Podcasts by Acton Line

Rebroadcast: Ryan Anderson on a primer on religious liberty from 2020-07-08T19:40:03

This week we’re rebroadcasting a conversation about religious liberty with Ryan T. Anderson, the William E. Simon senior research fellow at the Heritage Foundation, that was first released on th...

Dr. Samuel Gregg on Are we in a revolutionary moment? from 2020-07-01T21:01:05

Since late May, many parts of the United States have grappled with unrest. Anger over George Floyd's death sparked protests, with looting and violent riots breaking out as well. Protesters have als...

Jimmy Lai on his fight against Chinese oppression from 2020-06-24T19:57:23

At the age of 13, Jimmy Lai escaped China to experience freedom in Hong Kong and grew to be one of Hong Kong’s highest-profile media moguls. Through his work, Lai founded the anti-Beijing newspaper...

Helen Raleigh on how China is destroying Hong Kong's freedom from 2020-06-17T19:49:53

When Hong Kong was released from British rule and handed over to China in 1997, the United Kingdom and Beijing struck a deal that guaranteed the freedom of Hong Kong's citizens; the territory was t...

Ryan Patrick Hanley on François Fénelon, the forgotten philosopher from 2020-06-10T22:10:40

In 18th century France, the most-read book after the Bible was a work on political philosophy written by the Roman Catholic archbishop François Fénelon. Unfortunately, Fénelon's writings on economi...

Anthony Bradley on George Floyd, police reform, and riots from 2020-06-03T21:14:30

The tragic and disturbing footage of George Floyd's unjust death at the hands of Minneapolis police officers has been circulating for over a week. Floyd's death on May 25 has sparked protests acros...

Rev. Ben Johnson on the universal basic income from 2020-05-27T20:22:10

For over two years, former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang campaigned across the country, building a coalition along the political spectrum. The main promise driving Yang's campaign w...

Lyman Stone on the decline of religiosity in the US from 2020-05-20T15:13:35

Religion plays, and has always played, a crucial role in American life. In the past 75 years, however, religiosity has been in rapid decline. What's causing the decline? In a new study from the Ame...

Bradley J. Birzer on Christian humanism from 2020-05-13T21:46:29

Bradley J. Birzer, professor of history and the Russell Amos Kirk Chair in American Studies at Hillsdale College, joins this episode of Acton Line to speak about his newest book, "Beyond Tenebrae: ...

Rev. Robert Sirico on the church's response to COVID-19 from 2020-05-06T18:30:51

As the United States continues to wrestle with the fallout of COVID-19, many people are falling back on their faith and the church for peace. Many churches have decided to hold services online, and...

Stephen Barrows on COVID-19 and job loss from 2020-04-29T20:53:35

The United States has been in a state of emergency since mid-March as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. In order to slow the spread of the virus, states have implemented various measures, includin...

Kerry McDonald on a Harvard prof's call to ban homeschooling from 2020-04-22T18:34:16

Homeschooling is growing in popularity. In fact, the U.S. Department of Education has shown that it's grown at a rate of over 60% in the last decade, as many families are deciding that educating th...

Randy Barnett and David French on 'common-good Constitutionalism' from 2020-04-17T13:27:05

On March 31, The Atlantic published an article titled "Beyond Originalism," written by Adrian Vermeule, professor of Constitutional law at Harvard Law School. In this piece, Vermeule argues that "t...

Rebroadcast: Russell Kirk and the genesis of American Conservatism from 2020-04-08T17:53:16

Russell Kirk has long been known as perhaps the most important founding father of the American Conservative movement in the second half of the 20th century. In the early 1950s, America was emerging...

Adam MacLeod on how to talk about rights in our polarized age from 2020-04-01T17:03:25

Today, our most contentious controversies are about morality. We disagree about questions of efficiency and democracy, but across political aisles, we also disagree about what's right to do and who...

A hopeful message in a time of crisis from Rev. Robert Sirico from 2020-03-25T19:54:51

In this episode, Acton's President and Co-Founder, Rev. Robert Sirico, offers some thoughts on what the role of the government should be during a crisis. When we're confronted with unique crises, e...

Helen Raleigh on how Communist China's coverup caused a pandemic from 2020-03-18T15:40:08

As of March 18, 2020 Coronavirus, or COVID-19, which originated in Wuhan, China, has infected over 200,000 people worldwide, and has killed more than 8,000 people globally. What responsive mea...

Rebroadcast: Samuel Gregg on the life and impact of Michael Novak from 2020-03-11T16:04:57

It’s now been three years since Michael Novak passed away. Novak was Roman Catholic theologian, philosopher and author, and was a powerful defender of human liberty. In this episode, Acton's Samuel...

Stephanie Slade on the biggest problems of national conservatism from 2020-03-05T17:59:04

In recent years, a rift has opened within American conservatism, a series of divisions animated in part by the 2016 presidential election and also by a right concern with an increasingly progressiv...

John D. Wilsey on Who was John Foster Dulles? from 2020-02-26T21:15:23

If you've traveled to Washington, D.C. before, it's likely that you've flown through Washington Dulles International Airport, named after President Eisenhower's Secretary of State, John Foster Dull...

Yuval Levin on why trust in institutions is declining from 2020-02-19T17:35:27

It's not news that America's trust in public institutions is falling. Gallup polls reveal that confidence in the church is at an all time low, and similarly, Pew Research has found that Americans' ...

Rev. Robert Sirico on responding to the Pope's call for wealth redistribution from 2020-02-12T17:07:39

On February 5, Pope Francis addressed a crowd of economists and finance ministers that had gathered together for a seminar on "New Forms of Solidarity Towards Fraternal Inclusion, Integration and I...

Michael Wagenman on Abraham Kuyper and how Christians should engage the world from 2020-02-05T18:25:59

Central to the mission of the Acton Institute is educating people of faith about the connections that exist between religious life and economic thinking. Abraham Kuyper helped lay the groundwork fo...

Jonathan Wood on how to save endangered species through markets from 2020-01-29T20:00:03

Did you know that there are over 1,300 endangered species in the United States? Polar bears, northern spotted owls, red wolves, Florida panthers and even monarch butterflies are all on the endanger...

Dr. Samuel Gregg on why we need Sir Roger Scruton's true conservatism from 2020-01-22T20:10:12

When Sir Roger Scruton passed away at the age of 75 on January 12, the world lost a giant in philosophy. Scruton wrote approximately 50 books on topics ranging from food to music to conservative th...

Rev. Ben Johnson on Is anti-Semitism on the rise? from 2020-01-15T19:23:03

On December 10, 2019, shoppers in a Kosher market in Jersey City, N.J., became the targets of anti-Semitic violence. Two men opened fire in the grocery store, killing four people. Just a few weeks ...

Yuval Levin on remembering Gertrude Himmelfarb from 2020-01-08T19:52:52

On this week's episode, we pay tribute to Gertrude Himmelfarb who passed away last Monday, December 30th, at the age of 97. Gertrude Himmelfarb was a historian and leading intellectual voice in con...

Behind China's drive for global domination from 2019-12-24T16:05:44

During Christmastime in China in 2015, 1,700 churches were torn down or vandalized, a result of the Chinese government growing increasingly hostile to Christianity. In 2018, The Chinese government ...

Breaking down Lyndon B. Johnson's Great Society with Amity Shlaes from 2019-12-18T21:28:48

On May 22nd, 1964, Lyndon B. Johnson launched his program for a "Great Society" in a speech at the University of Michigan. "The Great Society rests on abundance and liberty for all," Johnson began....

Elizabeth Warren wants $3 trillion tax hike; Mark Hall on America's Christian founding from 2019-12-11T20:22:42

Massachusetts Democratic Senator and presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren has proposed to increase taxes for big businesses and high earners to rake in nearly $3 trillion per year. Warren plans ...

