The Common Good: Instrumental But Not Just Contractual
Robert P. George, Public Discourse
Is the fundamental and essential point of forming the polity the polity itself, or is the polity primarily a means of protecting and achieving many other valuable ends?
Man the Political Animal: On the Intrinsic Goodness of Political Community
Michael W. Hannon , Public Discourse
Our arguments for limited government should recognize political community as an intrinsic good, not mistake it for a merely instrumental one.
Liberty Without Virtue: A Nation Without Its Heart
Tyler Castle, Values & Capitalism
Having witnessed the same act of kindness twice in only two or three days, my first thought was that people apparently have a very hard time holding on to their clothing accessories. But I also thought the acts of kindness were out of place in Brooklyn and D.C.—locations not known for their hospitality and civic virtue.
Religious Literacy Training for Law Students?
Dan Crane, Center for Law and Religion Forum
Comments drawing on religious teachings or metaphors—Moses’ smashing of the tablets, the parable of the Good Samaritan, etc.—are often greeted with blank stares, uncomfortable silence, or nervous giggles, as if I were making oblique references to early 80s Swedish disco music.
Pope warns comfortable living causes ‘gentrification of the heart’
Francis X. Rocca, Catholic News Service
Pope Francis warned against “gentrification of the heart” as a consequence of comfortable living, and called on the faithful to “touch the flesh of Christ” by caring for the needy.
Cronyism, competition, and finance: A discussion with Cliff Asness
AEI Ideas
After providing a definition of cronyism, Asness offered an explanation for the growth of cronyism today, which is rooted in the increasing size and scope of government. Only by limiting government’s growth can we limit opportunities for cronyism, Asness argued.
Calvin Coolidge, civil rights pioneer?
Kurt L. Schmoke, Politico
The 30th president, Republican Calvin Coolidge, was a major supporter of Howard University and an overlooked figure in advancing the cause of racial equality in the United States.
Moral markets
Marvin Olasky, World
Americans are about to relearn the lesson, says Steve Forbes, that it is big government and not capitalism that causes economic instability
Three Girls in Cleveland… and Millions Worldwide
Ed Stetzer, Lifeway Research Blog
Religious freedom lures many to U.S. from Asia
Joel Kotkin, Orange County Register
Immigrants, particularly from Asia, increasingly are coming to the U.S. less out of economic distress and more as a result of what may be called ‘lifestyle’ migration.
Muslims, Monasteries, Jews, Sikhs, and Scholars Urge Supreme Court to Hear Landmark Religious Liberty Appeal
The Becket Fund
Diverse Group of Amicus Briefs Ask the High Court to Protect a Peaceful Hutterite Colony
