Despite his work as an apologist and essayist of the highest order, C.S. Lewis’ most famous work is the Chronicles of Narnia. The Silver Chair, the fourth novel published in the series, provides a good framework to understand the state of the European Union, writes Stephen F. Copp in a new essay for Religion & Liberty Transatlantic: The seductive power of evil and the difficulties of regaining self-determination once lost are well illustrated theologically in C.S. Lewis’sThe Silver Chair. Rilian,...

Series Note: Jobs are one of the most important aspects of a morally functioning economy. They help us serve the needs of our neighbors and lead to human flourishing both for the individual and munities. Conversely, not having a job can adversely affect spiritual and psychological well-being of individuals and families. Because unemployment is a spiritual problem, Christians in America need to understand and be aware of the monthly data on employment. Each month highlight the latest numbers we need...

If you’ve been stuck at the mall listening to a song about ten Lords a-Leaping and eight Maids a-Milking you can blame the Jesuits. Rumor has it they invented the Twelve Days of Christmas song as acatechism in codefor persecuted Catholics in 16th-century England. The claim is that each of the items has a coded meaning (Old and New Testaments are the two turtle doves; three hens are the Wise Men; the Evangelists are the four calling birds; five gold...

After frenetic all-night talks, the UK prime minister and the president of the EU announced early Friday morning that the first round of Brexit talks had made “sufficient progress” to go forward. What does that mean for the UK, EU, and the future of economic liberty, deregulation, and reclaiming national self-determination? What are the two rounds of Brexit talks? In a national referendum last June 23, a majority of British citizens voted to leave the European Union. After a UK...

One of the most beloved figures of Christian history – St. Nicholas, the basis for the legend of Santa Claus – memorated around the world on December 6. An historical happenstance shows that his life still holds lessons for the piety and economics of the transatlantic sphere. St. Nicholas, the archbishop of Myra in Asia Minor during the fourth century, is remembered for one example of his generous love of the poor. He learned that a wealthy man in his...

In 1905, Abraham Kuyper, the Dutch statesman and theologian, set forth on a journey around the Mediterranean Sea, visiting 80 sites and cities in 20 countries. His travels brought him to ancient lands and some of the most revered sites of Christianity. They also brought him face-to-face, for the first time, with the Islamic world. When he returned, he wrote a series of reflections on his travels, now captured in a newly translated volume, On Islam, which includes select writings...

Over the next decade, automation will increase, changing the nature of the way we work. While this will lead to more jobs in the long-run it could also lead to an occupational shift on a scale not seen since the transition of the labor force out of agriculture in the early 1900s in the United States and Europe. Those are some of the findings ina new report by the McKinsey Global Institute.Here are some of the highlights from the study:...

The Acton Institute is now accepting applications for the 2018 Novak Award. The deadline to apply is March 15, 2018 and the nomination requirement has been removed. The award, named after distinguished American theologian Michael Novak, is open to current doctoral candidates or those who have received a doctorate in the past five years. Applicants should have studied theology, religion, philosophy, history, law, politics, economics, or related fields. The Acton Institute will select one winner to receive the USD $15,000...

Note: This is post #60 in a weekly video series on basic microeconomics. While the probability of an asteroid hitting the planet is very low, its effect would be disastrous for all of us. Who then should pay for asteroid protection? As Alex Tabarrok of Marginal Revolution University explains, public goods like asteroid defense have some unusual properties that challenge markets. (If you find the pace of the videos too slow, I’d mend watching them at 1.5 to 2 times...

Alejandro A. “Alex” Chafuen, longtime president of Washington-based Atlas Network, is joining the Acton Institute on January 1 as its Managing Director, International. “As one of our founding board members and earliest supporters, Alex has been an important part of the Acton Institute’s work and mission since day one,” said Acton Institute Executive Director Kris Mauren. “Twenty-seven years later, we are truly honored to bring his invaluable experience and wisdom in the think tank industry to lead our global growth.”...