Rev. Robert Sirico responds to Marco Rubio's 'common good capitalism' from 2019-12-04T17:11:13

Sen. Marco Rubio's recent proposals for 'common good capitalism' have sparked criticism and praise across the board. Rubio draws heavily from Catholic Social Teaching in his defense of common good ...

The untold story of Stalin's Ukrainian famine from 2019-11-27T18:53:08

The Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation recently released their annual poll for the year 2019, revealing that over one third of the millennial generation view communism favorably, 15% believin...

How property rights save the planet from 2019-11-20T20:02:44

Panic surrounding climate change and the environment is on the rise and doomsday predictions abound. Most headlines about the environment only tell one story: that the environment is on the decline...

Are we all Keynesians now? Why Lord Acton matters today from 2019-11-13T18:44:18

In 1965, Milton Friedman was quoted by Time magazine for saying "We are all Keynesians now," referring to how pervasive the thoughts of economist John Maynard Keynes had become in society and econo...

Liberation theology drives the Amazon synod; Remembering the Berlin Wall from 2019-11-06T19:00:55

On this episode, Acton's Samuel Gregg joins the podcast to break down liberation theology, a Marxist movement that began in the 20th century and took root in the Catholic Church in Latin America. O...

The conversion of Kanye West; What Wilhelm Röpke has to say about our digital age from 2019-10-30T15:21:34

In just the first week of the release of Kanye West's new explicitly Christian record "Jesus is King," it's outsold his previous album "Ye," projected to sell 225-275k copies. In addition to commen...

The morality of 'Joker'; How Clarence Thomas is changing SCOTUS from 2019-10-23T16:42:43

The new super villain drama 'Joker' has shattered box office records and gained much controversial media attention along the way. Set to top $900 million worldwide, the dark film from director Todd...

Communist China dunks on NBA; Robert Doar on poverty in America from 2019-10-16T16:18:38

On October 4, Daryl Morey, manager of the Houston Rockets, posted a tweet that included the words “Fight for Freedom, Stand with Hong Kong.” Afterwards, China severed several partnerships they had ...

Special report: Churches and ministries at the front line of the opioid crisis from 2019-10-09T16:56:19

In 2017, a poll from NPR and Ipsos found that one in every three people in the U.S. has been affected by the opioid crisis in one way or another. One third of Americans know someone who has overdos...

Is Catholicism at odds with the American experiment? from 2019-10-02T15:26:01

In 1995, Pope John Paul II spoke to a crowd in Baltimore, MD, saying, "Democracy cannot be sustained without a shared commitment to certain moral truths about the human person and human community. ...

Rebroadcast: Alexis de Tocqueville’s enduring insights from 2019-09-25T16:00:02

Alexis de Tocqueville's Democracy In America is renowned as one of the best examinations of early American society and politics, and remains one of the most insightful commentaries ever wr...

Why the '1619 Project' is a lie; Yes, we've tried 'real socialism' from 2019-09-18T16:02:03

In August, the New York Times launched the '1619 Project,' an initiative that includes school curriculum, videos, and a podcast, which aims to "reframe" the history of America's founding around sla...

Boris Johnson fights for Brexit; The faith of Antonin Scalia from 2019-09-11T15:51:27

On June 23, 2016, Britain voted to exit the European Union, but since then, Members of Parliament have repeatedly delayed Brexit. While Prime Minister Boris Johnson is now fighting to keep Britain'...

Why we need the Religious Freedom Restoration Act; The truth about recession rumors from 2019-09-04T15:30:04

On November 16, 1993, President Bill Clinton signed the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) into law, a bill backed by nearly unanimous bipartisan support. While RFRA has since then protected ...

What is woke capitalism? Daniel J. Mahoney on 'The Idol of Our Age' from 2019-08-28T15:02:48

From Gillette to Pepsi, many companies are starting to market their products by advocating for social justice issues, signaling to consumers that they are "woke." Is woke capitalism a trend that's ...

What is cronyism? Samuel Gregg on reason and faith in Western civilization from 2019-08-21T15:31:03

Cronyism is everywhere, affecting industries, entrepreneurs and customers and distorting the market through political advantage. So what is cronyism and how does it compromise genuine capitalism? A...

Prince Harry's population bomb; A doctor diagnoses Medicare for All from 2019-08-14T15:26:06

In a recent interview for Vogue, Prince Harry declared to British anthropologist Jane Goodall that he and Meghan plan on having only two children, due to environmental concerns. Alarmist prediction...

Discrimination against faith-based adoption agencies; Lessons from the fall of ancient Rome from 2019-08-07T14:56

A crisis in the adoption and foster system is currently plaguing the nation. With over 400,000 children in need of homes, a shortage of placements is driving some states to desperate measures, even...

The reality of a $15 minimum wage; Should big tech be regulated? from 2019-07-31T16:06:25

On July 18, the Raise the Wage Act passed the U.S House of Representatives, a bill that would double federal minimum wage by 2025. Members of Congress who support the bill believe it will increase ...

Tackling populism with Ben Domenech from 2019-07-24T15:28:12

Populism is gaining traction, both abroad and in the United States. In 2017, the Swedish libertarian think tank Timbro and the European Policy Information Center released their "Authoritarian Popul...

First Step Act brings home thousands of prisoners; A win for property rights from 2019-07-17T15:52:57

In a few short days, thousands of federal inmates will be returning home on "earned good time." That’s a result of The First Step Act, a federal prison reform bill which was signed into law in Dece...

Glimmers of faith in North Korea; American religious liberty in a secular age from 2019-07-10T17:16:32

On June 14, an International Coalition for Religious Freedom in North Korea was launched, consisting of almost 200 activists, including Thae Yong-ho, a North Korean diplomat and defector to South K...

Antifa explained; America’s Founders in the crosshairs from 2019-07-03T14:56:34

On June 29, violent riots between alt-right groups and antifa broke out in Portland, Oregon, leaving several people with severe injuries. Portland is becoming a hotbed for violent, left-wing groups...

Hong Kong's freedom coming to an end? SCOTUS takes on regulatory state from 2019-06-26T15:05:10

Last week, nearly 2 million Hong Kong residents gathered to protest a newly proposed extradition bill. Helen Raleigh, senior writer at the Federalist, joins the show to explain the current extradit...

Why Marxism is still alive; The legacy of Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn from 2019-06-19T14:41:53

On this episode of Acton Line, Romanian author and public intellectual, Mihail Neamtu, joins the show to talk about what he calls the "ghost" of Marxism. What defines Marxism and what remnants of t...

Why you should watch 'Chernobyl'; A federal commission for natural rights from 2019-06-12T15:33:13

On this episode of Acton Line, we talk about HBO's new miniseries, 'Chernobyl' and the events surrounding the explosion at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Pripyat, Ukraine in 1986. Kyle Smith,...

Understanding the Equality Act; Why Sweden is no utopia from 2019-06-05T15:48:10

On this episode of Acton Line, we first cover the Equality Act, a bill recently passed the U.S. House of Representatives that prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identit...

A pretty good Tolkien movie; Public truths in the Gospel from 2019-05-29T15:47

On this episode of Acton Line, Bradley J. Birzer, History professor and the Russell Amos Kirk Chair in American Studies at Hillsdale College, joins the podcast to talk about the movie Tolkien, expl...

Lessons on tyranny from Game of Thrones; Poverty and alienation in China from 2019-05-22T15:34:12

On this episode of Acton Line, Jordan Ballor and Tyler Groenendal break down the last season of Game of Thrones, discussing positive and negative aspects of the show as well as lessons on the role ...

