Last week on the Acton PowerBlog, Anthony Bradley raised the issue of the war on men, specifically the high rate of imprisonment among men in the United States. At one point in time, America acknowledged that prison might be a place of rehabilitation rather than simply the warehousing of criminals (read Ray Nothstine’s work on Angola Prison to see that rehabilitation in prison is possible.) Catholic blogger Mark Shea interprets the high rate of imprisonment as a sign of the...

Does the city of Pensacola, Florida care more about fort of cats than the dignity and safety of human beings? That certainly seems to be the case. Last week, a local news warning suggested that residents bring pets inside to protect them from cold temperatures. But the city prohibited its homeless population from covering themselves to keep out the cold. The Pensacola ordinance said a person may not be “adjacent to or inside a tent or sleeping bag, or atop...

For George Washington’s birthday,Julia Shaw reminds usthat the indispensable man of the American Founding was also an important champion of religious liberty: All Presidents can learn from Washington’s leadership in foreign policy, in upholding the rule of law, and—especially now—in the importance of religion and religious liberty. While the Obama Administration claims to be modating” Americans’ religious freedom concerns regarding the Health and Human Services (HHS) Obamacare mandate, it is actually trampling religious freedom. President Washington set a tremendous example...

Rev. Robert A. Sirico, president of the Acton Institute, joins Drew Mariani onRelevant Radio’s Drew Mariani Show to discuss the problem of Global Poverty and the seemingly counterintuitive solutions that have been lifting people out of poverty over the last few decades, as well as how more conventional “solutions” like government-to-government aid often have disastrous effects for those who are the intended recipients of the aid. You can listen to the interview via the audio player below. ...

In the latest issue of The Living Pulpit, Presbyterian pastor Neal Presa reviews Flourishing Churches and Communities, Charlie Self’s Pentecostal primer on faith, work, and economics. Presa heartily mends the book, emphasizing that Self provides a theological framework that not only challenges the church, but points it directly to the broader global economy: Flourishing Churches and Communities is a e addition to recent books in my own Reformed tradition on an integrated and holistic theology of work, from the likes...

Sometimes I recoil a little when somebody declares that there can be an American president greater than George Washington. Henry “Light-Horse Harry” Lee declared Washington, “First in the hearts of his countrymen.” Washington is great for many things, but perhaps he is greatest for the manner in which he surrendered power not once but twice. One of the best mentaries written on Washington is David Boaz’s, “The Man Who Would Not Be King.” In the piece from 2006, Boaz wonderfully...

Today in the United States is the federal holiday known as Washington’s Birthday (not “Presidents Day—see item #1). In honor of George Washington’s birthday, here are 5 things you should know about the day set aside for our America’s founding father. 1. Although some state and local governments and private businesses refer to today as President’s Day, the legal public holiday is designated as “Washington’s Birthday” in section 6103(a) of title 5 of the United States Code. The observance of...

Like most of you, I have experience of being a child and a teenager. I’m also a parent, and thus have much experience trying to reason with children and teens. When I was 16, I was as straight-laced as you could get. I didn’t drink, smoke, party or get Bs on my homework. Yet, I rather stupidly got quite drunk – in my own house, with my father home – at a party I’d thrown. I won’t embarrass my children...

Harvard students a century or so ago joked that Professor Irving Babbitt’s distaste for Jean-Jacques Rousseau was so fervent that he checked under his bed each evening to make sure the 18th century French philosopher wasn’t hiding there. In this humorous vein, one could apply the same fear held by progressive activists for the dreaded brothers Koch – Charles and David. Not only do activists check under their respective beds, but as well their closets, attics, basements, cookie jars and...

While acknowledging that the Bible is not a book of political theory, a recent panel hosted by The Institute for Faith, Work and Economics asked whether or not Christianity and libertarianism patible. The panel, moderated by former Acton Institute intern Elise Amyx, was made up of young evangelicals eager to tackle the question. They came up with 5 reasons that Christianity and libertarianism were patible. 1. Christianity Celebrates Voluntary Action, Value Creation Jacqueline Otto Isaacs, a blogger at Values &...