Michael Thigpen had a successful job at a bank, rising through the ranks of pany to a management position. Yet he had originally planned to be a teacher or a pastor, and after finally graduating from seminary and struggling to find a position in either role, he became frustrated with his banking career. Now a theology professor at Biola University, Thigpen realizes that his frustrations had to do with an inaccurate vision of vocation and the human person as redeemed...

In a new article written in the Wall Street Journal, President and Co-Founder of the Acton Institute, Fr. Robert ments on the integrity of Catholic politicians. While respecting the traditions and doctrines of the Catholic Church, Sirico municant members should promise or adjust points of faith depending on institutional contexts. “Key doctrinal and moral rules apply to all Catholics in all contexts—in business, at home, or in elective office. One cannot “personally” oppose something while making a living advocating it.”...

New York City has been called one of the least religious cities in America. In recent years though, ministries’ based there have felt a resurgence of the gospel movement and seen potential for cultural change. Because of this Tim Keller and his church, Redeemer Presbyterian, have started the Rise campaign. Rise is looking to dramatically expand the number of New York City residents that attend a “gospel teaching church” from the current 5 percent, to 15 percent in the next...

Note: This second article in a two-part series on the Democratic Party Platform. Part I can be foundhere. In the previous articlewe looked atsummary outline of the Democratic platform as it relates to several non-economic issues covered by the Acton Institute. Today, we’ll look at the party’s economic agenda as laid out in the platform. Because the document is lengthy (55 pages) and covers an extensive variety of economic-related areas (agriculture, energy) this list won’t be exhaustive. But it does...

Jill Stein (Green Party), Rocky Anderson (Justice Party), Virgil Goode (Constitution Party), and Gary Johnson (Libertarian Party). When es to something as important as a presidential election, most Americans don’t want to vote for a candidate who will very likely lose. But pragmatic considerations have no place in the voting booth, for two reasons. First, one person’s vote almost certainly won’t impact a presidential election. Second, voting for someone we consider the “lesser of two evils” loses sight of the...

Earlier this week, I talked about the religious and economic implications of the RNC platform. As the DNC wraps up, it is time to examine the relevant points of the Democratic platform. Innovation & Entrepreneurship We need an economy that prioritizes long-term investment over short-term profit-seeking, rewards mon interest over self-interest, and promotes innovation and entrepreneurship. Minimum Wage Democrats believe that the current minimum wage is a starvation wage and must be increased to a living wage. No one who...

In America, the most effective “anti-poverty program” is the institution of work (more specifically, ensuring people have a full-time job). The second most effective program for preventing people from being poor is the institution of marriage. The poverty rate among married couples in America is around 6 percent, and among married couples who both have full-time jobs the poverty rate is practically zero (0.001 percent). In contrast, the poverty rate among single-dads/moms is much higher: 25 percent for single dads...

This week, the Catholic Church celebrates World Youth Day in Krakow, Poland. Fittingly, Pope St. John Paul II was chosen as one of the patron saints of the week, both as a figure who fits into the theme of the Year of Mercy and as a beloved Polish Saint who once served as the Archbishop of Krakow. John Paul II has a central place not only in the history and tradition of the Catholic Church, but also in world history...

During the recent DemocraticNational Conventionthe delegates voted to adopttheir party’s platform,a document that outlines the statement of principles and policies that the party has decided it will support. Although the document is not binding on the presidential nominee or any other politicians,political scientists have foundthat over the past 30 years lawmakers in Congress tend to vote in line with their party’s platform: 89 percent of the time for Republicans and 79 percent of the time for Democrats. Because of its...

As we approach what would be Milton Friedman’s 104th birthday this Sunday, July 31st, we should note the enduring significance of his evaluation of the connection between economic and political freedom. In his popular work, Capitalism and Freedom, in a chapter titled “The Relation between Economic Freedom and Political Freedom,” Friedman explains how a society cannot have the latter without the former. Friedman criticizes the notion that politics and economics can be regarded separately and that bination of political and...