Jonah Goldberg on his ‘Suicide of the West’; Remembering Fulton J. Sheen from 2019-05-15T14:23:45

On this episode, National Review senior editor Jonah Goldberg speaks about his latest book, "Suicide of the West: How the Rebirth of Nationalism, Populism, and Identity Politics Is Destroying Ameri...

Andrew Klavan tackles AOC propaganda film; Rev. Robert Sirico on the religious left from 2019-05-08T17:07:08

On the episode of Acton Line, Andrew Klavan, award winning novelist, screenwriter, and regular host at the Daily Wire, joins the show to talk about the new Netflix documentary, "Knock Down the Hous...

The moral hazard of student debt; Unraveling Islam from 2019-05-01T13:47:43

On this episode of Acton Line, Caroline Roberts speaks with Andrew Kloster, the deputy director of the Center for the Study of the Administrative State at George Mason University, about the student...

Green New Deal fantasies; Defending Andrew Jackson from 2019-04-24T13:44:40

On this episode, we bring John Baden onto the show. A rancher in Bozeman Montana, Baden has co-founded several organizations dedicated to free market environmentalism including the Foundation for R...

Mourning the Notre-Dame cathedral inferno; Rev. Robert Sirico on education from 2019-04-17T16:10:03

On this episode of Acton Line, host Caroline Roberts is joined by Acton's director of research, Samuel Gregg, to touch on the historical and religious significance of Notre-Dame in the wake of the ...

F.A. Hayek's Road to Serfdom; The media vs. 'Unplanned' from 2019-04-10T14:30:17

On this episode of Acton Line, Caroline Roberts speaks with Sarah Estelle, professor of economics at Hope College, to revisit the life and work of F.A. Hayek on the 75th anniversary of the publishi...

A trial for religious liberty; defining honorable business from 2019-04-04T13:34:38

On this episode of Acton Line, Trey Dimsdale, director of program outreach at Acton Institute, sits down with Andrew Graham, attorney at First Liberty Institute, a public interest law firm. Trey an...

How secularization is killing middle America from 2019-03-27T13:09:49

On this episode of Acton Line, Acton's director of communications, John Couretas, speaks with Tim Carney, editor at the Washington Examiner and a visiting fellow at AEI. They talk about Tim's new b...

Neighborly help for the poor; Americans flunk political science from 2019-03-20T16:09:05

On this week’s Acton Line podcast we hear about a church-based ministry that engages with the homeless and poor “relationally, responsibly, and compassionately.” James Whitford, executive director ...

Denmark isn’t socialist; Who is William Penn? from 2019-03-13T13:40:17

On this episode of Acton Line, Caroline Roberts speaks with Acton's senior editor, Rev. Ben Johnson, about a new study released by a free market think tank in Denmark, claiming that Denmark isn't a...

Rev. Robert A. Sirico on the reality of socialism; Interview with a Venezuelan dissident from 2019-03-06T17:45:50

On this episode of Acton Line, Acton's co-founder and president, Rev. Robert Sirico, sits down with Acton's associate researcher and librarian, Dan Hugger, to discuss the realities of socialism see...

Is entrepreneurship declining? All jobs are on the A team from 2019-02-27T15:20:13

On this episode of Acton Line, Caroline Roberts is joined by the founder and president of the Center for American Entrepreneurship, John Dearie, to discuss the state of entrepreneurship in America....

P.J. O'Rourke on capitalism; Peter Jackson's 'They Shall Not Grow Old' from 2019-02-20T15:19:18

On this episode of Acton Line, research associate at the Acton Institute, Jordan Ballor, talks with best-selling author and leading political satirist, P.J. O'Rourke, about his newest book, "None o...

Love and economics; Ending poverty and saving farms from 2019-02-13T15:43:38

On this episode of Acton Line, producer Caroline Roberts speaks with Sarah Estelle, professor of economics at Hope College. Estelle breaks down some common misconceptions about economics and shares...

How churches lost the schools; Chinese censorship of American movies from 2019-02-06T17:24:09

On this episode of Acton Line, Rev. Ben Johnson, senior editor at Acton, speaks with Rev. Richard Turnbull from the Center for Enterprise, Markets, and Ethics, to talk about the importance of priva...

The life of Francis Schaeffer; Netflix's 'Watership Down' from 2019-01-23T15:40:52

On this episode of Radio Free Acton, Caroline Roberts speaks with Stephen Nichols, the president of Reformation Bible College...

Ashanti Bryant explains AmplifyGR; What is a government shutdown? from 2019-01-16T16:10:59

On this episode of Radio Free Acton, Acton’s Tyler Groenendal speaks with Dave Hebert, professor of economics at Aquinas College, about the current government shutdown and what effect is has on ind...

A first step towards criminal justice reform; The human cost of unemployment part II from 2019-01-09T14:43:29

On this episode of Radio Free Acton, producer Caroline Roberts speaks with Sarah Estelle, associate professor of economics at Hope College. Caroline and Sarah discuss the subject of criminal j...

The legacy of Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn; The human cost of unemployment part I from 2019-01-02T14:47:36

On this episode of Radio Free Acton, John Couretas, Acton's Director of Communications, talks with Daniel J. Mahoney, professor of political science at Assumption College, about the legacy of Aleks...

RFA Redux: David LaRocca on Brunello Cucinelli's new philosophy of clothes from 2018-12-19T14:54:16

On this remastered episode of Radio Free Acton, we revisit an interview with David LaRocca: a philosopher, author, and filmmaker who has released a documentary on Italian fashion designer and entre...

The Church and the market; Who is Lord Acton? from 2018-12-12T15:35:46

On this episode of Radio Free Acton, Senior Editor at Acton, Rev. Ben Johnson, speaks with the Director of the Center for Enterprise, Markets and Ethics, Rev. Richard Turnbull, about the role the C...

A.J. Jacobs on coffee and gratitude; The story of freedom in Estonia from 2018-12-05T14:41:24

On this episode of Radio Free Acton, producer Caroline Roberts speaks with A.J. Jacobs, journalist and New York Times bestselling author, about his latest book "Thanks a Thousand," detailing his tr...

The legacy of C.S.Lewis; Marvel’s Daredevil from 2018-11-28T14:28:28

On this episode of Radio Free Acton, producer Caroline Roberts speaks with Michael Ward, a British Scholar and professor of apologetics at Houston Baptist University, about the work of the 20th cen...

Gratitude in a tight knit world from 2018-11-21T14:31:39

In this special thanksgiving episode of Radio Free Acton, occasional host Anne Marie Schieber speaks with Liz Hilton, a designer, entrepreneur and 3D knit innovator. In 2015, Liz founded KNITit in ...

Defining a human right; Understanding Brexit from 2018-11-14T15:44:26

On this episode of Radio Free Acton Trey Dimsdale, director of Program Outreach at Acton, speaks with Adam MacLeod, professor of law at Faulkner University, on what is a basic human right and how i...

The need for Christian statesmanship; ‘Ideas have Consequences’ from 2018-11-07T14:56

On this episode of Radio Free Acton, Jordan Ballor, Director of Publishing at Acton, speaks with Hunter Baker, Acton Affiliate Scholar, about the need for Christian statesmanship in our current pol...

The story of Arthur Vandenberg; Russell Kirk’s horror fiction from 2018-10-31T15:11:20

On this episode of Radio Free Acton: Gleaves Whitney, Director of Grand Valley State University Howenstein Center for Presidential Studies, talks with Hank Meijer, Co-Chairman and CEO of US superma...

Hot, dirty, noisy: Purposeful work at Kerkstra Precast; Media blackout on Gosnell movie from 2018-10-24T14:00:03

On this episode of Radio Free Acton, award winning news anchor Anne Marie Schieber speaks with James Morgan about his job at Kerkstra Precast, an industrial plant. We get a look into James’ daily w...

