Acton Institute Powerblog Archives

Post Tagged 'sphere sovereignty'

June 24, 2026

In Grand Rapids, Acton Makes Liberty Larger Than the Self

At Acton, I learned that faith and freedom were not rival loyalties after all. A few weeks into the Acton Institute’s Emerging Leaders Program in Grand Rapids, I wrote something on LinkedIn that captured my state of mind more honestly than I knew at the time: “I Am in Grand Rapids, Caught Between the Architecture of Ideas and the Reality of Nigeria.” Continue Reading...
August 07, 2019

Sphere sovereignty and limited (and legitimate) government

The Dutch theologian and statesman Abraham Kuyper is well-known for his articulation of sphere sovereignty, and the following passage from the third volume of his Common Grace trilogy is a clear and balanced summary of this doctrine, particularly as it relates to the limits of government action. Continue Reading...
February 03, 2017

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...
May 10, 2016

Seeing the Creator Through Coffee

“Good work…does not disassociate life and work, or pleasure and work, or love and work.” These words, written by Wendell Berry, pulse throughout the work of Laremy De Vries, owner and chef of The Fruited Plain Café, a sandwich and coffee shop in Sioux Center, Iowa. Continue Reading...