussion on the prospects for a Christian Democratic political movement in the United States. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this edition of Radio Free Acton, we're joined by Avik Roy, Opinion Editor at Forbes magazine and the founder and president of a new think tank, The Foundation for Research on Economic Opportunity. He's been an insightful critic of the health care reform process in the US since Congress began debating what would become Obamacare in 2009. Through his new organization, he's published a plan to reform the American health care system in a way that maximizes coverage in the population while significantly reducing the cost of health care for both consumers and the government. It's called "Transcending Obamacare." Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this edition of Radio Free Acton, we speak with David LaRocca, philosopher, author, and filmmaker, who has released a documentary on Italian fashion designer and entrepreneur Brunello Cuccinelli. Cucinelli has built a successful company by creating high-quality apparel, but more interesting than that is the philosophy that undergirds his business and all of his life. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Daniel Garza, Executive Director of The LIBRE Initiative, discusses the prospects of the movement for liberty and free markets in the Latino community on this edition of Radio Free Acton. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this edition of Radio Free Acton, we speak with cultural historian and author Victoria Coates on the capacity of democracy to inspire great works of art. Coates is the author of David's Sling: The History of Democracy in Ten Works of Art, and spoke on the topic as part of the 2016 Acton Lecture Series. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this edition of Radio Free Acton, Jordan Ballor - Acton Research Fellow, Director of Publishing, and Executive Editor of the Journal of Markets and Morality - talks with Benjamin Domenech, Publisher of The Federalist, about the current populist moment in American politics, the roots of American populism, and what the possible outcomes of the current populist uprising may be for the United States. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this edition of Radio Free Acton, we're joined by John Wilsey, Assistant Professor of History and Christian Apologetics at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, to discuss Alexis de Tocqueville's masterwork "Democracy In America." Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this edition of Radio Free Acton, we speak with Karl Zinsmeister, Vice President at Philanthropy Roundtable, about efforts to improve public education outcomes over the years, why charter schools are succeeding where past reform efforts have failed, and the role of private philanthropy in fostering that success. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this edition of Radio Free Acton, we speak with Jordan Ballor, General Editor of the Abraham Kuyper Collected Works in Public Theology, a major series of new translations of Abraham Kuyper’s key works. We discuss the genesis of the project, and examine what Kuyper has to say to modern Christians and why his contributions remain relevant a century after their initial publication. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Acton Institute Research Fellow Kevin Schmiesing joins us on this edition of Radio Free Acton to discuss the latest book release from the Acton Institute, "One and Indivisible: The Relationship Between Religious and Economic Freedom." Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last week on Radio Free Acton, we sat down with Acton Institute Director of International Outreach Todd Huizinga to preview the then-upcoming Brexit referendum in the United Kingdom. This week, we're back again with Todd to review the stunning results of the referendum, the reactions to it in both the United Kingdom and the European Union, and the prospects for EU reform and British prosperity in the near and long-term future. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Acton Institute Director of International Outreach Todd Huizinga, author of "The New Totalitarian Temptation: Global Governance and the Crisis of Democracy in Europe", discusses the upcoming British referendum on leaving the European Union on this edition of Radio Free Acton. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this edition of Radio Free Acton, Acton Institute President Rev. Robert A. Sirico sits down with the host of EWTN's The World Over, Raymond Arroyo, for a wide-ranging discussion that touches on the life of Mother Angelica, the power of story, and the pontificate of Pope Francis. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on Radio Free Acton, Magatte Wade joins us to discuss the challenges and rewards of being an entrepreneur in Africa. Too often, people in the West tend to think of Africa as a place to send aid rather than a place to engage in Trade. Magatte is working to change that attitude while building the local economy in her native Senegal. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

William B. Allen, Emeritus Professor of Political Philosophy in the Department of Political Science and Emeritus Dean, James Madison College, at Michigan State University, joins the podcast to talk about what the 2016 presidential race says about the national character of the United States, and about the importance to liberty of freedom of conscience. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Acton Institute Director of International Outreach Todd Huizinga joins us on this week's edition of Radio Free Acton to discuss his new book, The New Totalitarian Temptation: Global Governance and the Crisis of Democracy in Europe. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this edition of Radio Free Acton, we pay tribute to the late Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonin Scalia, and look to the future of religious liberty in the United States with Ryan Anderson of the Heritage Foundation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this edition of Radio Free Acton, Larry Reed - President of the Foundation for Economic Education - discusses the myths that permeate the progressive worldview, and his new book debunking them: "Excuse Me, Professor: Challenging the Myths of Progressivism". Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this edition of Radio Free Acton, we talk with Marina Nemat - author, columnist, human rights advocate, and former political prisoner in her native Iran. How does a person survive imprisonment, torture, and threats of execution, and emerge from the experience with the courage to forgive? And how can her experiences shed light on our response to the problems that plague the world today: Islamic extremism, terrorism, and the refugee crisis? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this edition of Radio Free Acton, we join Bradley J. Birzer ("Call me Brad") to discuss his new biography of Russell Kirk, and to examine Kirk's role as the founding father of the conservative movement in the United States. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jay Nordlinger, Senior Editor at National Review Magazine, discusses his latest book - Children of Monsters: An Inquiry Into the Sons and Daughters of Dictators - on this edition of Radio Free Acton. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this edition of Radio Free Acton, we talk with American Enterprise Institute President Arthur C. Brooks about his latest book, "The Conservative Heart," and why it's so important for people who love liberty tell good stories about how freedom lifts everyone up. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this edition of Radio Free Acton, Acton Institute Director of Research Samuel Gregg and Director of International Outreach Todd Huizinga discuss the ongoing refugee crisis in Europe, and the strain that the crisis is putting on the European Union. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jared Meyer, Fellow at the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research, discusses his new book - Disinherited: How Washington is Betraying America's Young - On this edition of Radio Free Acton. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this edition of Radio Free Acton, we speak with John Horvat, author of Return to Order: From a Frenzied Economy to an Organic Christian Society, about what's wrong with our society and culture and how to fix it. We also look into the latest on Greece's financial problems and how Europe is trying to save its common currency, with analysis of the situation by Acton Institute Director of Research Samuel Gregg. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Theologian Wayne Grudem has teamed up with economist Barry Asmus to write a book on poverty entitled The Poverty of Nations: A Sustainable Solution. On this edition of Radio Free Acton, we explore the fundamentals of growth and human flourishing, and how Christians should understand economics and aid. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this edition of Radio Free Acton, Marc bravely battles a late-spring cold to bring you an interview with Jonathan Witt, Managing Editor at TheStream.org, and author of The Hobbit Party: The Vision of Freedom that Tolkien Got and The West Forgot. Was Frodo a small-government type? Find out on Radio Free Acton. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this edition of Radio Free Acton, we talk with Lela Gilbert - author, journalist, and Adjunct Fellow at the Hudson Institute - about her book "Saturday People, Sunday People: Israel Through The Eyes of a Christian Sojourner", and about the very real threat posed to both Christians and Jews in the Middle East by radical Islam. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What happens when a group of high school students decide to form a student group to discuss the intersection of religion, liberty, and markets? At Grand Rapids West Catholic High School, they founded The Acton Club. Acton Institute Director of Programs and Educational Impact Mike C. Cook talks with the founders of the club about their experience over the last year in starting the group. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this edition of Radio Free Acton, we're joined in studio by eminent Catholic scholar George Weigel of the Ethics and Public Policy Center to discuss the pontificate of Pope Francis, his coverage by the global media, and his upcoming trip to the United States. Weigel is joined in stuido by Acton's President and Co-Founder Rev. Robert A. Sirico, and the discussion is moderated by Acton Director of Research Samuel Gregg. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Timothy P. Carney is the guest on this edition of Radio Free Acton to talk about the threats to liberty posed by not only Big Government, but Big Business as well. We also talk to Michael Van Beek of the Mackinac Center for Public Policy in Midland, Michigan, about the mission and work of Mackinac. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mark Ohanian, Director of Programs for International Orthodox Christian Charities, speaks with Acton Institute Director of Communications John Couretas about the current state of the Syrian civil war and the ongoing—and growing—refugee crisis caused by the conflict, which is one of the worst humanitarian crises in history. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this edition of Radio Free Acton, we talk with Ryan T. Anderson, William E. Simon Fellow in Religion and a Free Society at the Heritage Foundation, about what exactly we mean when we say "religious liberty." Is it simply the freedom to worship, or does it entail something more robust than that? We also discuss Religious Freedom Restoration Act legislation in Indiana and elsewhere, and the media's open animus toward such legislation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this edition of Radio Free Acton, Burt and Anita Folsom discuss their latest book, "Uncle Sam Can't Count." We examine whether the government has a good track record in subsidizing industry and innovation, and look at some of the unforseen consequences of subsidies in society. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this edition of Radio Free Acton, we talk with Dr. Gene Edward Veith, Provost and Professor of Literature at Patrick Henry College. Dr. Veith discusses the influence of the Protestant Reformation and Martin Luther's understanding of vocation on the development of capitalism, and gives his thoughts on how young people - and all of us - should view work and education as we discern our vocations in life. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.