Acton Line

With decades of hindsight, the peaceful end of the Cold War seems to have been inevitable. But in the early 1980s, most experts believed the Soviet Union was strong and stable, and would last into the next century. Ronald Reagan entered the White House with no certainty of what would happen next, only an overriding faith in democracy and an abiding belief that Soviet communism—and the threat of nuclear war—must end.

Based on his interviews with senior Reagan officials and thousands of pages of newly declassified documents, Dr. William Inboden, in his new biography “The Peacemaker,” sheds a fresh perspective on President Reagan’s unwavering faith and commitment to freedom during the Cold War. 

On October 30, 2024, Dr. Inboden was the keynote speaker at Acton’s 34th Annual Dinner. Take a listen.

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William Inboden | University of Florida 

The Peacemaker | Penguin Random House

This week, host Dan Hugger is joined by John Pinheiro, Anthony Bradley, and Dylan Pahman to discuss the results of the 2024 U.S. elections. What do the results say about American society, its politics, its parties, and its future? A wide-ranging conversation from pre-election polls to possible party futures.

This episode is a crossover with our other podcast, Acton Unwind. An occasional roundtable roundtable discussion of news and current events through the Acton Institute's lens on the world: promoting a free and virtuous society and connecting good intentions with sound economics. Host Dan Hugger is joined by Acton Institute experts for an exploration of news, politics, religion, and culture.

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2024 Presidential Election Results | AP News

Exit poll results 2024 | CNN Politics

How the Trump Polymarket Whale Correctly Called the Election, and Made Nearly $50 Million | Alexander Osipovich, WSJ

Pro-Kamala Harris spot targeting ‘real men’ ripped as ‘cringiest political ad ever’

Susie Wiles: Who is Trump’s new chief of staff? | Max Matza, BBC News

While the challenge of poverty has always been a part of the human condition, the rise of modernity and the Industrial Revolution have made the problem more acute, particularly for Christians who know that the poor will always be with us and that we’ve been commanded to look out for the least of these. While we cannot rightly characterize C.S. Lewis primarily as an economic or political thinker, he did address social and political matters in his major and minor works. Perhaps more importantly, his treatment of “mere” Christianity with regard to matters of conviction and practice offers hope that Christians from different backgrounds can find common cause in thinking about, and acting on, such issues.

On today’s episode, we present to you the latest installment of the Acton Lecture Series, recorded live at the Acton Building in Grand Rapids, Michigan. In his address, Dr. Micah Watson considers what wisdom we might glean from Lewis’ understanding of how the church should, and shouldn’t, engage the social question.

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The Church Should Give Us a Lead: C.S. Lewis on Modern Social Thought

In this episode, Dan Hugger speaks with Jordan Ballor, Director of Research at the Center for Religion, Culture and Democracy, about his Religion & Liberty cover story “The Faithful Christian and the Politics of the Tao”. They discuss the nineteenth and twentieth century Dutch political party, the Anti-Revolutionary Party, it’s most famous member the theologian and politician Abraham Kuyper, and the prospects for a distinctly Christian politics today.

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Religion & Liberty Online 

The Faithful Christian and the Politics of the Tao | Acton Institute

Select Works of Edmund Burke, vol. 2 | Online Library of Liberty (libertyfund.org)

Unbelief and Revolution (Lexham Classics): van Prinsterer, Groen, Van Dyke, Harry:

9781683592280: Amazon.com: Books

Our Program: A Christian Political Manifesto – Acton Bookshop

Makers of Modern Christian Social Thought – Acton Bookshop

Work info: Calvinism: Six Stone-lectures - Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org)

About — American Solidarity Party (solidarity-party.org)

Richard Dawkins and Mere Cultural Christianity – Religion & Liberty Online (acton.org)

Code of Canon Law - Book II - The People of God - Part I. (Cann. 208-329) (vatican.va)

Ecumenical Babel: Confusing Economic Ideology and the Church's Social – Acton Bookshop

On today’s episode, Noah Gould, Acton’s Alumni and Student Programs manager, talks to author Caleb Franz about his new book, “The Conductor: The Story of Rev. John Rankin, Abolitionism’s Essential Founding Father.”

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The Conductor: The Story of Rev. John Rankin, Abolitionism’s Essential Founding Father

Named after distinguished American theologian Michael Novak, the Acton Institute’s prestigious Novak Award rewards outstanding scholarly research concerning the relationship between religion, economic freedom, and the free and virtuous society. 

In recognition of her outstanding research in the fields of family economics, law and economics, and public choice, the recipient of the 2024 Novak Award is Dr. Clara Piano.

In this episode, Acton’s executive editor of the Journal of Markets and Morality, Dylan Pahman, sits down with Dr. Piano to discuss the fertility gap, family economics, and the Novak Award.

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Novak Award

Clara Piano | 2024 Novak Award Winner

Acton University

Acton On-Demand

For this episode of Acton Line, we’re bringing you one of the plenary talks from Acton University 2024. Robert and Berni Neal explore the complementarity of business and philanthropy, sharing their personal journey and philosophy on integrating wealth creation and ethical stewardship. Robert, a managing partner at Hager Pacific Properties, and Berni, a dedicated Catholic evangelist, discuss how their faith and values guide their business decisions and philanthropic efforts. They emphasize the importance of delayed gratification, ethical behavior, and the role of stewardship as a collaboration with God. Through personal anecdotes and strategic insights, the Neals illustrate how business can serve as a noble vocation that not only generates wealth but also contributes to the greater good.

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Acton University

Acton On-Demand

On today’s episode, we bring you a wide-ranging conversation between Acton librarian Dan Hugger and Archbishop Felix Anthony Machado from Acton University 2024. They discuss the religious heritage of India, democracy, and the promises and challenges of interreligious dialogue today.

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Acton University

Acton On-Demand

For this episode of Acton Line, we’re bringing you one of the plenary talks from Acton University 2024. Dr. Anthony Bradley, Acton Institute distinguished research fellow, delves into the complex relationship between childhood trauma and poverty. Drawing from extensive research, Dr. Bradley discusses how adverse childhood experiences such as abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction can have long-lasting effects on brain development and overall life outcomes. He emphasizes the importance of compassion and community support in mitigating these effects and highlights the critical role of positive childhood experiences in fostering resilience and thriving. Through compelling case studies and personal anecdotes, Dr. Bradley underscores the need for long-term commitment and community-based interventions to break the cycle of poverty and trauma.

Acton University is Acton’s flagship conference, focused on building the foundations of human freedom and exploring the intersection of faith and free markets. To learn more about Acton University, please visit university.acton.org. To find additional content from previous Acton Universities, please visit ondemand.acton.org.

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Acton University

Acton On-Demand

How should you allocate your personal wealth? How do the decisions you make regarding personal wealth impact your character? In his Acton Lecture Series talk, Kenneth Elzinga discussed Christian stewardship and proposed a new way to think about the relationship between “donor” and “receiver.” 

Before his lecture, Professor Elzinga sat down with Acton Alumni and Student Programs Manager Noah Gould for a preview. They discussed the professor’s journey to faith, his finding a calling in economics, the importance of the NCAA Supreme Court case he testified in, and Christian philanthropy. 

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Ken Elzinga

Giving Is Not God’s Way of Raising Money 

Acton On-Demand