Acton Line

On today’s episode, Noah Gould, Acton’s Alumni and Student Programs manager, speaks to three members of the Emerging Leaders Program. The Acton Emerging Leaders Program is an 8-week leadership-development internship in Grand Rapids, Mich. The program brings together a cohort of student leaders from across the nation and around the globe for a transformative experience. During the summer, Emerging Leaders will gain professional experience, grow their network, and go deeper into the ideas of a free and virtuous society. Subscribe to our podcasts Watch this podcast here Emerging Leaders Program | Acton Institute The Use of Knowledge in Society | F.A. Hayek Intellectuals and Socialism | F.A. Hayek The Disadvantages of Being Educated | Albert Jay Nock Dining with Judas: The Limits of Culinary Diplomacy | Abigail Ingram If you’d like to support this podcast, you can help by leaving a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts. If you have questions or suggestions for a future episode, you can email us at podcast@acto

In this episode, Dan Hugger speaks with Kevin Vallier, professor of philosophy at the University of Toledo, where he is associate director at the Institute of American Constitutional Thought and Leadership and affiliate scholar at the Acton Institute. They discuss his new essay, “The Fusionist Manifesto,” published in the Summer 2025 issue of Religion & Liberty. Do critics of the fusionist tradition in American conservatism have a point? In what ways is American conservatism’s fusionist tradition undertheorized? What are the traditional arguments for the compatibility of freedom and virtue, and how might they be improved? How can new intellectual blood best be infused into the fusionist tradition? Subscribe to our podcasts Watch this podcast here The Fusionist Manifesto American Fusionism | Acton Institute In Defense of Freedom and Related Essays | Frank S. Meyer Free Persons and the Common Good | Michael Novak The Liberty-Virtue Dance | Kevin Vallier, Religion & Liberty Online Fusionism and the Probl

In this episode, Dan Hugger speaks with Eric Kohn, CEO of America’s Future. They discuss just that—and what the organization Eric leads is doing to make that future a bright one. What are the ideas that animated America at its founding, and how do we best transmit them to a new generation? What are the sociological dimensions of building up the liberty movement in America? How can young people build skills and community—and have a good time doing so?Home — America's Future Writing Fellows — America's Future Gell-Mann amnesia effect | Wikipedia A Time to Build: From Family and Community to Congress and the Campus, How Recommitting to Our Institutions Can Revive the American Dream | Yuval Levin The Internet of Beefs

In this episode, Dan Hugger speaks with David Bahnsen, founder, managing partner, and CIO of The Bahnsen Group. With an ever-shifting policy environment and ever-expanding public debt, what is the state of the American economy? How have tariffs and interest rate policy affected economic growth? Why is the housing sector so crucial to the economy? What are the prospects for economic growth in the near future, and will AI revolutionize the American economy? Subscribe to our podcasts Watch this podcast here Acton University Crisis of Responsibility: Our Cultural Addiction to Blame and How You Can Cure It  | David Bahnsen Capital Record | National Review Capital Matters Two dolls instead of 30? Toys become the latest symbol of Trump's trade war | AP News The Broken Window | Frédéric Bastiat Understanding the National Debt | U.S. Treasury Fiscal Data Powell Reiterates Fed’s Wait-and-See Approach Before Cutting Rates | The New York Times “The Counter-Revolution in Monetary Theory” | Milton Friedman Abund

This month on the Acton Rundown: Dan and Mark recap Acton University 2025 and discuss Acton’s upcoming events and publications. Subscribe to our podcasts Watch this podcast here Religion and Liberty Online Acton University Acton On-Demand Marcel van Hattem on the Fight for Freedom in Brazil Silicon Valley Revival?

In this episode, Dan Hugger speaks with Marcel van Hattem, a Brazilian politician, journalist, and political scientist who is an elected federal representative of the State of Rio Grande do Sul in Brasilia. They begin by discussing Brazil’s history, people, and culture. The conversation then turns to the ongoing constitutional crises and how the Supreme Court’s increasingly authoritarian tendencies have threatened the rule of law, a free press, and freedom of speech in Brazil. What is the best course of action for freedom-loving Brazilians? How are liberty-minded legislators trying to fulfil their duties in the face of authoritarian pressure? Why are the upcoming Senate elections so important for the future of freedom in Brazil? Subscribe to our podcasts Watch this podcast here Acton University Marcel van Hattem – Deputado Federal Marcel van Hattem (@marcelvanhattem) | Instagram photos and videos Marcel van Hattem (@marcelvanhattem) | X Delton Dallagnol on the fight against corruption in Brazil | YouTu

