Now up for your viewing pleasure, John O’Sullivan’s acceptance of our Faith & Freedom Award on behalf of Margaret Thatcher, and Rev. Robert Sirico’s remarks at the dinner. Mr. O’Sullivan, Lady Thatcher’s speechwriter and advisor, painted a warm, personal portrait of his former boss — at times he had us in stitches, and when he finished, we were all inspired. The dinner was given at the JW Marriott Hotel in Grand Rapids on October 20; if you couldn’t make it,...

In a recent BBC article, Sean Coughlan reports a novel idea from Oxford academic Will Crouch, He argues that someone ing an investment banker could create sufficient wealth to make philanthropic donations that could make a bigger difference than someone choosing to work in a “moral” career such as an aid charity. Indeed, there seems to be an ever increasing suspicion, even among Christians, that certain career paths are per se more moral than others. However, as Fr. Robert Sirico...

Over at Patheos’ Black, White and Gray blog, where a group of Christian sociologists “share our observations and research and reflect on its meaning for Christian faith and practice,” Margarita A. Mooney writes about “Faith-Based Social Services: An Essential Part of American Civil Society.” Many of the points she raises echo the principles of passion that have long animated the Acton Institute’s engagement with welfare reform and social service. Be sure to check out the Hope Award program sponsored by...

Last week, the Acton Institute Programs Department launched registration for an exciting project called AU Online. If you haven’t already visited the website, I encourage you to do so! AU Online is an internet-based educational resource for exploring the intellectual foundations of freedom and virtue. It is designed to offer the munity another way to experience the first class content and interaction of an Acton sponsored event while at home, at the office, or at school. We’re currently accepting registrations...

We are excited about our friend, Byron Borger at Hearts & Minds Books, carrying Wisdom & Wonder, “the long-awaited, freshly-translated, newly-produced, collection of newspaper pieces that Dr. Kuyper wrote so many years ago.” This book is a part of the larger mon grace” work that we are in the process of translating. We hope to have Volume 1 available by Fall 2012. Click herefor more information on the Kuyper Translation Project. Nicholas Woltersdorff, Noah Porter Professor Emeritus of Philosophical Theology...

Glenn Barkan, retired dean of Aquinas College’s School of Arts and Sciences here in Grand Rapids, had a piece worth reading in the local paper over the weekend related the current trend (fad?) toward buying local. In “What’s the point of buying local?” Barkan cogently addresses three levels of the case for localism in a way that shows that the movement need not have the economic, environmental, or ethical high ground. At the economic level, Barkan asks, “Does the local...

Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported Author: DustinIn this week’s Acton Commentary, “Blue Laws and Black Friday,” I argue that the increasing encroachment mercial activity into holidays like Thanksgiving are best seen as questions of morality and the limits of the economic sphere of existence. The remedy for such issues is best sought at the level of relationship (between consumer and retailer, for instance, as well as employer and employee) rather than at the level of legal remedy, as in...

Most gracious God, by whose knowledge the depths are broken up and the clouds drop down the dew: We yield thee hearty thanks and praise for the return of seed time and harvest, for the increase of the ground and the gathering in of its fruits, and for all other blessings of thy merciful providence bestowed upon this nation and people. And, we beseech thee, give us a just sense of these great mercies, such as may appear in our...