Acton Lecture Series

Communism took power in Cuba through deceit and intrigue in 1959. While Fidel Castro denied he was a communist, promising to restore democracy in the island, he began consolidating totalitarian rule and exporting revolution in Latin America and Africa.  As the totalitarian dictatorship became evident, Cuba's democratic resistance defied the Castro regime in two phases: 1959-1966 (violent resistance) and 1976 - present (non-violent resistance). US Cuba policy would undergo dramatic changes between 1959 and the present with consequences for the entire hemisphere.  In this episode, we're bringing you a presentation that was delivered as part of the 2018 Acton Lecture Series featuring John Suarez as he explores Cuba’s history and looks to its future in this address. Bio | John Suarez  Center for a FREE Cuba  Cuba Libre: Protestors call for an end to communism and oppression  How global leaders used COVID-19 to restrict religious liberty  Acton Lecture Series  Acton Institute Events Podcast  Hosted on Acast. See

For decades, the race to space was the domain of the state.  Today space is rapidly becoming commercialized, opening vast opportunities for entrepreneurs.  The commercialization of space also brings challenges.      In this episode, we're bringing you a panel discussion featuring Daniel Britt, PhD., Joel Sercel, PhD., and Paul Stimers, PhD., that was delivered as part of Acton University Online 2021. The discussion was moderated by Stephen Barrows, PhD., Managing Director of Programs here at the Acton Institute.   This panel celebrates the role of the new space entrepreneurs and discusses the legal and philosophical principles which should underlie humanity’s shift from space exploration to industrialization and settlement.   Bio | Daniel Britt, Ph.D.  Bio | Joel Sercel, Ph.D.  Bio | R. Paul Stimers, JD  Bio | Stephen Barrows, Ph.D.  Acton Line | Joel Sercel on the ethics of space exploration  Acton Institute PowerBlog | The stewardship of space  Acton Lecture Series  Acton Institute Events Podcast  Hosted

In January 1982, Marina Nemat, then just sixteen years old, was arrested, tortured, and sentenced to death for political crimes. Until then, her life in Tehran had centered around school, summer parties at the lake, and her crush on Andre, the young man she had met at church. But when math and history were subordinated to the study of the Koran and political propaganda, Marina protested. Her teacher replied, "If you don't like it, leave." She did, and, to her surprise, other students followed. Soon she was arrested with hundreds of other youths who had dared to speak out, and they were taken to the notorious Evin prison in Tehran. Two guards interrogated her. One beat her into unconsciousness; the other, Ali, fell in love with her. Sentenced to death for refusing to give up the names of her friends, she was minutes from being executed when Ali, using his family connections to Ayatollah Khomeini, plucked her from the firing squad and had her sentence reduced to life in prison. But he exacted a shocking price f

Saul Alinsky might be called the "anti-Acton". As Lord Acton warned that power corrupts, Saul Alinsky, the father of modern "community organizing", rejoiced that corruption empowers. Decades after Alinsky's death his ideas and teaching continue to shape the American political and social landscape. This lecture given by Joseph A. Morris, President of The Lincoln Legal Foundation, supplies an overview of Alinksy's thinking and shows its application in current events. This presentation was delivered as part of the 2010 Acton Lecture Series. Although this lecture was 11 years ago, the influence of Alinksy’s writings are more dominant now in our political culture than ever before.  The Heartland Institute - Joseph A. Morris  Events | Acton Institute  The roots of radicals' rage  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we're bringing you a presentation that was delivered as part of the 2021 Acton Lecture Series featuring Dr. Carl Trueman on his book The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self. In this timely work, he explores the development of the sexual revolution as a symptom—rather than the cause—of the human search for identity. Trueman surveys the past, brings clarity to the present, and gives guidance for the future as Christians navigate the culture in humanity’s ever-changing quest for identity. Book: The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self  Why the Market Needs the Family  The libertine road to serfdom – Acton Institute PowerBlog  What do the Cold War and the Sexual Revolution have in common?  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The greatest civilization of ancient times expired more than 1,500 years ago but the lessons to be learned from its experience are eternal. In this lecture, Lawrence W. Reed focuses on the Roman Republic—the key features, personalities and events that defined its rise as well as those that caused its decay in the First Century B.C. into an imperial autocracy. Many of the trends of our day echo those of the ancient Republic, which make its lessons all the more relevant, even pressing, for us now. Reed became president of the Foundation for Economic Education in 2008. Prior to that, he was founder and president of the Mackinac Center for Public Policy in Midland, Michigan. He also taught economics and chaired the department of economics at Northwood University in Michigan from 1977 to 1984. He holds a B.A. in economics from Grove City College and an M.A. in history from Slippery Rock State University. Foundation for Economic Education The History of Freedom in Antiquity  Romenomics: How to understand the presen

