Acton Line

In this episode, Dan Hugger speaks with Stephen Barrows, chief operations officer of the Acton Institute, about the recent conviction of entrepreneur and pro-democracy activist Jimmy Lai, who was found guilty by a Hong Kong court on Monday in a landmark national security trial. Who is Jimmy Lai, and what is his long-standing relationship with Acton? What were the charges brought against him, and why are there reasons to doubt their fairness? How does Jimmy’s arrest, trial, and conviction show the erosion of freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and the rule of law in Hong Kong? What has been the reaction of the international community to the conviction? How can freedom-loving people show solidarity with Jimmy Lai? Subscribe to our podcasts Watch this podcast here Hong Kong Court Finds Jimmy Lai Guilty in National Security Trial Governments and groups condemn conviction of Hong Kong activist Jimmy Lai Rev. Robert A. Sirico Responds to Jimmy Lai's Guilty Verdict #freejimmylai The Hong Konger (documentary) The Call of the Entrepreneur (documentary) If you’d like to support this podcast, you can help by leaving a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts. If you have questions or suggestions for a future episode, you can email us at podcast@acton.org.

Peter J. Boettke, a Distinguished University Professor of Economics at George Mason University, shares his insights into the Austrian School's significance in today's economic landscape. He discusses why reading classic economic texts is crucial for understanding current theories. The conversation explores the humanistic approach of Austrian economists and their historical ties to early modern religious thought. Boettke also highlights how education at Mercatus and GMU supports the next generation of scholars while emphasizing the intertwining of economics, philosophy, and politics.

Stephanie Slade, senior editor at Reason magazine and a fellow at the Acton Institute, delves into the complexities of the New Right. She explores who constitutes this movement and contrasts it with traditional conservatism. The discussion highlights the New Right's confrontational rhetoric and its pursuit of state power. Slade also examines religious currents within the movement and the cultural grievances of its supporters, urging a return to foundational principles to effectively engage with modern conservatism.

This month on the Acton Rundown Dan & Mark chat about upcoming Acton events and new video content. Essays: Fall 2025 Religion & Liberty American Religion by the Numbers by Miles Smith A Pope for the 21st Century   Video content: Anne Bradley Interrogates Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson’s Abundance Yasir Qadhi on LEAVING Salafism and Rejecting Sectarianism Peter Lipsett Is Podcasting to Answer the Question, "What Is the Right?" How to Rebel John Wilsey Is Priming Conservatives for Religious Freedom Andrew Abela Is Popularizing the Virtues with “Superhabits” Upcoming events: Artificial Intelligence, Human Dignity, and the Free Society | Acton Institute Acton University 2026 | Acton Institute

Andrew Abela, the founding dean of the Busch School of Business and a scholar on character formation, discusses his book, Superhabits. He explains how superhabits offer a practical take on classical virtues, connecting them to Aquinas and Aristotle. The conversation dives into enhancing human flourishing through virtues, the gap in current habit literature, and the necessity of reshaping virtues for modern readers. Abela also reveals how cultivating small virtues can revitalize personal lives and society, emphasizing their role in addressing civic and familial challenges.

In this episode, Dan Hugger speaks with John Wilsey, professor of church history and chair of the Department of Church History and Historical Theology at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, about his new book, Religious Freedom: A Conservative Primer. How have the spirit of religion and the spirit of liberty existed harmoniously in the American tradition? What contrasts between French and American society did Alexis de Tocqueville observe in his own day? Has the American experiment failed? How does Peter Viereck’s conservative nostalgia for the permanent beneath the flux chart a course distinct from both progressive and reactionary utopian politics? Is religious traditionalism antithetical to dispositional conservativism? Why does the human imagination loom so large in conservative thought? What should secular dispositional conservatives make of religion? Subscribe to our podcasts Watch this podcast here Religious Freedom: A Conservative Primer | John Wilsey The Man vs. the Myth: Who Was John Foster Dulles? | Acton Line Democracy in America | Alexis de Tocqueville The Old Regime and the Revolution (1856) | Alexis de Tocqueville Conservatism: From John Adams to Churchill | Peter  Viereck Conservatism Revisited: The Revolt Against Ideology | Peter Viereck The Leopard | Giuseppe Di Lampedusa The Great Conversation: The Substance of a Liberal Education | Robert Maynard Hutchins If you’d like to support this podcast, you can help by leaving a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts. If you have questions or suggestions for a future episode, you can email us at podcast@acton.org.

Peter Lipsett, Vice President at DonorsTrust and host of the Giving Ventures podcast, dives into the evolution of conservative factions in America. He discusses how populism reshaped the right after Trump, emphasizing the need for unity despite diverse beliefs. Lipsett explores whether the right operates as an intellectual movement or a social network and reflects on religion's role in today’s political landscape. He assesses the future of conservatism and the potential for new coalitions if dialogue continues among varied ideologies.

Anne Bradley, Vice President of Academic Affairs at The Fund for American Studies and an economics professor, dives deep into the themes of abundance in Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson's book. She critiques the authors’ approach to regulation and innovation, calling out how bad policies impact housing and healthcare. Bradley also challenges the idea that nostalgia governs our understanding of abundance, arguing for growth through decentralized knowledge. She emphasizes the overlooked roles of civil society and religion in fostering true abundance, urging humility in economic planning.

This month on the Acton Rundown, Dan & Dylan chat about upcoming Acton events and new video content. Essays and Books:The Kingdom of God and the Common Good: Orthodox Christian Social Thought God at Work: Loving God and Neighbor Through the Book of Exodus Super Habits: The Universal System for a Successful Life | Andrew Abela Can Nigeria’s Church Survive the Storm | Kelechi L. Nwannunu Are Americans Too Political? | Thomas Dias   Video Content: What We Gained from 8 Weeks in the Emerging Leader Program | Alums Share Their Story   Upcoming Events: Poverty, Inc. in Detroit Acton Institute Fifth Annual Academic Conference: Character, Commerce, and Human Flourishing Virtues, Not Values: Reclaiming the Human Core of Business | Acton Institute Rethinking Charity: Local Agency, Commercial Society, and the Human Person | Acton Institute Annual Calihan Lecture and Novak Award Presentation | Acton Institute Artificial Intelligence, Human Dignity, and the Free Society | Acton Institute Acton University 2026

In this episode, Dan Hugger speaks with John Pinheiro, director of research at the Acton Institute, about his feature essay in the latest issue of Religion & Liberty: “Thomas Jefferson ant the Virtue of Limited Government.” What is Jefferson’s status today relative to the other Founding Fathers? What was Jefferson’s agrarian republican vision for America? How did that vision clash with those of the other Founders? What is Jefferson’s fundamental anthropology, and what are its underlying assumptions? What does Jefferson make of the commercial society? Where does Jefferson root his case for limited government? What is his conception of subsidiarity? Why should we turn to Jefferson for inspiration to meet today’s challenges? Subscribe to our podcasts Watch this podcast here Thomas Jefferson and the Virtue of Limited Government | John C. Pinheiro The Roots of Jefferson's Union | John C. Pinheiro Lessons from Early America’s Tariff Wars | John C. Pinheiro If you’d like to support this podcast, you can help by leaving a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts. If you have questions or suggestions for a future episode, you can email us at podcast@acton.org.