In this episode, Dan Hugger speaks with Dan Churchwell, director of programs and education at the Acton Institute, and A. Trevor Sutton, senior pastor of St. Luke Lutheran Church, about their essay “The Gospel According to Silicon Valley,” which is the cover story for the Summer 2025 issue of Religion & Liberty.   Is there a Christian revival going on in Silicon Valley? How might technology shape and be shaped by a renewal of Christian faith? Is the renewed interest in Christianity genuine? Is “cultural Christianity” merely ideological? What would the fruits of a genuine revival mean for Silicon Valley and the technology produced there? Subscribe to our podcasts Watch this podcast here The Gospel According To Silicon Valley | Religion and Liberty Online Christianity Was “Borderline Illegal” in Silicon Valley. Now It’s the New Religion | Vanity Fair The Silicon Valley Christians Who Want to Build ‘Heaven on Earth’ | WIRED Silicon Valley Is Embracing Christianity (With the Help of Peter Thiel) | The New

On today’s episode, Dan Hugger speaks to Dan Churchwell, Acton’s director of programs and education, about what people can expect at Acton University 2025. They share some favorite memories from past years, look forward to some special guests this year, and dive in to what makes this conference unique. Subscribe to our podcasts Watch this podcast here Acton University Acton On-Demand If you’d like to support this podcast, you can help by leaving a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts. If you have questions or suggestions for a future episode, you can email us at podcast@acton.org.

Today, Acton librarian Dan Hugger and podcast producer Mark Townsend announce that the podcast will be on video going forward. They reveal the new podcast studio, talk about how recent economic events forced them to move quickly, and discuss the joys of flailing-arm tube men. Subscribe to our podcasts Acton On-Demand If you’d like to support this podcast, you can help by leaving a 5-star review at Apple Podcasts. If you have questions or suggestions for a future episode, you can reach us at podcast@acton.org.

On today episode, Acton’s director of programs and education, Dan Churchwell, speaks to Philip Bunn, assistant professor of political science at Covenant College. They discuss his Acton Lecture Series presentation “The Heart of a Machine: Technological Threats to Liberty in Adam Smith and Beyond.” Subscribe to our podcasts Acton Lecture Series Philip D. Bunn

On today’s episode, Acton librarian Dan Hugger speaks with James Otteson from Acton University 2024. They discuss Adam Smith and what he tells us about the role of business in society. Subscribe to our podcasts Acton University Acton On-Demand James Otteson | Mendoza College of Business

In this episode, Dan Hugger speaks with Isaac Willour, journalist and analyst at Bowyer Research. They discuss his Religion and Liberty Online essay “America Poured Billions into DEI Initiatives. Who Benefited?” What ideology underlies diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives? How did DEI take root in corporate America, and why is it now in retreat? What roles do journalism, shareholder activism, and employee initiative play in the ebb and flow of the fortunes of DEI? What alternatives to DEI exist to counter hostile work environments and build workplace cohesion for employees regardless of race, ethnicity, sex, or faith?   America Poured Billions into DEI Initiatives. Who Benefited? | Isaac Willour The Strange Death of DEI | Isaac Willour A Friedman Doctrine: The Social Responsibility of Business Is to Increase Its Profits | The New York Times The Social Responsibility of Business: Milton Friedman Reconsidered | John Elrick What Costco’s Doubling Down on DEI Means—and Doesn’t Mean | Isaac Willour

In this episode, Dan Hugger speaks with Dylan Pahman, research fellow and executive editor of the Journal of Markets and Morality at the Acton Institute. They discuss his recently published essay “An Ascetic Way of Life in a World of Abundance,” an adaptation of a chapter from Dylan’s forthcoming book, The Kingdom of God & the Common Good (Ancient Faith, 2025). How is Orthodox Social Thought shaped by liturgical theology? Why should Christians view life as fundamentally ascetic? What lessons does Orthodox Social Thought have to teach other Christian traditions? Subscribe to our podcasts ‘An Ascetic Way of Life in a World of Abundance’ | Acton Institute For the Life of the World: Sacraments and Orthodoxy | Alexander Schmemann A Voice for Our Time: Radio Liberty Talks, Volume 1 |: Alexander Schmemann A Voice for Our Time: Radio Liberty Talks, Volume 2 | Alexander Schmemann The Pillar and Ground of the Truth: An Essay in Orthodox Theodicy in Twelve Letters | Pavel Florensky, Boris Jakim, Richar

In this episode, Dan Hugger speaks with John Pinheiro, director of research at the Acton Institute, and Daniel Wagner, chair of the philosophy department and director of Catholic Studies at Aquinas College, about the election of Pope Leo XIV. Why is the election of an American pope so surprising? How is his choice of name significant? How will the legacy of Pope Leo XIII in philosophy and Catholic Social Teaching inform Leo XIV’s papacy? What are the “new things” of the 21st century that the new pope will address? Subscribe to our podcasts Pope Leo XIV and a New Age of ‘New Things’ | The Dispatch Pope 267: The Guessing Game | Religion & Liberty Online All Things Conclave | Acton Institute Aeterni Patris (August 4, 1879) | LEO XIII Rerum Novarum (May 15, 1891) | LEO XIII Centesimus Annus (May 1, 1991) | John Paul II Pope Leo XIV on the counterculture of the new evangelization (Part 1 of 2) Pope Leo XIV on the counterculture of the new evangelization (Part 2 of 2) FULL TEXT AND VIDEO: Pope Leo XIV’s h

