Acton Line

In this episode, Dan Hugger speaks with Mark Clifford, award-winning journalist and historian of Hong Kong, about his new book Troublemaker: How Jimmy Lai Became a Billionaire, Hong Kong’s Greatest Dissident, and China’s Most Feared Critic. Hong Kong has scores of billionaires, but only one of them dared stand up to China while the city’s freedoms were whittled away. What in Jimmy Lai’s extraordinary life explains such courage?Subscribe to our podcastsMark CliffordThe Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong FoundationThe Troublemaker | Book by Mark L. Clifford | Official Publisher Page | Simon & SchusterToday Hong Kong, Tomorrow the World: What China's Crackdown Reveals About Its Plans to End Freedom Everywhere: Clifford, Mark L.Let There Be Light: How Electricity Made Modern Hong Kong (Center on Global Energy Policy Series): Clifford, MarkThe Hong Konger: Jimmy Lai's Extraordinary Struggle for Freedom [Full Film]Jimmy Lai’s Fight For Freedom Continues | Panel DiscussionThe Call of the Entrepreneur | Acton Institute

Join Acton Institute’s president emeritus Rev. Robert Sirico as he hosts a live panel featuring Mark Simon, Mary Kissel, and William McGurn as they discuss the resumption of Jimmy’s trial in Hong Kong. Featured in Acton’s award winning documentary The Hong Konger: Jimmy Lai’s Extraordinary Fight for Freedom you will hear the insights of these close friends and associates of Jimmy as they examine his prospects for release and the future of freedom in Hong Kong. The panel was streamed live on Monday, November 25, 2024. Subscribe to our podcastsWatch the panelThe Hong Konger: Jimmy Lai's Extraordinary Struggle for FreedomThe Troublemaker | Simon & Schuster

With decades of hindsight, the peaceful end of the Cold War seems to have been inevitable. But in the early 1980s, most experts believed the Soviet Union was strong and stable, and would last into the next century. Ronald Reagan entered the White House with no certainty of what would happen next, only an overriding faith in democracy and an abiding belief that Soviet communism—and the threat of nuclear war—must end.Based on his interviews with senior Reagan officials and thousands of pages of newly declassified documents, Dr. William Inboden, in his new biography “The Peacemaker,” sheds a fresh perspective on President Reagan’s unwavering faith and commitment to freedom during the Cold War. On October 30, 2024, Dr. Inboden was the keynote speaker at Acton’s 34th Annual Dinner. Take a listen.Subscribe to our podcastsActon On-DemandWilliam Inboden | University of Florida The Peacemaker | Penguin Random House

Join John Pinheiro, Director of Research at the Acton Institute, Anthony Bradley, a Distinguished Research Fellow, and Dylan Pahman, Executive Editor of the Journal of Markets and Morality, as they dissect the surprising outcomes of the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election. They analyze shifts in voter demographics, particularly among religious and Latino voters. The group also explores the disconnect between political elites and everyday citizens, and delves into the urgent need for reform within American political institutions as parties strive to reconnect with constituents.

While the challenge of poverty has always been a part of the human condition, the rise of modernity and the Industrial Revolution have made the problem more acute, particularly for Christians who know that the poor will always be with us and that we’ve been commanded to look out for the least of these. While we cannot rightly characterize C.S. Lewis primarily as an economic or political thinker, he did address social and political matters in his major and minor works. Perhaps more importantly, his treatment of “mere” Christianity with regard to matters of conviction and practice offers hope that Christians from different backgrounds can find common cause in thinking about, and acting on, such issues.  On today’s episode, we present to you the latest installment of the Acton Lecture Series, recorded live at the Acton Building in Grand Rapids, Michigan. In his address, Dr. Micah Watson considers what wisdom we might glean from Lewis’ understanding of how the church should, and shouldn’t, engage the social question. Subscribe to our podcasts The Church Should Give Us a Lead: C.S. Lewis on Modern Social Thought

In this episode, Dan Hugger speaks with Jordan Ballor, Director of Research at the Center for Religion, Culture and Democracy, about his Religion & Liberty cover story “The Faithful Christian and the Politics of the Tao”. They discuss the nineteenth and twentieth century Dutch political party, the Anti-Revolutionary Party, it’s most famous member the theologian and politician Abraham Kuyper, and the prospects for a distinctly Christian politics today.Subscribe to our podcasts   Religion & Liberty Online The Faithful Christian and the Politics of the Tao | Acton InstituteSelect Works of Edmund Burke, vol. 2 | Online Library of Liberty (libertyfund.org)Unbelief and Revolution (Lexham Classics): van Prinsterer, Groen, Van Dyke, Harry: 9781683592280: Amazon.com: BooksOur Program: A Christian Political Manifesto – Acton BookshopMakers of Modern Christian Social Thought – Acton BookshopWork info: Calvinism: Six Stone-lectures - Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org)About — American Solidarity Party (solidarity-party.org)Richard Dawkins and Mere Cultural Christianity – Religion & Liberty Online (acton.org)Code of Canon Law - Book II - The People of God - Part I. (Cann. 208-329) (vatican.va)Ecumenical Babel: Confusing Economic Ideology and the Church's Social – Acton Bookshop 

On today’s episode, Noah Gould, Acton’s Alumni and Student Programs manager, talks to author Caleb Franz about his new book, “The Conductor: The Story of Rev. John Rankin, Abolitionism’s Essential Founding Father.” Subscribe to our podcasts The Conductor: The Story of Rev. John Rankin, Abolitionism’s Essential Founding Father

Named after distinguished American theologian Michael Novak, the Acton Institute’s prestigious Novak Award rewards outstanding scholarly research concerning the relationship between religion, economic freedom, and the free and virtuous society.  In recognition of her outstanding research in the fields of family economics, law and economics, and public choice, the recipient of the 2024 Novak Award is Dr. Clara Piano. In this episode, Acton’s executive editor of the Journal of Markets and Morality, Dylan Pahman, sits down with Dr. Piano to discuss the fertility gap, family economics, and the Novak Award. Subscribe to our podcasts   Novak Award Clara Piano | 2024 Novak Award Winner Acton University Acton On-Demand

For this episode of Acton Line, we’re bringing you one of the plenary talks from Acton University 2024. Robert and Berni Neal explore the complementarity of business and philanthropy, sharing their personal journey and philosophy on integrating wealth creation and ethical stewardship. Robert, a managing partner at Hager Pacific Properties, and Berni, a dedicated Catholic evangelist, discuss how their faith and values guide their business decisions and philanthropic efforts. They emphasize the importance of delayed gratification, ethical behavior, and the role of stewardship as a collaboration with God. Through personal anecdotes and strategic insights, the Neals illustrate how business can serve as a noble vocation that not only generates wealth but also contributes to the greater good. Subscribe to our podcasts Acton University Acton On-Demand

On today’s episode, we bring you a wide-ranging conversation between Acton librarian Dan Hugger and Archbishop Felix Anthony Machado from Acton University 2024. They discuss the religious heritage of India, democracy, and the promises and challenges of interreligious dialogue today.Subscribe to our podcastsActon UniversityActon On-Demand