Richard Baxter, the English Puritan churchman and theologian, was perhaps one of most prolific English language author in the seventeenth century. His writings were wide ranging from doctrinal theology to devotional classics. And his practical theology was a model of German sociologist Max Weber’s understanding of the protestant work ethic.

The latest term of the Supreme Court, which wrapped up on July 8th, saw the Court decide several cases with major implications for religious liberty. While the outcomes of Espinoza v. Montana, Our Lady of Guadalupe School v. Morrissey-Berru and Little Sisters of the Poor v. Pennsylvania have been largely viewed as victories for advocates of expanding religious liberty in America, the court’s decision in Bostock v. Clayton County, authored by Justice Neil Gorsuch and holding that an employer who fires an individual merely for being gay or transgender violates Title 7 of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, has been viewed as potentially having adverse consequences for the cause of religious liberty.

Since late May, many parts of the United States have grappled with unrest. Anger over George Floyd’s death sparked protests, with looting and violent riots breaking out as well. Protesters have also been defacing and tearing down statues across the country, including statues of confederate leaders as well as monuments to George Washington, Ulysses S. Grant, and even abolitionists. The Capitol Hill autonomous zone (CHAZ), also dubbed the Capitol Hill organized protest (CHOP), was a six block area in Seattle where thousands of protesters declared total liberation from policing or government authority after police abandoned the Seattle East Precinct. Many are calling this a revolutionary moment — but is it really? If so, what’s driving it, and how are Christians called to respond to the upheaval? Acton’s Director of Research, Samuel Gregg, weighs in.

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When Hong Kong was released from British rule and handed over to China in 1997, the United Kingdom and Beijing struck a deal that guaranteed the freedom of Hong Kong’s citizens; the territory was to remain free from mainland China’s authority for fifty years. This arrangement is often referred to as “one country, two systems.” Hong Kong established its own governmental and economic systems and flourished, growing into one of the most prosperous regions in the world and becoming a hub of international finance. Now, however, the People’s Republic of China has broken its promise. Beijing plans to impose a new national security law that would end Hong Kong’s independence, and protesters demanding democracy are being silenced. Helen Raleigh, senior contributor at The Federalist, joins this episode to shed light on the PRC’s crackdown and unrest in Hong Kong.

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The tragic and disturbing footage of George Floyd’s unjust death at the hands of Minneapolis police officers has been circulating for over a week. Floyd’s death on May 25 has sparked protests across the country and even the world, but it’s also sparked many violent riots in which people have been brutally killed and communities decimated. How can we helpfully approach policing reform and how should we respond to the current widespread rioting? Anthony Bradley, professor of religion, theology and ethics at The King’s College, presents a thoughtful rubric for reforming our institutions and building our communities back up. Show notes: https://blog.acton.org/archives/116343-acton-line-podcast-anthony-bradley-on-george-floyd-police-reform-and-riots.html

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Religion plays, and has always played, a crucial role in American life. In the past 75 years, however, religiosity has been in rapid decline. What’s causing the decline? In a new study from the American Enterprise Institute, demographer Lyman Stone helps answer. Lyman joins this episode to uncover his findings, including the history of religious life in the United States dating back four hundred years ago and how secular education is likely playing a large role in declining religiosity.

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As the United States continues to wrestle with the fallout of COVID-19, many people are falling back on their faith and the church for peace. Many churches have decided to hold services online, and local governments have also stepped in and put parameters around church attendance to help mitigate the spread of the virus. Some actions taken by local governments have been appropriate, but some others leave us wondering if the government has overstepped. How can we tell the difference between measured responses and overreaches, and what should the role of the church be during these times? What has the church’s response to pandemics looked like in the past? Acton’s President and co-founder, Rev. Robert Sirico explains.

Homeschooling is growing in popularity. In fact, the U.S. Department of Education has shown that it’s grown at a rate of over 60% in the last decade, as many families are deciding that educating their children at home is better sending them to public or private schools. But Harvard University has a different opinion. In Harvard Magazine’s May/June 2020 issues, one Harvard Law School professor calls for a ban on homeschooling, saying it may keep children from “contributing positively to a democratic society.” Kerry McDonald, senior education fellow at the Foundation for Economic Education, joins the podcast to respond.
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Russell Kirk has long been known as perhaps the most important founding father of the American Conservative movement in the second half of the 20th century. In the early 1950s, America was emerging from the Great Depression and the New Deal, and was facing the rise of radical ideologies abroad; the American Right seemed beaten, broken, and adrift. Then in 1953, Russell Kirk released his masterpiece, “The Conservative Mind.” More than any other published work of the time, this book became the intellectual touchstone for a reinvigorated movement and began a sea change in Americans’ attitudes toward traditionalism. In this episode pulled from the archive, Bradley J. Birzer, professor of history at Hillsdale College, recounts the story of Kirk’s life and work, with attention paid not only to his writings on politics and economics, but also on literature and culture, both subjects dear to Kirk’s heart and central to his thinking.