In this episode, we're bringing you a presentation that was delivered as part of the 2021 Acton Lecture Series featuring Jessica Hooten Wilson speaking on Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn and his fight against propaganda using art to force "even an opposing heart to surrender." Through fiction, Solzhenitsyn provides a way to love our so-called enemies, encourage conversation rather than silencing, and, even when all appears despairing, open the door to hope. Solzhenitsyn: Prophet to America Solzhenitsyn's advice to the free world Solzhenitsyn: Freedom's habits and hindrances Alexander Solzhenitsyn - Religion & Liberty Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, the dragon slayer Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we bring you an Acton Lecture featuring Dr. Patrick Gerry as he addresses the false promise of big government.  The debate over the size and scope of the federal government has raged since the New Deal. So why have opponents of big government so rarely made political headway? Because they fail to address the fundamental issue. Patrick Garry is a law professor with a Ph.D. in constitutional history. He has testified before Congress on constitutional issues and is a contributor to The Oxford Companion to the U.S. Supreme Court. He is the author of numerous constitutional law books, including Wrestling With God: The Court's Tortuous Treatment of Religion and An Entrenched Legacy: How the New Deal Constitutional Revolution Continues to Shape the Role of the Supreme Court. Is big government a near occasion of sin? Fearing Big Government  Class warriors for big government Rev. Sirico: The dangers of accepting government money, even in a crisis   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more info

Beginning with a conversation prompted by African American scholars like Dr. Alvin Poussaint of Harvard Medical School, to the current Black Lives Matter movement, there has been much debate about what led to the death of George Floyd as well as other systemic challenges that undermine black thriving.  Anthony Bradley provides a distinctly Christian perspective on what is needed for black communities to thrive from within. In addition to the social and structural issues that must be addressed, within black communities there are opportunities for social change based on God's vision for human flourishing.  Although the Black Lives Matter movement keeps the church on the margins, Bradley believes that enduring change cannot happen without the church and other civil-society institutions. Why do black lives matter? Black Marriage Matters The rise of the black entrepreneur: A new force for economic and moral leadership  How Christians should think about racism and police brutality  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/p

On June 17th, 1997, United States Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonin Scalia delivered the keynote address at the Acton Institute's 7th Annual Anniversary dinner. His remarks were entitled "On Interpreting the Constitution."   Justice Scalia was arguably the Supreme Court’s most famous originalist in interpreting the Constitution. Scalia was equally known for using a textualist approach to statutory interpretation of the law.   Back when he gave this address, originalism and textualism were essentially synonymous. Today however, there is a clear distinction between the two. Originalism is the interpretation of the Constitution as it would have been understood when it was first adopted. Textualism is the idea that what the text says, is simply the law.    According to Scalia, the constitution is static - it cannot change and should not be open to discussion surrounding historical or present inquiries.   This approach directly opposes the idea that the Constitution is a living document which should adapt to

Today, we’re bringing you a conversation from our recent Business Matters 2021 conference. Business Matters brought together leading experts and CEOs to address some of the most critical issue and biggest challenges facing businesses in these volatile times. Between the COVID-19 pandemic, civil unrest, and political turmoil, we have seldom seen a more uncertain time for our businesses and for the world. Business leaders are being tested by switching to remote work, closing and reopening offices, adjusting to the changing needs of clients, laying off employees, and preparing for policy changes under a new presidential administration. This conversation – featuring Amway’s Doug DeVos, Brian Hooks of Stand Together, and dean of the Busch School of Business at The Catholic University of America Andrew Abela – will discuss the timeless principles that are needed to confront these challenging times.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we’re bringing you an Acton Lecture Series event from December of 2016, featuring Ilya Shapiro speaking on judicial abdication and the growth of government. Ilya Shapiro is the director of the Robert A. Levy Center for Constitutional Studies at the Cato Institute and publisher of the Cato Supreme Court Review. In this discussion, Shapiro recounts the fight for the Supreme Court during the 2016 presidential campaign and how that battle crystalized the importance of judges' both having the right constitutional theories and being willing to enforce them.  According to Shapiro, too much "restraint" — like Chief Justice Roberts in the Obamacare cases — has led to the unchecked growth of government, toxic judicial confirmation battles, and even our current populist moment. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we’re bringing you the most recent presentation from our Acton Lecture Series program, featuring the recipient of the Acton Institute’s 2020 Novak Award, Dr. Gregory Collins. Named after distinguished American theologian Michael Novak, this honor rewards new, outstanding scholarly research concerning the relationship between religion, economic freedom, and a free and virtuous society. It recognizes those scholars early in their academic career who demonstrate outstanding intellectual merit in advancing the understanding of theology’s connection to human dignity, the importance of the rule of law, limited government, religious liberty, and freedom in economic life. Gregory M. Collins is a Postdoctoral Associate and Lecturer in the Program on Ethics, Politics, and Economics at Yale University. His book on Edmund Burke’s economic thought, Commerce and Manners in Edmund Burke’s Political Economy, was published by Cambridge University Press in 2020 and has already garnered significant attention in