Was Jesus a socialist? The importance of poetry from 2018-10-17T13:25

On this episode of Radio Free Acton, Dan Hugger, Research Associate at Acton, speaks with Larry Reed, President of the Foundation for Economic Education, about the question that seems to be croppin...

The debasement of human rights; Econ quiz on USMCA from 2018-10-10T14:03:41

On this episode of Radio Free Acton, John Couretas, Director of Communications at Acton, speaks with Aaron Rhodes, a human rights activist based out of Hamburg, Germany, about Aaron’s new book "The...

Virtue in education; Discussing the literary greats from 2018-10-03T15:30:28

On this Episode of Radio Free Acton, Dan Churchwell, Director of Program Outreach at Acton, speaks with Nathan Hitchcock, education entrepreneur, about the role of character development and virtue ...

The connection of faith and work; the legacy of Walker Percy from 2018-09-26T13:22:03

On this episode of Radio Free Acton, Associate Director of Program Outreach at Acton, Dan Churchwell, and Missy Wallace, Executive Director of the Nashville Institute for Faith and Work, discuss ho...

Inside the studio of a violin maker; Upstream on the film 'Andrei Rublev' from 2018-09-19T14:09:10

On this episode of Radio Free Acton, award winning news anchor Anne Marie Schieber visits the studio of Matthew Noykos, a violin maker in Grand Rapids, MI, to learn more about his craft and discuss...

The good news about poverty; Upstream on ‘Operation Finale’ from 2018-09-12T15:02:52

On this episode of Radio Free Acton, Caroline Roberts, producer and host of Radio Free Acton, speaks with Joseph Connors, Assistant Professor of Economics at Florida Southern College, about the glo...

‘Work in the age of robots’; Has classical music been forgotten? from 2018-09-05T14:36:53

On this episode of Radio Free Acton, John Couretas, Executive Producer of Radio Free Acton, interviews Mark Mills, Senior Fellow at the Manhattan Institute, on his new book “Work in the Age of Robo...

Entrepreneurship in Guatemala; Upstream on the future of the arts from 2018-08-29T14:45:46

On this episode of Radio Free Acton, host Caroline Roberts speaks with Jonathan Porta, co-founder of e-commerce platform UTZ Market in Guatemala, on his experiences in developing his business and o...

What is natural law? Upstream on Netflix’s ‘Anon’ from 2018-08-22T14:00:57

This episode of Radio Free Acton features a discussion between Drew McGinnis, Editorial Director and Research Fellow at Acton, and Eric Hutchinson, Associate Professor of Classics at Hillsdale...

Econ Quiz on pensions and public debt; Upstream on Frida Kahlo and Stalinism from 2018-08-15T13:48:57

On this episode of Radio Free Acton, host Caroline Roberts speaks with Dave Hebert, Professor of Economics at Aquinas College for another Econ Quiz segment on the topic of pensions and state debt. ...

Luke Burgis tackles myths about entrepreneurship; Upstream on government funded art from 2018-08-08T14:39:15

On this episode of Radio Free Acton, Victoria Antram, summer intern at Acton, speaks with Luke Burgis, a businessman who was named a top 25 under 25 entrepreneur by Business Week, about th...

Interview with a Venezuelan dissident; Jared Meyer on the sharing economy from 2018-08-01T13:43:28

In this episode of Radio Free Acton, Noah Gould, summer intern at Acton, interviews Javier Avila, a Venezuelan dissident who speaks of both the bleak and hopeful future he sees for the resistance a...

Discussing the Trump-Putin summit with Mihail Neamtu; Upstream on how to read from 2018-07-25T15:06:57

On this episode of Radio Free Acton, host Caroline Roberts speaks with Mihail Neamtu, Romanian conservative author, on the Trump-Putin summit, Russia’s economy, and what Trump should have prio...

Discussing the reconstruction era; Upstream on ‘First Reformed’ from 2018-07-18T14:39:34

On this episode of Radio Free Acton, John Wilsey, affiliate scholar of theology and history at Acton, speaks with Allen Guelzo, professor of the Civil War Era at Gettysburg college, about reconstru...

Discussing the importance of free elections; Upstream on 'Incredibles 2' from 2018-07-11T15:00:51

This episode of Radio Free Acton starts with another Transatlantic Intelligence segment, hosted by Senior Editor at Acton, Rev. Ben Johnson, who talks with Juan Pina, Secretary General of the Found...

The religious roots of the American founding; Jewish contributions to American liberty from 2018-07-03T21:02:30

On this edition of Radio Free Acton, Acton Director of Communications John Couretas speaks with Ray Nothstine of the Civitas Institute about the religious - and especially Puritan - roots of the Am...

RFA redux: Why Abraham Kuyper matters from 2018-06-27T14:03:35

On this episode of Radio Free Acton, we revisit a segment aired 2 years ago. Marc Vander Maas, Audio/Visual Manager at Acton, talks to Jordan Ballor, Senior Research Fellow and Director of Publishi...

RFA Reports on Christians in the civic arena; Discussion on the Trump-Kim summit from 2018-06-20T15:55:33

On this episode of Radio Free Acton, we are pleased to bring you the third edition of RFA Reports. Guest Anne Marie Schieber, an award-winning reporter and former anchor with Wood TV Grand Rapids, ...

Discussion on the morality of free trade; Upstream on the letters of Russell Kirk from 2018-06-13T14:06:27

On this episode of Radio Free Acton, Tyler Groenendal, Foundation Relations Coordinator at Acton, speaks with Michael J. Clark, Professor of Economics at Hillsdale College, on the morality and impo...

RFA redux: John Stonestreet doesn't want to talk about sex from 2018-06-06T15:01:07

On this remastered episode of Radio Free Acton, we revisit an interview we had with John Stonestreet, President of the Colson Center for Christian Worldview. We examine the major contributions of C...

Seeking flourishing in the context of poverty; Upstream on ‘Redeeming Transcendence in the Arts’ from 2018-05-30T14:10:16

On this episode of Radio Free Acton, Andrew Vanderput, PovertyCure strategy and engagement manager at Acton, holds a discussion with Peter Greer, president and CEO of Hope International, on how hum...

Discussing the problem of child marriage; Upstream on ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’ at 50 from 2018-05-23T15:06:40

On this episode of Radio Free Acton, Host Caroline Roberts speaks with Fr. Ben Johnson, senior editor at Acton, about his article in the latest issue of Religion & Liberty on the probl...

Tech & Work: Israeli innovation; Upstream on HBO’s ‘Fahrenheit 451’ from 2018-05-16T17:26:12

On this episode of Radio Free Acton, Dan Churchwell, associate director of program outreach at Acton, speaks with Eugene Kandel, CEO of Start-Up Nation Central, on Israeli innovation. Then, on the ...

Robert Whaples on Pope Francis’ views on Economics; Upstream on Bob Dylan and Thomas Merton from 2018-05-09T14:25:37

On this episode of Radio Free Acton, Dan Hugger, librarian and research associate at Acton, speaks with Robert Whaples, research fellow at the Independent Institute and professor of economics at Wa...

RFA Reports on Direct Primary Care part II; Upstream on 'Avengers: Infinity War' from 2018-05-02T16:17:32

On this episode of Radio Free Acton, we feature the second installment of RFA Reports. Guest Anne Marie Schieber-Dykstra, an award-winning reporter and former anchor with WOODTV Grand Rapids, talks...

RFA Reports on Direct Primary Care; Upstream on 'Chappaquiddick' from 2018-04-25T14:15:52

On this episode of Radio Free Acton, we premier a new segment: RFA Reports. Guest Anne Marie Schieber, an award-winning reporter and former anchor with Wood TV Grand Rapids, discusses ways in which...

