Acton Line

Dedicated to the promotion of a free and virtuous society, Acton Line brings together writers, economists, religious leaders, and more to bridge the gap between good intentions and sound economics. Acton Line is the official podcast of the Acton Institute.

P.J. Hill on religious origins of the rule of law

October 21, 2020

In his article in the June 2020 issue of the Journal of Institutional Economics, Dr. P.J. Hill, who served as the George F. Bennett Professor of Economics at Wheaton College until his retirement in 2011, begins by saying, “in any discussion of the beginning of modern economic growth, the concept of the rule of law plays a crucial role,” and that, “the lack of such an order is the fundamental cause of the failure of nations.”

Analyzing Fratelli Tutti with Rev. Robert Sirico & Dr. Samuel Gregg

October 14, 2020

On October 3rd, 2020, Pope Francis released the third encyclical letter of his pontificate: Fratelli Tutti.

Toward a conservative environmentalism with Nate Hochman

October 7, 2020

In his article in the September 21st edition of National Review, “Toward a conservative environmentalism,” Nate Hochman says, “conservatism and conservation aren’t usually thought of as congruent; in fact, for the better part of a half century, many Americans have seen the two as antithetical.”

Supreme Disorder and SCOTUS politics with Ilya Shapiro

September 30, 2020

The untimely death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia in February of 2016 amplified questions about the Supreme Court in the 2016 election to new highs. Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s high wire act in denying a hearing and vote on President Barack Obama’s nominee to fill that seat, Judge Merrick Garland, ultimately paid off for him: President Donald Trump nominated Judge Neil Gorsuch, who was then confirmed by the Republican-controlled Senate.

Will-to-power conservatism with Stephanie Slade

September 23, 2020

With fusionism – the strategic alliance of conservative foreign policy hawks, social conservatives and economic libertarians knitted together in the last half of the 20th century in opposition to international communism – crumbling after the fall of the Iron Curtain, the modern conservative movement has been remaking itself in effort to address the problems of the current day.

Charles Malik & Christ and Crisis with Dylan Pahman

September 16, 2020

Charles Malik, the Lebanese diplomat and one of the drafters of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, was intimately involved in the crises of his own day, from the challenge of international communism to the internal challenges and problems of the West itself. For Malik all of our challenges take the form of crises which, at their deepest levels, reflect Christ’s judgement.

The socialist temptation with Iain Murray

September 9, 2020

In his new book, The Socialist Temptation, author Iain Murray examines the resurgence of socialist ideology in America and across the world.

Using social media for good with Daniel Darling

September 2, 2020

On February 4th, 2004, a sophomore at Harvard University by the name of Mark Zuckerberg launched TheFacebook. At the time, the social networking website was limited to only students at Harvard. And while other social networking platforms like MySpace and Friendster predated the launch of Facebook, it was that February day in Cambridge, Massachusetts, that the age of social media was truly born.

COVID-19 pandemic economics with Dr. David Hebert

August 26, 2020

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020 has brought with it enormous costs. These include, first and foremost, an enormous cost in the terms of human life, with more than 178,000 deaths from the coronavirus in the United States alone, and at least 814,000 deaths worldwide, as of late August 2020. But also, with the pandemic have come significant economic costs, fiscal costs, and personal costs to our happiness and quality of life.

Socialism as religion with Kevin Williamson

August 19, 2020

From accusations of embracing socialism leveled at the Obama administration by the Tea Party movement to the rise of self-proclaimed democratic socialist Bernie Sanders as the second highest vote-getter in the 2016 and 2020 Democratic Party primaries, socialism has been an emerging movement and topic of conversation in the American body politic.

Rise of the national conservatives with Matthew Continetti

August 12, 2020

The conservative movement in America has always been evolving. From the old right of the progressive era to the conservative intellectual movement identified with William F. Buckley Jr. and National Review to the Reagan revolution to today, the political right in America has changed with the challenges it has faced and with the context of the times in which it has existed.

Critiquing the 1619 Project with Phil Magness

August 5, 2020

Since debuting in the New York Times Magazine on August 14, 2019, the 1619 Project has ignited a debate about American history, the founding of the country and the legacy emanating from the nation’s history with chattel slavery.

Richard Baxter and How to Do Good to Many

July 29, 2020

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 intersection of faith and economics with Russ Roberts

July 22, 2020

Since 2006, economist Russ Roberts – the John and Jean De Nault Research Fellow at the Hoover Institution – has hosted the podcast EconTalk, a weekly deep conversation with economists and thinkers from other disciplines on ideas related both directly and indirectly to economics and the economic way of thinking.

Economics is a powerful analytic tool which can empower us to choose more wisely as both individuals and groups. Such tools, however, should not be confused as either ends in themselves or the measure of human values.

Religious Liberty at the Supreme Court

July 15, 2020

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.

A primer on religious liberty

July 8, 2020

This week we’re rebroadcasting a conversation about religious liberty with Ryan T. Anderson, the William E. Simon senior research fellow at the Heritage Foundation, that was first released on the podcast in April of 2015. In the intervening five years since we first aired this episode, much has changed in our conversations on religious liberty – but much is still the same.

Are we in a revolutionary moment?

July 1, 2020

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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The story of Jimmy Lai’s fight against Chinese oppression

June 24, 2020

At the age of 13, Jimmy Lai escaped China to experience freedom in Hong Kong and grew to be one of Hong Kong’s highest-profile media moguls. Through his work, Lai founded the anti-Beijing newspaper Apple Daily and became an outspoken critic of the People’s Republic of China, solidifying him as one of Hong Kong’s most important pro-democracy voices. In this exclusive interview, Acton’s President and Co-founder Rev. Robert Sirico speaks with Lai about his entrepreneurial work and his bravery in the face of persecution at the hands of China’s Communist Party.

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How China is destroying Hong Kong’s freedom

June 17, 2020

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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An introduction to François Fénelon, the forgotten philosopher

June 10, 2020

In 18th century France, the most-read book after the Bible was a work on political philosophy written by the Roman Catholic archbishop François Fénelon. Unfortunately, Fénelon’s writings on economics, politics, and theology have largely been forgotten as only a fraction of his work has been translated into English. Fénelon was an important voice in France; during the enlightenment, he fought for the reform of France’s political and economic institutions. His works are a critical resource for those interested in economics, philosophy, and religion. Ryan Patrick Hanley, professor at Boston College and the author of the new book “The Political Philosophy of Fénelon,” joins the show to share why he believes Fénelon’s work is important for us today.

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