Acton Institute Powerblog Archives

Post Tagged 'society'

Hope and the human person

Last week, Rule of Faith, a new Orthodox Christian online journal, published my article, “V. S. Soloviev and the Russian Roots of Personalism.” The article examines the nineteenth-century Russian Orthodox philosopher Vladimir Soloviev’s philosophy as it relates to the twentieth-century social philosophy known as personalism. Continue Reading...

Radio Free Acton: Jim McGann on the world of think tanks; Upstream on Spiderman: Homecoming

This week on Radio Free Acton, we talk with Jim McGann (senior lecturer of International Studies at the Lauder Institute, director of the Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program and senior fellow, Fels Institute of Government at the University of Pennsylvania) about the world of think tanks – what they are, what they do well, and where they can improve their effectiveness. Continue Reading...

Radio Free Acton: James Poulos on the art of being free

On this edition of Radio Free Acton, we welcome back John Wilsey – Assistant Professor of History and Christian Apologetics and Associate Director of the Land Center for Cultural Engagement at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary – and hand over the reins of the podcast to him as he talks with author and social theorist James Poulos about his new book, The Art of Being Free: How Alexis de Tocqueville Can Save Us from Ourselves. Continue Reading...

Vocation vs. occupation: 4 callings in the Christian life

Is there a difference between “vocation” and “occupation”? The term “vocation” comes from the Latin, “vocare” – to call or receive a call. For almost two millennia in Christian-influenced communities and cultures, vocation referred to a religious calling: a monastic order, missionary work or parish labor. Continue Reading...

The paradox of flourishing: Where authority and vulnerability meet

In our discussions about politics, society, and culture, the vocabulary of “human flourishing” has become increasingly popular, moving dangerously close to the status of blurry buzzword. Yet at its best, the term captures the connective tissue between the material and the transcendent, the immediate and the eternal, pointing toward a holistic prosperity that accounts for the full complexity of the human person. Continue Reading...

The 6 Elves of Capitalism

In “The Elves and the Shoemaker,” the famous fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm, a cobbler and his wife struggle to survive, barely making enough to eat (never mind investing in the future of their business). Continue Reading...

Radio Free Acton: The Conservative Heart With Arthur Brooks

It’s always a pleasure when Arthur Brooks, President of the American Enterprise Institute, comes to town; he’s an engaging speaker, a thoughtful leader, and really an all around fantastic guy. That’s why it was such a privilege to sit down with him last week in the Acton Studios after he delivered his latest Acton Lecture Series Address last Thursday to record this week’s edition of Radio Free Acton. Continue Reading...