Business FX on workplace ethics; Upstream with blues group Kathy and the Kilowatts from 2018-04-18T19:47:40

This episode of Radio Free Acton starts off with the second installment of the Business FX segment, featuring a talk on ethics in the workplace between John Couretas, director of communications at ...

Discussing 'Communism & Christian Faith'; Upstream with mystery novelist Sally Wright from 2018-04-04T15:07:41

On this episode of Radio Free Acton, Acton’s Drew McGinnis and Dan Hugger discuss the book Communism & Christian Faith with Pavel Hanes, professor in the department of theology at Matej Bel Uni...

Justice in taxation, How entrepreneurs make a freer society, and Upstream on ‘A Wrinkle in Time’ from 2018-03-28T14:10:56

On this episode of Radio Free Acton, Kevin Schmiesing, research fellow at Acton, speaks with Robert Kennedy, professor in the department of Catholic Studies at the University of St. Thomas, on ‘Jus...

Tech & Work: The effect of technology on farming; Upstream on 'The Rending and the Nest' from 2018-03-21T14:06

On this episode of Radio Free Acton, Dan Churchwell, associate director of program outreach at Acton, speaks with Kevin Scott, a farmer from Valley Springs, SD, on sustainable farming and growing t...

Phil Sotok on purpose and fulfillment in the workplace; Upstream on the beat poets from 2018-03-14T14:24:09

On this episode of Radio Free Acton, John Couretas, Director of Communications at Acton, talks to Phil Sotok, management consultant with DPMC, examining purpose, fulfillment and ethics in the workp...

Philip Booth on what's missing from Laudato Si'; Upstream with jazz legend Norma Winstone from 2018-03-07T16:28:24

On this episode of Radio Free Acton, Rev. Ben Johnson, Senior Editor at Acton, speaks with Philip Booth, Professor at St. Mary’s University in the UK about what’s missing from the 2015 Papal Encycl...

Yuval Levin on finding solidarity in the Age of Trump; Upstream on "Black Panther" from 2018-02-28T15:37:34

On this episode of Radio Free Acton, Marc Vander Maas, audio/visual manager at Acton, speaks with Yuval Levin, Vice President of the Ethics and Public Policy Center, on finding solidarity in the “A...

Philip Booth on Catholic Social Teaching in China; Jay Richards on how technology affects work from 2018-02-21T18:03:21

On this episode of Radio Free Acton, Rev. Ben Johnson, Senior Editor at Acton, speaks with Philip Booth, Professor of Finance, Public Policy and Ethics, St. Mary’s University in the UK, about Catho...

Greg Forster on the legacy of Whittaker Chambers, Upstream on Ursula K. Le Guin from 2018-02-14T15:27:35

On this episode of Radio Free Acton, Paul Bonicelli, director of programs and education at Acton, and Trey Dimsdale, director of program outreach at Acton, speak with Greg Forster, director of the ...

The fight for $15, stock market boom, and Oxfam's 2018 inequality report from 2018-01-31T18:06:11

On this episode of Radio Free Acton, Caroline Roberts talks to Joe Carter, Senior Editor at Acton, about minimum wage and the “Fight for $15.” Then on the Econ Quiz segment, Dave Hebert, Professor ...

Jennifer Roback Morse on family breakdown and the economy; Upstream on "Darkest Hour" from 2018-01-17T15:00:02

On this episode of Radio Free Acton, Trey Dimsdale, Director of Program Outreach at Acton, speaks with Jennifer Roback Morse, founder of the Ruth Institute, about her upcoming Acton Lecture Series ...

Liz Forkin Bohannon on wealth creation and effective poverty alleviation; Upstream on Godless from 2018-01-10T15:03:27

On this week's episode of Radio Free Acton, Caroline Roberts speaks with Liz Forkin Bohannon, CEO and Founder of Sseko designs, on wealth creation and effective poverty alleviation. Then, on the Up...

Alex Chafuen on the birth and work of the Acton Institute; Upstream on Star Wars: The Last Jedi from 2017-12-20T15:19:54

On this episode of Radio Free Acton, Fr. Ben Johnson, Senior Editor at the Acton Institute, speaks with Alex Chafuen, President of the Atlas Network and as of January 1, 2018, Acton's new Managing ...

Sam Gregg on Röpke and Keynes; Upstream on Rolling Stone magazine from 2017-12-13T15:10:13

On this episode of Radio Free Acton, Dylan Pahman, Research Fellow and Managing Editor of the Journal of Markets and Morality at Acton, speaks with Sam Gregg, Director of Research at Acton, about t...

Police Chief Mac Tristan on servant leadership; Upstream on Flannery O'Connor from 2017-12-06T16:16:51

On this episode of Radio Free Acton, Sarah Stanley, Managing Editor at the Acton Institute, speaks with Mac Tristan, Chief of Police in Coppell, Texas, on the topic of servant leadership: what is i...

Jordan Ballor on Kuyper, Bonhoeffer and Thanksgiving; Upstream on Alternative Country Music from 2017-11-22T15:11:03

On this episode of Radio Free Acton, Bruce Edward Walker talks with Ray Nothstine, Opinion Editor of the the North State Journal and Editor at the Civitas Institute, on the alternative country musi...

Rev. Ben Johnson on Religion & Liberty Transatlantic; Upstream on Thor: Ragnarok from 2017-11-15T14:49:09

On this episode of Radio Free Acton, Caroline Roberts talks with Rev. Ben Johnson, Senior Editor at the Acton Institute, about the Religion & Liberty Transatlantic publication. They discuss the...

Matt Kibbe on political cronyism; Upstream on Thank You for Your Service from 2017-11-08T14:50:35

On this episode of Radio Free Acton, Dylan Pahman, Managing Editor of the Journal of Markets and Morality at the Acton Institute, speaks with Matt Kibbe, President and Director of Free the People, ...

Joe Carter on wealth creation; Upstream on recent Jazz releases from 2017-11-01T14:00:48

On this episode of Radio Free Acton, Marc Vander Maas talks to Joe Carter, senior editor at the Acton Institute, on wealth creation versus redistribution of wealth. Then, on the Upstream segment, B...

Rev. Ben Johnson on how sin taxes support terrorism; Upstream on sci-fi writer Jerry Pournelle from 2017-10-25T14:30:10

On this episode of Radio Free Acton, Caroline Roberts talks with Fr. Ben Johnson, Senior Editor at the Acton Institute on the pitfalls of sin taxes. Then, on the Econ Quiz segment, Caroline speaks ...

Daniel Mahoney on the Bolshevik Revolution; Upstream on Blade Runner 2049 from 2017-10-18T14:33:32

On this episode of Radio Free Acton, John Couretas, Director of Communications at the Acton Institute, speaks with Daniel J. Mahoney, Professor of Political Science at Assumption College, on the 10...

Ben DeGrow on school choice; Econ Quiz on tax reform; Upstream on Ray Bradbury from 2017-10-11T14:16:27

On this episode of Radio Free Acton, Caroline Roberts talks with Ben DeGrow, Director of Education Policy at The Mackinac Center for Public Policy, about school choice, previewing his panel present...

Tom Lindsay on the future of higher education in America; Upstream on The Devil and Father Amorth from 2017-10-04T13:44:48

On this episode of Radio Free Acton, Paul Bonicelli, Director of Programs and Education at the Acton Institute talks about Acton's upcoming Education & Freedom conference and the future of educ...

Paul Kengor on Reagan and Pope John Paul II; Upstream on It and Mother! from 2017-09-27T14:15:50

On this episode of Radio Free Acton, Caroline Roberts talks with Paul Kengor, Professor of Political Science at Grove City College about his new book on the extraordinary relationship between Presi...