Today, we’re bringing you a presentation from our Acton Lecture Series program from January 2020 with Adam MacLeod, professor of law at Faulkner University, explaining the rise of morality in public discourse. According to MacLeod, our most contentious controversies today are moral. Political neutrality has failed. We disagree not only about questions of efficiency and democracy but also about what is right to do and who we are becoming as a people. We have not yet understood the implications of this shift in public reasoning from discourse about political ideals to debates about moral imperatives. To disagree well and to flourish together despite our differences, we need to understand the sources of our moral ideas.  MacLeod’s lecture examines the roots of our disagreement and advances a proposal for doing difference well. We can preserve civil liberties and pluralism by grounding rights in moral reasons, which provide a more secure foundation for civil rights. Adam MacLeod - Faulkner University Upcoming Act

On December 2nd, 2020, the economist Walter E. Williams passed away at the age of 84. Williams worked his way out of grinding poverty in the Philadelphia housing projects to chair George Mason University’s economics department. Over his career he authored 10 books and more than 150 other publications, and become one of the most recognized commentators on our American public life of the last four decades. Williams spread his message of racial equality, the dignity of work, and the morality of capitalism through his syndicated newspaper column, PBS documentaries, and frequent radio and TV appearances. Today, we feature a presentation that Dr. Williams gave in 1994 for the Institute’s Acton Lecture Series, discussing the legitimate role of government in a free society. A quick heads up: as we mentioned, this audio is from 1994. Our production team has done a lot of work to clean it up, but in the beginning of the talk Dr. Williams’ audio is very faint. Rather than cut out the beginning of his remarks, we’ve left

In this Acton Lecture Series program from December 3rd, 2020, founder of the Grand Rapids Center for Community Transformation Justin Beene addressed the topic of transformational leadership in a time of crises.  Today’s “new normal” demands authentic leaders who are grounded and yet reflective. Many of us go through life without a rhythm of both reflecting and discerning. Beene discusses how leaders can grow and contribute to the flourishing of our families, organizations, and culture during a time of crises. About Justin Beene Grand Rapids Center for Community Transformation Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this Acton Lecture Series program from November 5, 2020, Acton Institute's Eric Kohn spoke with David French, senior editor at The Dispatch, about the outcomes of the 2020 election and his new book, “Divided We Fall: America's Secession Threat and How to Restore Our Nation.” In “Divided We Fall,” French surveys the landscape of a politically and culturally polarized America, examining the true dimensions and dangers of this widening ideological gap.  Just two days after the 2020 election, French analyzed the impacts the election outcomes (to the extent that they were known) could have on an increasingly divided and tribalistic nation, with each faction believing their distinct cultures and liberties are being threatened by an escalating violent opposition. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It might come as a surprise, but poverty rates in the developing world are dropping dramatically. In fact, economic growth in developing nations has far outpaced the growth of high income countries. Thus, not only has the world experienced a historic reduction in poverty over the last twenty-five years, but global income today is much more equal than at any time in the last 100 years. This event presents the good news about poverty alleviation.This event was co-sponsored by America's Future Foundation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How Republican Senator Arthur Vandenberg forged a consensus that helped make the American Century. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As one of only two presidents to have never formally joined a church, people have wondered just how much Abraham Lincoln himself was under God when he said that the United States should consider itself as such as it strove for a new birth of freedom.However, the Civil War shifted the ground decisively under Lincoln's feet. In the cauldron of war, he discovered that God was not merely a remote force or a faceless universal power, but a personal, intelligent, and willing God who intervened in the affairs of men, to direct them in ways that they could not even begin to imagine.This was a God whom he wanted his nation to be under.==`Allen Guelzo, Ph.D. is the Director of Civil War Era Studies and the Henry R. Luce Professor of the Civil War Era at Gettysburg College in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. During 2017-18, he has served as the Wm L. Garwood Visiting Professor in the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions at Princeton University. He holds the MA and PhD in history from the University of Penn