In this episode, Dan Hugger speaks with the Acton Institute’s John Pinheiro, director of research, and Michael Miller, director of the Center for Social Flourishing, about all things conclave.  Why are conclaves important? What should people make of the horse race coverage in the media? What sort of qualities does the Church need most in her next pope? Subscribe to our podcasts What to Expect at the Conclave | Religion & Liberty Online Requiem Aeternam: Pope Francis (1936–2025) | Religion & Liberty Online The Pope of Progress? | Richard M. Reinsch II A Conclave Like No Other | The New York Times Business as usual is untenable | Catholic World Report Catechism of the Catholic Church | USCCB Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church

On today’s episode, Dan Churchwell, Acton's director of programs and education, interviews Raymond Harris, author, architect, and a venture capitalist in God’s kingdom. They discuss his new book, “Enduring Wealth: Being Rich in This World and the Next,” where Raymond shares how he has seen God multiply human efforts when people faithfully steward all God has given them. Subscribe to our podcasts Raymond Harris Enduring Wealth: Being Rich in This World and the Next | BroadStreet Publishing

In this episode, Dan Hugger speaks with the Acton Institute’s Stephen Barrows, chief operating officer, and John Pinheiro, director of research, about the life and legacy of Pope Francis. This wide-ranging conversation covers Pope Francis’s perspective on the market, the environment, liturgy, synodality, business, ecumenicism, and the poor. Which parts of Pope Francis’s legacy will endure? What was his contribution to the life of the Catholic Church?   Requiem Aeternam: Pope Francis (1936–2025) | John Pinheiro & Michael Matheson Miller Pope Francis’ Plea for Migrants and Acton’s Core Principles | Stephen Barrows Pope Francis and the Caring Society | Robert M. Whaples, ed. Can a Capitalist Society Also Be a Caring Society? | Robert Whaples Pope Francis changed the Catholic church, but not as much as he hoped | The Economist Laudato Si' (May 24, 2015) | Pope Francis Pope Francis's Authority in Laudato Si | National Review Message of the Holy Father to French Entrepreneurs (Paris, August 28–29, 2023) Declaration

The 2024 PovertyCure Summit “Dignity, Agency & Charity” was a virtual event put on by Acton’s Center for Social Flourishing. Over two days, participants learned from scholars and practitioners involved in the global struggle against poverty—and against the “toxic charity” that hinders people’s ability to rise.   On today’s episode, we bring you the keynote presented by Dr. William Easterly entitled “Beyond Material Progress: Markets and Dignity in the Fight Against Global Poverty.” As material living standards improve in the developing world, are people better able to pursue their own aspirations and desires? Less able?   Subscribe to our podcasts   PovertyCure Summit

In this episode, Dan Hugger speaks with Marvin Olasky, executive editor for News and Global at Christianity Today and the founder and chairman of Zenger House. They discuss many of the news stories that won the 2025 Zenger Prizes. What is the state of journalism today? How does honoring excellence in journalism encourage better journalism? What makes for a good story, ethically and technically? How can those who love reading great journalism become great journalists themselves? Zenger House | Biblically Objective Journalism 2025 Winners | Zenger House At Bible Study for the Homeless, a Search for Meaning | The New York Times What I Saw in the Darién Gap | The Atlantic The Border Crisis Won't Be Solved, No Matter Who Wins the Election Heroes and heartbreak: 36 hours of hell in Helene's historic floods A Retiree in California Is Teaching Afghan Women How to Drive | The New York Times ‘I lied about everything’: An NFL player hid his family trauma until he saved them — and himself | The Athletic The Indian Midwi

In this episode, Dan Hugger speaks with Ryan Bourne, R. Evan Scharf Chair for the Public Understanding of Economics, and Alex Nowrasteh, VP for Economic and Social Policy Studies, both at the CATO Institute, about all things DOGE. What does efficiency mean in the context of government? What has DOGE been doing? Is its process as chaotic as it has been portrayed? What are some useful models for understanding DOGE? What will it do in the future?   Subscribe to our podcasts Ryan Bourne | Cato Institute Alex Nowrasteh | Cato Institute Cato Institute Report to the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) | Cato Institute Six Ways to Understand DOGE and Predict Its Future Behavior | Cato at Liberty Blog How Elon Musk Executed His Takeover of the Federal Bureaucracy | The New York Times