Mollie Hemingway on fake news; Upstream on Fleet Foxes and R.E.M. from 2017-09-20T15:38:49

Today on Radio Free Acton, we are joined by Mollie Hemingway, Senior Editor at the Federalist who speaks with Acton's Sarah Stanley about fake news and the breakdown of trust in media institutions....

Joe Carter on Antifa and the Alt Right; Upstream on artist Renee Radell from 2017-09-13T14:29:20

Today on Radio Free Acton we have Joe Carter, senior editor for Acton and Adjunct Professor of Journalism at Patrick Henry College talking with Caroline Roberts about Antifa, the Alt Right, and how...

Gleaves Whitney on Russell Kirk; Upstream on Comrade Detective from 2017-09-06T14:01:22

Today on Radio Free Acton we have Gleaves Whitney, director of Grand Valley State's Hauenstein center for Presidential Studies talking with Bruce Edward Walker on Russel Kirk and the Conservative M...

Rev. Robert Sirico Acton Mailbag, Victor Claar on Hurricane Harvey, Upstream w/ Bruce Edward Walker from 2017-08-30T14:27:04

On today's edition of Radio Free Acton we have Bruce Edward Walker talking to Sam Karnick on Prog Rock. After that we have Caroline Roberts interviewing economist Victor Claar on the morality of pr...

Ismael Hernandez on "Detroit" in 2017 America; Jacqueline Isaacs on Libertarian Christianity from 2017-08-23T00:00

On this edition of Radio Free Acton, Bruce Edward Walker speaks with Ismael Hernandez of the Freedom and Virtue Institute about "Detroit," the new film from Katheryn Bigelow about the Algiers Motel...

Jacqueline Issacs on Christians and Libertarianism; Upstream on War for the Planet of the Apes from 2017-08-16T00:00

This week on Radio Free Acton we have guest Jacqueline Issacs on the show to preview her Acton on Tap lecture and talk a little about why you can be a libertarian Christian; she is interviewed by s...

Rev. Robert A. Sirico opens the Acton Mailbag; Upstream tackles Baby Driver from 2017-08-09T00:00

This week on Radio Free Acton, the co-founder and President of the Acton Institute - Rev. Robert A. Sirico - stops by to field questions from our summer interns, and Bruce Edward Walker, Dan Hugger...

Ray Nothstine on the spirit of "Dunkirk"; Seth Bartee on Russell Kirk and lesiure from 2017-08-02T00:00

This week on Radio Free Acton, Bruce Edward Walker welcomes Ray Nothstine of the North State Journal to "Upstream" to review Christopher Nolan's latest film, "Dunkirk." Then Walker speaks with Seth...

Jim McGann on the world of think tanks; Upstream on Spiderman: Homecoming from 2017-07-26T00:00

This week 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 Gov...

Chris Armstrong on C.S. Lewis and medieval thought; Upstream on Monterey Pop at 50 from 2017-07-19T00:00

On today’s Radio Free Acton we have an interview from Acton University with Chris Armstrong, author of the new book "Medieval Wisdom for Modern Christians: Finding Authentic Faith in a Forgotten Ag...

Thomas Kidd on Benjamin Franklin & Upstream on Mavis Staples from 2017-07-12T14:04:47

We talk to Thomas Kidd professor of history at Baylor, Associate Director of Baylor's Institute for Studies of Religion and author of the new book Benjamin Franklin: The Religious Life of a Foundin...

Dylan Pahman on the foundations of a free society; Upstream on current horror from 2017-07-05T00:00

This week, we talk with Acton Research Fellow and Managing Editor of the Journal of Markets and Morality Dylan Pahman on his new book, "Foundations of a Free and Virtuous Society." Then on Upstream...

John Lauck on bringing midwestern culture back to the spotlight; Upstream on Roger Waters from 2017-06-21T00:00

This week, we talk with John Lauck - founding president of the Midwestern History Association, the associate editor and book review editor of the Middle West Review, and an adjunct professor of his...

The genuine humanity of Wonder Woman; Samuel Gregg on the UK election surprise from 2017-06-11T00:00

On this edition of Radio Free Acton, we talk with Acton Institute Director of Research Samuel Gregg about the surprising results of the snap parliamentary election in the UK that saw the conservati...

Lawrence Reed on cultivating heroism from 2017-05-24T00:00

Lawrence Reed is the President of the Foundation for Economic Education, and he joins us on this edition of Radio Free Acton to talk about his new book, "Real Heroes: Inspiring True Stories of Cour...

John Mark Reynolds on objective beauty and truth from 2017-05-09T00:00

On this edition of Radio Free Acton, we're joined in studio by Dr. John Mark Reynolds, President of the St. Constantine School, to talk about beauty, and whether or not we can truly know if somethi...

Micah Watson on C.S. Lewis and the dangers of democratic education from 2017-04-19T00:00

On this edition of Radio Free Acton, we're joined by Micah Watson, the William Spoelhof Teacher-Scholar Chair at Calvin College, to discuss the views of C.S. Lewis on democracy, specifically as the...

John Stonestreet doesn't want to talk about sex from 2017-04-03T00:00

On this edition of Radio Free Acton, we're excited to talk to John Stonestreet, President of the Colson Center for Christian Worldview. We examine the major contributions of Christianity to western...

Brent Waters on just capitalism from 2017-03-29T00:00

On this edition of Radio Free Acton, we talk with Brent Waters, Jerre and Mary Joy Stead professor of Christian social ethics at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary and author of Just Capitali...

Scott Lincicome on how free trade benefits everyone from 2017-03-22T00:00

On this edition of Radio Free Acton, international trade attorney and Cato Institute Adjunct Scholar Scott Lincicome joins us to give us the real story on the benefits of international trade for th...

Anne Rathbone Bradley on eliminating poverty through economic freedom from 2017-03-15T00:00

Today on Radio Free Acton, we talk with Anne Rathbone Bradley, Ph.D. She serves as Vice President of Economic Initiatives at the Institute for Faith, Work and Economics, and joins us to talk about ...

James Poulos on the Art of Being Free from 2017-03-08T04:55:50

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 Sout...

Samuel Gregg on the life and impact of Michael Novak from 2017-03-01T00:00

On this edition of Radio Free Acton, we speak with Acton Institute Director of Research Samuel Gregg about the life and impact of Michael Novak, who passed away on February 17, 2017. Novak, a Roman...

The Verdict on Judge Neil Gorsuch with Judge Joseph Scoville from 2017-02-10T00:00

On this edition of Radio Free Acton, we're joined by Judge Joseph Scoville, former United States magistrate judge for the western district of Michigan, to review the nomination of Judge Neil Gorsuc...

Ilya Shapiro on the the politics of judicial nominations from 2017-02-08T00:00

On this edition of Radio Free Acton, we're joined by Ilya Shapiro, Senior Fellow in Constitutional Studies at the Cato Institute and the editor of the Cato Supreme Court Journal, to discuss the pol...

Christian Democracy in America from 2017-02-01T00:00

On this edition of Radio Free Acton, we have a panel discussion on the prospects for a Christian Democratic political movement in the United States.

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David LaRocca on Brunello Cucinelli's new philosophy of clothes from 2016-12-21T00:00

On this edition of Radio Free Acton, we speak with David LaRocca, philosopher, author, and filmmaker, who has released a documentary on Italian fashion designer and entrepreneur Brunello Cuccinelli...

Daniel Garza on Latinos and Liberty from 2016-11-23T00:00

Daniel Garza, Executive Director of The LIBRE Initiative, discusses the prospects of the movement for liberty and free markets in the Latino community on this edition of Radio Free Acton.

