This week, host Dan Hugger is joined by Dylan Pahman and Anthony Bradley to ask, what should politics look like in church? A highly polarizing election season is upon us and debates about church involvement in politics and how difficult political questions are discussed in church have renewed vigor. How does the way particular churches and religious traditions navigate politics differs according to time, place, and circumstance? In what way’s does America’s own history shape the way churches in America think about politics? In what ways can churches and church members constructively engage American politics without opting out into quietism or indulging in partisan polarization?

This week, host Dan Hugger is joined by Dylan Pahman and Noah Gould to ask, Are those jobs numbers fake? Can we trust economic data, and do they tell the whole economic story? They then discuss the emerging bipartisan consensus that America should “build, baby, build” to address housing shortages and rising costs. How does such a consensus emerge, and is this a positive development? The panel concludes by scrutinizing the megachurch model. Why are some Catholic dioceses embracing the model? Should we welcome our new praise-and-worship overlords?

This week, host Dan Hugger is joined by Anthony Bradley and James Patterson to discuss James’ recent essay at Law & Liberty: “Into the Reactionary Abyss.” Why are post-liberal Catholics drawing on European reactionary thinkers to critique liberalism? Why is the use of such sources dubious? And how do the arguments of public intellectuals form and deform young people? The panel then counts the costs of marijuana legalization: Was it a good idea? What have we learned in the past decade post-legalization? The panel concludes with an examination of some of Vice President Harris’ recent proposals to lower the cost of living. Are grocers price-gouging? Do we just need to subsidize more demand?

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This week, new host Dan Hugger is joined by Noah Gould and Dan Churchwell to discuss the recent unrest in Bangladesh, why the rule of law matters, and the importance of religious liberty to free societies. They then explore Vice President Harris’ selection of Minnesota governor Tim Walz as her running mate. What does this mean for the Democratic Party and for the presidential race going forward? Is Senator Vance’s love of Magic: The Gathering and Governor Walz’s addiction to SEGA Dreamcast the path through polarization? Finally, what do Americans think about tariffs and trade? The panel digs into a new CATO Institute study. Do the populist politicians and the populace agree on trade and globalization?

Bangladesh has achieved its second liberation, says Muhammad Yunus | The Economist

This week, it’s Eric’s final episode hosting Acton Unwind. Bye, Eric! He’s joined by David and Dan to discuss the national debt hitting $35 trillion. That seems bad. Then they discuss Republican VP nominee J.D. Vance’s recent comments that it would be worth $10 million to save a single toaster-manufacturing job in America. That seems expensive. And finally, the stock market is tanking. How bad is that?

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This week, Eric and Dan are joined by Mike Cosper of Christianity Today to discuss last week’s firing and then un-firing of ERLC president Brent Leatherwood and the subsequent resignation of ERLC board chairman Kevin Smith. What happened there, why, and what does it tell us about the political battles going on in the church? Then, is it worth being angry or upset over the blasphemous parts of the Paris Olympics opening ceremonies? And finally, does our American politics have a “childless cat lady” problem, as VP nominee J.D. Vance suggests?

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This week, Eric is joined by Dylan and Peter Balos from Acton’s Emerging Leaders class to discuss President Joe Biden’s decision not to seek reelection. Is this a sign that our institutions are healing and that they’re starting to act in furtherance of their long-term interests? Then they examine former president Donald Trump’s choice of Ohio senator J.D. Vance as his vice presidential running mate, both of whom appeared at a rally in Grand Rapids on Saturday. Does this suggest a victory for the National Conservatives and their desired economic program?

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This week, Eric is joined by Dan Hugger, Anthony Bradley, and Stephanie Slade of Reason magazine as they discuss the assassination attempt on former president Donald Trump over the weekend. Then they turn their attention to the National Conservatism 4 conference that took place last week in Washington, D.C. What is the state of this movement, where does it seem to be headed, and who were the standouts from the conference?

Questions Surround Attempted Trump Assassination | The Morning Dispatch

This week, Eric is joined first by Justin Brierley to discuss his essay in the Summer 2024 issue of Religion & Liberty, “The ‘God’ of the ‘Philosophers,’” a review of the book “Philosophers on God: Talking about Existence,” edited by Jack Symes. Then Eric is joined by Dylan and Dave to discuss the current state of America and the Constitution in the wake of the country’s 248th birthday. They then turn their attention to the recent elections in the United Kingdom and France to wonder if there’s any theme, like anti-establishment/anti-incumbency, that ties it all together.

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This week, Eric, Anthony, and Emily are joined by Aaron Pomerantz, a post-doctoral research fellow at Rice University who specializes in conspiracy theories. They begin by discussing the first presidential debate through the lens of an observation by Anthony: that what we’re seeing is people caring more about politics than about Joe Biden’s well-being. Then Aaron shares his thoughts on why conspiracy theories still abound in this election and in modern society. And finally, the Supreme Court overturned Chevron deference. What will this mean for representative governance and the rule of law?

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This week, Eric, Dan, and Dylan are joined by AEI’s Christine Rosen to discuss her cover essay for the Summer edition of Religion & Liberty, “Can Americans Learn to Trust Again?” Why has social trust eroded in America, and what can be done to restore it? Then, would warning labels on social media like we have on cigarettes protect children, or anyone, from its harms? And finally, Cornerstone University here in Grand Rapids has laid off its humanities and music faculty, in addition to making other cuts. Is Christian higher education in a crisis?

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This week, Eric, Noah, and Emily discuss the secret recording of SCOTUS Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Samuel Alito. What will be the long-term consequences of these attacks on the legitimacy of the Supreme Court—one of the few institutions left that Americans still have faith in? Next, actor-director Rob Reiner has co-produced a new documentary on the threat of Christian Nationalism. Noah discusses his review of the film and if there’s any there there. And finally, former President Donald Trump proposed eliminating the federal income tax and replacing it with import tariffs to raise revenue. Bad idea? Or the worst idea?

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This week, Eric, Dan, and David discuss the Department of Justice’s antitrust lawsuit against Live Nation/Ticketmaster. Is there anything the federal government can do to appease unhappy Taylor Swift fans who couldn’t get tickets to the Eras Tour? And, more importantly, is Live Nation literally a monopoly? Next, the United States’ trade deficit surged by 9% in April. Does it matter? How concerned should we be with the balance of trade between the United States and the rest of the world? And finally, the guys break down the election results in India and Europe. Are we all in our populist era?

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This week, Eric and Dan are joined by Jeffrey Polet to discuss his essay in the Spring 2024 issue of Religion & Liberty, “The Teacher as Prophet: John Dewey’s Liberating Education.” How did Dewey’s vision shape education in America and how is he still influential today? Next, Emily joins the conversation about Kansas City Chiefs placekicker Harrison Butker’s commencement address heard ’round the web. In what ways did it miss the mark? Are there any positive lessons we can take from it? Then, does Apple want to crush all your creative things? A new ad for the iPad Pro suggests yes, but only if you’re hyper-literal. And finally, what does the lewd and inappropriate behavior at The Portal art installation connecting New York City and Dublin, Ireland, reveal about human behavior?

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