“Christians have nothing to fear and everything to gain from good social science,” says Paul D. Miller. “It provides a way to talk normatively about human flourishing in terms that are intelligible, legitimate, and persuasive to those outside munity of faith.” How can Christians make arguments that are persuasive to those who do not share their most basic presuppositions? That is the quandary in which Christians—and Jews and Muslims—find themselves as public discourse is increasingly framed, mediated, and policed by...

In our globalized and interconnected world, we inhabit vast networks of creative exchange with widely dispersed neighbors. This leads to real and munities far and wide—a great and mysterious collaboration. But as we continue to strengthen those social bonds across economic life, how do we stay faithful and attentive to our more munity spheres? It’s a challenge for creators and workers across the economic order—to use our economic freedom to meet human needs, but do so through a healthy and...

The sinister and irreparable nature of gossip is memorably illustrated in the penance St. Philip Neri once gave to a woman who had confessed it to him. He told her to walk through the streets of Rome plucking a chicken. Humbled, the woman accepted the penance. When she returned to him and reported she pleted the penance the saint told her to now go and collect all the feathers she had plucked. “But Father Philip,” the woman is reported to...

Note:This article is part of the ‘Principles Project,’ a list of principles, axioms, and beliefs that undergirda Christian view of economics, liberty, and virtue. Clickhereto read the introduction and other posts in this series. The Principle:#2 — God’s Word is the foundation for all knowledge. The Explanation:“Christianity,” as Charles Colson once claimed, “is the explanation for everything.” As Tom Gilson explains, “Of course [Colson] did not mean that everything is explained in the Bible, but that the Bible reveals the...

Perhaps nothing sums up the situation in socialist Venezuela quite like the photo below. Within just a few feet of a grocery store, people dig through a garbage truck in desperation looking for food. We’ve written quite a bit about the crisis in Venezuela over the past year and today, we’re pleased to bring you a report straight from Caracas. Acton co-founder and president Rev. Robert Sirico interviewed Ricardo Ball, an entrepreneur and financial advisor about what is happening on...

People who are active in religious congregations tend to be happier and more civically engaged than either religiously unaffiliated adults or inactive members of religious groups, according to a new study by Pew Research Center. The findings were taken from survey data from the United States and more than two dozen other Christian-majority nations. Pew finds that in the U.S. and many other countries around the world, regular participation in a munity clearly is linked with higher levels of happiness...

Note: This is post #108 in a weekly video series on basic economics. Most people do not like when prices rise so most people do not like inflation. But there is one sector that sometimes finds inflation beneficial: government. In this video by Marginal Revolution University, Alex Tabarrok explains why governments sometimes use inflation to their benefit—and how inflation can e like a drug. (If you find the pace of the videos too slow, I’d mend watching them at 1.5...

Christians believe we should be good stewards of the earth, and for some the issue has taken on apocalyptic dimensions. Yet faith leaders, including the leaders of multiple worldwide munions, have ignored the most effective method for reducing carbon emissions while praising counterproductive policies. There is no doubt about the extent of concern. A recent Gallup poll found that 70 percentof young Americans worry about climate change, and people aged 18 to 34 are the first generation in which a...

On Thursday, Senator Elizabeth Warren announced on Twitter that she will institute a wealth tax if she is elected president in 2020. Here are the facts you need to know: Warren tweeted her plan on Thursday afternoon. We need structural change. That’s why I’m proposing something brand new – an annual tax on the wealth of the richest Americans. I’m calling it the “Ultra-Millionaire Tax” & it applies to that tippy top 0.1% – those with a net worth of...

For the past four years, Deliverance San Diego has been delivering hot meals to the city’s homeless population every Friday, averaging 200 donated meals on any given evening. Now, due to new guidelines passed by the State Legislature of California, the non-profit is ceasing operations and will dissolve by the end of the month. Through their existing model, hot meals were prepared in volunteer homes and distributed on the streets. “Volunteers from various churches gather at 17th and Commercial downtown...