Acton Line

In this episode, Dan Hugger, research associate and librarian here at Acton, sits down with Dr. Micah Watson, associate professor and executive director of the Paul Henry Institute at Calvin University, to discuss Congressman Paul Henry and his leadership in shaping the way Christian politicians live out their faith within their public service.  The Paul Henry Institute seeks “to understand the role of faith in public life across time, from the earliest efforts of ancient peoples to organize their laws and institutions to present-day tensions between religion and the modern state.” Subscribe to our podcasts  About Dr. Micah Watson Henry Institute for the study of Christianity and politics  5 Things that Christianity brings to our understanding of politics | Acton Institute  Controversial Christianity: Understanding faith and politics | Acton Institute  Our Mission & Core Principles | Acton Institute  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is a special edition of Acton Line, featuring Ian Rowe, senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, speaking on his new book, “Agency.“ On Wednesday, March 16, Rowe visited the Acton Institute for a discussion in front of a live audience with Eric Kohn, Acton’s director of marketing and communications. Rowe spoke on how we can inspire young people as they make the passage into adulthood. All children should be taught that a path to a successful life exists and that they have the power to follow it. Subscribe to our podcasts  "Agency" by Ian Rowe | Book   About Ian Rowe American Enterprise Institute Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Dan Churchwell, director of program outreach here at Acton, sits down with James Whitford, executive director of Watered Gardens Ministries, to discuss the challenges of poverty we face here in our communities. Whitford supports the economic principle of subsidiarity. Subsidiarity is a social practice where neighbors help neighbors so the state doesn’t have to intervene. This discourages reliance on the welfare state and avoids government bureaucracy. Subscribe to our podcasts  Watered Gardens Ministries  The Principle of Subsidiarity Build Together: Why lived experience is essential for crafting poverty solutions God doesn't need your good works (but your neighbor does)  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this conversation, Samuel Gregg, Director of Research at the Acton Institute and author of "The Essential Natural Law," delves into the core principles of natural law and their historical roots. He discusses how natural law shapes our understanding of justice, human rights, and economics, linking philosophical traditions to modern challenges. Gregg also highlights St. Thomas Aquinas's lasting impact on moral dilemmas and underscores the relevance of natural law in fostering human flourishing, making moral guidance accessible to all.

In this episode, Eric Kohn, Acton’s director of communications, sits down with Joseph Lehman, president of the Mackinac Center, to discuss the “Overton Window” and the influence it continues to play in politics. How can we use it to understand changing ideas in our culture and the marketplace? Subscribe to our podcasts  Joseph G. Lehman, President of the Mackinac Center  Mackinac Center for Public Policy  The Overton Window | Mackinac Center  The Overton Window: The Most Misunderstood Concept in Politics | The Daily Wire  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Dan Hugger sits with Daniel Silliman, journalist and news editor for Christianity Today, to discuss his new book, "Reading Evangelicals: How Christian Fiction Shaped a Culture and a Faith." Silliman argues that the formation of evangelical identity does not stem from institutions or political stances but from Christian fiction and Christian publishing in general. In light of this, he explores the questions, what is evangelicalism, and what is evangelical subculture?  Subscribe to our podcasts  Business Matters 2022 — 50% off registration with promo code PODCASTBM22 About Daniel Silliman  What's True About Christian Fiction | Christianity Today Reading Evangelicals: How Christian Fiction Shaped a Culture and a Faith | Daniel Silliman  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Sarah Negri, research project coordinator at the Acton Institute, sits down with  David Michael Phelps, dean and director of program development at Harmel Academy of the Trades, to discuss the dignity of human work and how it is tied to our freedom to create value in the world and its connection to virtue. Why is formation in virtue important for skilled laborers? Who was Léon Harmel, and what was his impact on Catholic social teaching?  Subscribe to our podcasts  Business Matters 2022 — 50% off registration with promo code PODCASTBM22 Laborem Exercens, encyclical by John Paul II Rerum Novarum, encyclical by Leo XIII The Love of Learning and the Desire for God: A Study of Monastic Culture by Fr. Jean Leclercq, O.S.B. The Master and His Emissary: The Divided Brain and the Making of the Western World by Iain McGilchrist Shop Class as Soulcraft: An Inquiry into the Value of Work by Matthew Crawford The World Beyond Your Head: On Becoming an Individual in an Age of Distraction by Matthew Crawford Harmel Academy of the Trades Léon Harmel: Pioneer of the Just Wage Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Since its announcement in November, media buzz has surrounded the University of Austin in Texas (UATX), newly founded to push back against a growing illiberal tide of “wokeness” and “cancel culture” in higher education. According to its website, UATX is “dedicated to the fearless pursuit of truth” and seeks to promote freedom of inquiry and ideological independence. Today on Acton Line, Dylan Pahman interviews Dr. Pano Kanelos, president of UATX, to dig deeper than the social media hot takes to discover the truth of what UATX is really all about. Subscribe to our podcasts Business Matters 2022 — 50% off registration with promo code PODCASTBM22 The University of Austin About Dr. Pano KanelosThe University of Austin is scaring all the right people Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a conversation with Acton’s librarian and research associate Dan Hugger, the Honorable Mark T. Boonstra, author of “In Their Own Words,” presents powerful insights into the minds of our Founding Fathers on the subject of religion.  It’s clear now more than ever that our country is no longer the one inhabited by our Founding Fathers. Boonstra claims that we have essentially lost our relationship to God. According to our country’s sacred documents, we were established as one nation under God, our rights were given by God, we appealed to God for protection, and freedom to worship God was a primary concern. Things are a bit different now.  In his book, Boonstra brings to light what our Founding Fathers truly believed about America as a nation united under God.  Subscribe to our podcasts Buy the Books — “In Their Own Words”  About Mark T. Boonstra Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a conversation with Dan Churchwell, Acton’s director of program outreach, Alan Noble, author of "You Are Not Your Own: Belonging to God in an Inhuman World," presents powerful insights into the anxiety and unease many feel today. He describes how a single line from the Heidelberg Catechism reframes our identity and helps us better understand ourselves, our families, our society, and our God. Subscribe to Acton Line, Acton Unwind, & Acton Vault Use code aipod22 to get 30% off the book Details about the book Excerpt About Alan Noble Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.