Victoria Coates on the art of democracy from 2016-11-16T00:00

In this edition of Radio Free Acton, we speak with cultural historian and author Victoria Coates on the capacity of democracy to inspire great works of art. Coates is the author of David's Sling: T...

Benjamin Domenech On The Rise Of American Populism from 2016-10-26T00:00

On this edition of Radio Free Acton, Jordan Ballor - Acton Research Fellow, Director of Publishing, and Executive Editor of the Journal of Markets and Morality - talks with Benjamin Domenech, Publi...

John Wilsey on Tocqueville's Enduring Insights from 2016-10-05T00:00

On this edition of Radio Free Acton, we're joined by John Wilsey, Assistant Professor of History and Christian Apologetics at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, to discuss Alexis de Tocquev...

Karl Zinsmeister on Philanthropy and Education Reform from 2016-09-21T00:00

On this edition of Radio Free Acton, we speak with Karl Zinsmeister, Vice President at Philanthropy Roundtable, about efforts to improve public education outcomes over the years, why charter school...

Jordan Ballor on Why Abraham Kuyper Matters from 2016-09-14T00:00

On this edition of Radio Free Acton, we speak with Jordan Ballor, General Editor of the Abraham Kuyper Collected Works in Public Theology, a major series of new translations of Abraham Kuyper’s key...

Kevin Schmiesing on the Indivisibility of Religious and Economic Freedom from 2016-08-08T00:00

Acton Institute Research Fellow Kevin Schmiesing joins us on this edition of Radio Free Acton to discuss the latest book release from the Acton Institute, "One and Indivisible: The Relationship Bet...

Brexit's Aftermath with Todd Huizinga from 2016-06-27T00:00

Last week on Radio Free Acton, we sat down with Acton Institute Director of International Outreach Todd Huizinga to preview the then-upcoming Brexit referendum in the United Kingdom. This week, we'...

Todd Huizinga Previews Brexit from 2016-06-13T00:00

Acton Institute Director of International Outreach Todd Huizinga, author of "The New Totalitarian Temptation: Global Governance and the Crisis of Democracy in Europe", discusses the upcoming Britis...

Raymond Arroyo on Mother Angelica and the Power of Story from 2016-04-26T00:00

On this edition of Radio Free Acton, Acton Institute President Rev. Robert A. Sirico sits down with the host of EWTN's The World Over, Raymond Arroyo, for a wide-ranging discussion that touches on ...

Magatte Wade on African Entrepreneurship from 2016-04-15T00:00

This week on Radio Free Acton, Magatte Wade joins us to discuss the challenges and rewards of being an entrepreneur in Africa. Too often, people in the West tend to think of Africa as a place to se...

William Allen on Conscience and Liberty from 2016-03-30T00:00

William B. Allen, Emeritus Professor of Political Philosophy in the Department of Political Science and Emeritus Dean, James Madison College, at Michigan State University, joins the podcast to talk...

Todd Huizinga on The New Totalitarian Temptation from 2016-02-23T00:00

Acton Institute Director of International Outreach Todd Huizinga joins us on this week's edition of Radio Free Acton to discuss his new book, The New Totalitarian Temptation: Global Governance and ...

Remembering Scalia; The Future of Religious Liberty with Ryan Anderson from 2016-02-17T00:00

On this edition of Radio Free Acton, we pay tribute to the late Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonin Scalia, and look to the future of religious liberty in the United States with Ryan Anderson o...

Larry Reed on Puncturing Progressive Mythology from 2015-12-15T00:00

On this edition of Radio Free Acton, Larry Reed - President of the Foundation for Economic Education - discusses the myths that permeate the progressive worldview, and his new book debunking them: ...

Marina Nemat on Life After Tehran from 2015-11-24T00:00

On this edition of Radio Free Acton, we talk with Marina Nemat - author, columnist, human rights advocate, and former political prisoner in her native Iran. How does a person survive imprisonment, ...

Bradley Birzer on Russell Kirk and the Genesis of American Conservatism from 2015-11-10T00:00

On this edition of Radio Free Acton, we join Bradley J. Birzer ("Call me Brad") to discuss his new biography of Russell Kirk, and to examine Kirk's role as the founding father of the conservative m...

Jay Nordlinger on the Children of Monsters from 2015-11-02T00:00

Jay Nordlinger, Senior Editor at National Review Magazine, discusses his latest book - Children of Monsters: An Inquiry Into the Sons and Daughters of Dictators - on this edition of Radio Free Acto...

The Conservative Heart with Arthur C. Brooks from 2015-10-05T00:00

On this edition of Radio Free Acton, we talk with American Enterprise Institute President Arthur C. Brooks about his latest book, "The Conservative Heart," and why it's so important for people who ...

Sam Gregg & Todd Huizinga On The EU's Refugee Crisis from 2015-09-30T00:00

On this edition of Radio Free Acton, Acton Institute Director of Research Samuel Gregg and Director of International Outreach Todd Huizinga discuss the ongoing refugee crisis in Europe, and the str...

Jared Meyer Explains How Washington is Betraying America's Young from 2015-07-22T00:00

Jared Meyer, Fellow at the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research, discusses his new book - Disinherited: How Washington is Betraying America's Young - On this edition of Radio Free Acton.
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John Horvat on Order; Sam Gregg on Chaos from 2015-07-15T00:00

In this edition of Radio Free Acton, we speak with John Horvat, author of Return to Order: From a Frenzied Economy to an Organic Christian Society, about what's wrong with our society and culture a...

Wayne Grudem and Barry Asmus on The Poverty of Nations from 2015-06-17T00:00

Theologian Wayne Grudem has teamed up with economist Barry Asmus to write a book on poverty entitled The Poverty of Nations: A Sustainable Solution. On this edition of Radio Free Acton, we explore ...

Partying with Hobbits and Jonathan Witt from 2015-06-10T00:00

On this edition of Radio Free Acton, Marc bravely battles a late-spring cold to bring you an interview with Jonathan Witt, Managing Editor at TheStream.org, and author of The Hobbit Party: The Visi...

Lela Gilbert on Persecution of Saturday and Sunday People from 2015-06-03T00:00

On this edition of Radio Free Acton, we talk with Lela Gilbert - author, journalist, and Adjunct Fellow at the Hudson Institute - about her book "Saturday People, Sunday People: Israel Through The ...

Faith and Freedom in High School from 2015-05-20T00:00

What happens when a group of high school students decide to form a student group to discuss the intersection of religion, liberty, and markets? At Grand Rapids West Catholic High School, they found...

George Weigel, Rev. Robert A. Sirico & Samuel Gregg on Pope Francis from 2015-05-13T00:00

On this edition of Radio Free Acton, we're joined in studio by eminent Catholic scholar George Weigel of the Ethics and Public Policy Center to discuss the pontificate of Pope Francis, his coverage...

Timothy Carney on Big Business and Economic Freedom from 2015-05-05T00:00

Timothy P. Carney is the guest on this edition of Radio Free Acton to talk about the threats to liberty posed by not only Big Government, but Big Business as well. We also talk to Michael Van Beek ...

Mark Ohanian on the Syrian Refugee Crisis from 2015-04-27T00:00

Mark Ohanian, Director of Programs for International Orthodox Christian Charities, speaks with Acton Institute Director of Communications John Couretas about the current state of the Syrian civil w...

A Primer on Religious Liberty with Ryan T. Anderson from 2015-04-08T00:00

On this edition of Radio Free Acton, we talk with Ryan T. Anderson, William E. Simon Fellow in Religion and a Free Society at the Heritage Foundation, about what exactly we mean when we say "religi...

Burt & Anita Folsom on Uncle Sam's Inability to Count from 2015-03-31T00:00

On this edition of Radio Free Acton, Burt and Anita Folsom discuss their latest book, "Uncle Sam Can't Count." We examine whether the government has a good track record in subsidizing industry and ...

