By Evan Koons As heated talks on immigration flare up and the horrible injustice of the refugee crisis rages in the Middle East, let us renew our minds once more. Let us remember what it means to pursue justice and harmony. Let us truly participate in God’s shalom for the world. These movements of peace require our presence. They require our love, vulnerability, and fearlessness. They require grace and sacrifice. They require hospitality. So let us open our hearts and... Read more
By Joseph Sunde One of the long-running mistakes of the church has been its various confinements of cultural engagement to particular spheres (e.g. churchplace ministry) or selective “uses” (e.g. evangelistic conversion). But even if we manage to broaden the scope of our stewardship — recognizing that God has called us to pursue truth, goodness, and beauty across all spheres of creation — our imaginations will still require a strong injection of the transformative power of Jesus. When we seek God first and... Read more
By Joe Carter In 1958, Leonard Read published his brilliant essay, “I, Pencil.” Read’s original essay was written from the point of view of the pencil and the humble writing implement explains why it is as much a creation of God as a tree. Since only God can make a tree, I insist that only God could make me. Man can no more direct these millions of know-hows to bring me into being than he can put molecules together to create... Read more
By Chris Horst I pushed open the door of Center Court Barbershop and sat down, awaiting my turn. Center Court looked like a proper barbershop should look. Classic swivel chairs lined the mirrors. Longtime patrons, kids and adults alike, chatted about local news. Nobody rushed or hurried, despite the wait. I stopped at Center Court on my way through Indiana, randomly finding it on my route through Wabash, Indiana. My barber, Jeff, recognized I was a first-time guest. We exchanged pleasantries... Read more
By Joseph Sunde Originally written in 1982, Lester DeKoster’s small book,Work: The Meaning of Your Life, has had a tremendous impact on the hearts and minds of many, reorienting our attitudes and amplifying our visions about all that, at first, might seem mundane. More recently, the book’s core thesis was put on display in Acton’s film series, For the Life of the World, particularly in the episode on creative service. Christian’s Library Press has now re-issued the book, complete with new cover art and a hearty new afterword... Read more
By Dylan Pahman In a recent speech in Bolivia, Pope Francis voiced his indictment of what he calls “the globalization of exclusion and indifference.” Speaking of what he believes to be problems universal to Latin America, he wishes, “May the cry of the excluded be heard in Latin America and throughout the world.” But who, I wonder, are they listening to? It is true that the plight of the poor in Latin America can be tragic. Francis shared the harrowing stories he heard... Read more
By Evan Koons Our mailbox keeps on getting filled with letters from you, and all we can say is “thank you, thank you, thank you.” Please keep sending them in! It’s awesome hearing your thoughts and stories, just like in this letter from exile Carolina Hinojosa. She wrote this letter to us after viewing episode two on the Economy of Love. ——— I was caught in an array of emotions after having watched “The Economy of Love.” Knowing that the Trinity... Read more
The Acton Institute recently had the privilege of hosting theologian Wayne Grudem and economist Barry Asmus, who spoke together on the topic of their book, The Poverty of Nations: A Sustainable Solution. The title nods to Adam Smith’s classic The Wealth of Nations, which inquired into what factors led certain nations to prosper. Grudmen and Asmus’s book looks at the flip side of that question: What causes some nations to remain mired in poverty, and what might they do to change their circumstances? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9ao4ya9BKE Read more
By Joseph Sunde With the rise of the information economy, many millennials have steered clear from blue-collar jobs and manual labor, often prodded by their parents to pursue a “real education” and “a better life. As folks like Mike Rowe have only begun to highlight, such attitudes have led to a serious skills gap in the trades, one that appears to hold steady even in the face of record unemployment. Yet despite these cultural shifts, such work does indeed provide significant value to the... Read more
The Acton Institute’s latest film series, For the Life of the World: Letters to the Exiles, was created to help Christians dig deeper into and examine the bigger picture of Christianity’s role in culture, society, and the world. The series is well suited to a variety of settings, whether a college classroom, small group, or church setting. To promote these types of explorations and exchanges, a special Gift Pack version of the series is now available via RightNow Media, an online video library with... Read more
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