Samuel Gregg: Pope Francis’ Economic Blind Spots

Samuel Gregg, director of research at the Acton Institute, spoke with Business Spectator about the economic message of the new encyclical: When you read through the text, you find the free market, and finance in particular, is identified more or less as responsible for many environmental problems, Dr Gregg said.  Continue Reading...

Alejandro Chafuen: Pope Francis, Sound Theology, Politicized Science

Alejandro Chafuen, member of the Board of Directors of the Acton Institute, discusses the theology, science, and political impact of Pope Francis’ environmental statements: Although the Pope writes and speaks as he is not an expert on bio-technology—allowing for differences of opinion—when he speaks about political economic topics he does it with conviction and certainty. Continue Reading...

Rev. Sirico: Encyclical Exposes Political Rifts

Speaking to the New York Times, Rev. Robert A. Sirico, Acton Institute president and co-founder, addresses the potential political fallout from the Pope’s encyclical statements on climate change: From the moment he steps into that chamber and talks about climate change, it’s going to be taken as a political statement,” said the Rev. Continue Reading...

Now Available: ‘The Mosaic Polity’ by Franciscus Junius

CLP Academic has now released The Mosaic Polity, the first-ever English translation of Franciscus Junius’ De Politiae Mosis Observatione, a treatise on Mosaic law and contemporary political application. The release is part of the growing series from Acton: Sources in Early Modern Economics, Ethics, and Law. Continue Reading...

How to Help Syrian Refugees

I attended an informative — and very moving — presentation yesterday on the humanitarian relief effort underway in Syria, Lebanon and Jordan. The talk was given here in Grand Rapids by Mark Ohanian, director of programs for International Orthodox Christian Charities (see my podcast with him here). Continue Reading...

L’Engle and the Church

This week the University Bookman published an essay in which I reflect on some of the lessons we can learn from Madeleine L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time, especially related to the recent discovery of an excised section. Continue Reading...