Reformation and Vocation with Gene Veith from 2015-03-25T00:00

In this edition of Radio Free Acton, we talk with Dr. Gene Edward Veith, Provost and Professor of Literature at Patrick Henry College. Dr. Veith discusses the influence of the Protestant Reformatio...

Todd Huizinga on Greece and the European Union from 2015-03-04T00:00

On this edition of Radio Free Acton, Acton Institute Director of International Outreach Todd Huizinga draws on his wealth of diplomatic and international experience to help us understand the histor...

Elise Graveline Hilton on Human Trafficking from 2015-02-11T00:00

In this week's podcast, Elise Graveline Hilton talks about her monograph and provides some basic resources for everyone interested in fighting the scourge of human trafficking.

from 2014-10-29T00:00

In this podcast, we welcome Gerard Lameiro to Radio Free Acton to talk about the subject of his recent Acton lecture and his book, Renewing America and Its Heritage of Freedom.

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Sound Money with Robert P. Murphy from 2014-09-16T00:00

On this edition of Radio Free Acton, we talk about sound money with economist and author Robert P. Murphy. What is money? Why does it have value? What happens when a government detaches the value o...

Chelsen Vicari on the Religious Left from 2014-09-15T00:00

On this edition of Radio Free Acton, Sarah Stanley speaks with Chelsen Vicari, Evangelical Program Director at the Institute on Religion and Democracy, about her new book Distortion: How the New Ch...

David Bromwich on Edmund Burke, Part 1 from 2014-09-13T00:00

On this edition of Radio Free Acton, Michael Matheson Miller - Research Fellow at the Acton Institute - interviews Yale's Sterling Professor of English David Bromwich on his new book, "The Intellec...

Os Guinness on Our Augustinian Moment from 2014-09-09T00:00

As we head into the fall of 2014, the world seems in many ways to be a very dark and dangerous place. Between the rise of ISIS in Iraq and Syria (and the resulting slaughter and displacement of Chr...

500 Years of Reformation from 2014-09-06T00:00

2017 will mark the 500th Anniversary of Martin Luther's posting of his 95 Theses on the door of Wittenberg Castle Church, the event that would eventually lead to what we now know as the Protestant ...

Culture Care with Makoto Fujimura from 2014-06-25T00:00

What does it mean for Christians to use our gifts to fulfill God’s purposes in cultural flourishing? Makoto Fujimura, internationally renowned artist, intellectual, and founder of the International...

The Acton University Experience: Father Hans Jacobse from 2014-04-23T00:00

Father Hans Jacobse, founder of the American Orthodox Institute and regular contributor to Orthod...

Andrew Abela on A Catechism for Business from 2014-04-08T00:00

What is the end – the goal – of business anyway? Is it to merely maximize a profit or to do good, or some balance between the two? And what exactly does it mean for a business to “do good”? And if ...

Human Exceptionalism with Wesley J. Smith from 2014-03-26T00:00

Paul Edwards talks with Wesley J. Smith of the Discovery Institute and author of the Human Exceptionalism blog on National Review Online about the very real threats to the core idea of the dignity ...

Douglas Rushkoff on Human Flourishing in a Digital Age from 2014-03-21T00:00

We would all agree that digital technology has made life better in many respects. But in what ways do smartphones, email, social media and the Internet in general bring pressures to bear upon us th...

Evaluating the Presidents with Lawrence Reed from 2014-03-18T00:00

On this edition of Radio Free Acton, Paul Edwards talks with Lawrence Reed, President of the Foundation for Economic Education, about the changing natur...

For The Life Of The World: Writing the Letters to the Exiles from 2014-03-17T00:00

In this edition of Radio Free Acton, Paul Edwards goes behind the scenes at the premiere of For the Life of the World: Letters to the Ex...

Hidden No More: Exposing Human Trafficking from 2014-03-11T00:00

On March 28 2014 at the Acton Building in Grand Rapids, Michigan, the Acton Institute will be hosting Listen

Examining the Ukrainian Crisis from 2014-02-21T00:00

In this edition of Radio Free Acton, we take a look at the current state of the crisis in the Ukraine. Paul Edwards takes the mic as host, and talks with Acton Institute Director of Research Samuel...

The Acton University Experience with Becki Essner from 2014-01-15T00:00

What does Acton University have to offer to a high school teacher? We talk with Becki Essner (AU'11, '12 & '13) about her experiences at Acton U, the things that have impacted her the most at t...

Reflecting on the Legacy of Pope Benedict XVI Part 2 from 2013-09-28T00:00

Reflecting on the Legacy of Pope Benedict XVI Part 2 by Acton Institute

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Primary Education from 2013-08-29T18:32:01

The Radio Free Acton crew expands this week to include Director of Programs Michael Miller and Acton Research Fellow Anthony Bradley, who join regulars Marc Vander Maas and Ray Nothstine to discuss...

Reflecting on the Legacy of Pope Benedict XVI from 2013-08-27T00:00

In this episode of Radio Free Acton, Michael Matheson Miller is joined by Acton's Director of Research Samuel Gregg to reflect on the papacy and legacy of retiring Pope Benedict XVI. This is part o...

Amity Shlaes and 'Coolidge' from 2012-08-06T00:00

On this edition of Radio Free Acton, Amity Shlaes - bestselling author of Listen

Concealing Christian Identity from 2011-02-16T00:00

Radio Free Acton hits the web once again, this time featuring an exchange between Hunter Baker, author of The End of Secularism, and Jonathan Malesic, author of Secret Faith in the Public Square: A...

More on American Exceptionalism: The Podcast from 2010-11-07T00:00

There has been quite the uptick regarding the topic because of fears that America has lost its greatness. "America's Destiny Must Be Freedom," is a commentary I penned in June related to that fear,...

The Stewardship of Art, Part 2 from 2010-04-30T00:00

David Michael Phelps continues to lead the discussion between Professors Nathan Jacobs and Calvin Seerveld, who previously debated this topic in the Controversy section of our Journal of Markets &a...

The Stewardship of Art, Part 1 from 2010-04-29T00:00

September in Grand Rapids means the return of ArtPrize, which bills itself as a "radically open" art competition, juried by the general public, and awarding the largest cash prize for an art compet...

Perspectives on Health Care Reform, Part 2 from 2009-07-28T00:00

Dr. Donald Condit and Kevin Schmiesing join us to discuss the ins and outs of the healthcare system as well as viable options for reforming and improving it.

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Glenn Sunshine on why you think the way you do from 2009-07-24T00:00

Glenn Sunshine, professor of history at Central Connecticut State University, joins us to talk about his book 'Why You Think The Way You Do', which demonstrates the massive impact that Christianity...

Obama and Religion from 2008-03-20T00:00

The Radio Free Acton crew takes on the controversy over the highly-publicized statements of Rev. Jeremiah Wright who served as pastor of Chicago's Trinity United Church of Christ and serves as a sp...

Remembering Buckley and Contemplating Consumerist Religion from 2008-02-27T00:00

On this edition of the podcast, we pause to remember the contributions of William F. Buckley to the Acton Institute and to the conservative movement as a whole with Acton President Rev. Robert A. S...

Happiness Without God? from 2008-01-27T00:00

The Radio Free Acton crew discusses whether or not a "rich and famous" lifestyle can produce true happiness, and concludes that money can't buy happiness. Indeed, a life lived in pursuit of nothing...

Radio Free Acton: The Premiere Episode from 2008-01-13T00:00

The first edition of Radio Free Acton hits the web with a look at the influence of religion on the upcoming Michigan primary, which takes place on Tuesday, January 15. Host Marc Vander Maas is join...