The 2016 American Family Survey was designed to understand the “lived experiences of Americans in their relationships and families” andprovide “context for understanding Americans’ life choices, economic experiences, attitudes about their own relationships, and evaluations of the relationships they see around them.” Here are seven figures you should know from this recently released survey: 1. When asked what specific challenges are making family life difficult, one-third (32 percent) said the costs associated with raising a family, one-fourth (27 percent) said...

To reduce the number of people defaulting on student loans, President Obama has been promoting e-driven repayment plans. The most widely available e-driven repayment plan for federal student loans—the e-Based Repayment (IBR) plan—provides payment caps based on a borrower’sfamily size and e (150 percent of the poverty level). After making 25 years of these reduced payments, the remaining debt is “forgiven.” (If you work for the government or a non-profit the remainder may be forgiven after 10 years.) This may...

Tim Sullivan, editorial director of Harvard Business Review Press, took a look at how difficult it actually is for philanthropists to give their money away and focused on the case of Paul English, founder of . In a Harvard Business Review article titled “The Philanthropist’s Burden” in the December issue, Sullivan talks about how, despite many causes to support, the real trick is to find the most effective organizations. He uses the Acton Institute Poverty, Inc. documentary to show how...

“An underlying theme in basic economics says, ‘offering a product for free can destroy the local economy’” writes Luis Miranda. Miranda recently watched Poverty, Inc and since seeing the award winning Acton Institute documentary he has shared some of its lessons in an article at The Indian Economist. He begins by explaining how often times aid can harm its recipient more than help them. A farmer in Rwanda goes out of business because he pete against an American church sending...

Olivier Douliery/Getty Images In a new article for the Catholic Herald, Philip Booth outlines the next battle in the fight for religious freedom. The professor of finance, public policy, and ethics at St. Mary’s University, Twickenham, writes that “liberal elites are paying the prices for sidelining” this important freedom. He argues that while there are definitely threats to religious liberty in the United States, the rights to religious liberty and freedom of association are in far more danger in Europe....

In a new article at The Christian Science Monitor titled “Can ‘economic nationalism’ keep more jobs in US?” Acton Director of Research Samuel Gregg is interviewed about President-elect Donald Trump’s stated goal of keeping jobs and businesses from leaving for foreign countries.In the analysis piece by reporter Patrik Jonsson, he cites Gregg as a critic of protectionism: In short, the United States cannot step back from the world without losing out, critics say. Trump’s plans are in the short-term “likely...

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...

Paul Bonicelli, Director of Programs at the Acton Institute, appeared on CNBC’s Closing Bell on Thursday afternoon to discuss President-elect Donald Trump’s deal with Carrier to keep 1,000 jobs in Indiana, and to offer analysis of the potential economic priorities of the ing Trump Administration. You can view the interview below. ...

“A human kingship imperceptibly came to power, leaving no place for the kingship of Christ.” –Abraham Kuyper The West prides itself on valuing freedom – political, economic, religious, and otherwise. For some, this leads to the promotion of a certain brand of libertinism: the freedom to do what we want. For others, such as Lord Acton, “Liberty is not the power of doing what we like, but the right of being able to do what we ought.” For the Christian...

“Money is often seen as intrinsically bad or perhaps a necessary evil in the world,” says Tom Nelson. “However, we must not forget the important role money plays in wealth creation and in facilitating the efficient exchange of goods and services.” Money and the trade it makes possible further mon good and greatly enhance our ability to love our neighbors — both local and global. Christian philosopher Dallas Willard reminded us, “Business is an amazingly effective means of delivering God’s...