Acton Line

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Ismael Hernandez: Rethinking Charity Sep 04, 2024

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Too much of the conversation about poverty, whether in government, among social service providers, or in churches, is animated by highly emotional conventions, trite melodramatic comparisons, and comfortable ideological clichés, says Ismael Hernandez.

But how can we change this? How can we do better? In his new book, “Rethinking Charity: Restoring Dignity to Poverty Relief,” Ismael looks at the practical work of authentic poverty relief. The point is to see the poor not as nameless victims but as free, responsible, and creative image-bearers who possess a value far greater than their need.

On today’s episode, Caleb Whitmer, the Acton Center for Social Flourishing project manager, talks to Ismael about his new book, the current state of global charity, and the value of every person.

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Rethinking Charity: Restoring Dignity to Poverty Relief

Principled Entrepreneurship with a Commitment to the Social Good Aug 28, 2024

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For this episode of Acton Line, we’re bringing you one of the plenary talks from Acton University 2024. In this talk, Dr. Umi Waheeda, co-founder of the Al Ashriyyah Nurul Iman Islamic boarding school in West Java, Indonesia, shares her journey of transforming lives through education and entrepreneurship. Founded in 1998 during the Indonesian riots, the school provides free education, meals, accommodation, and health services to over 15,000 children, supported by 65 student-run business units. Dr. Waheeda discusses the challenges she faced after her husband's death, her innovative approach to self-sustainability, and her vision of creating entrepreneurs who are job creators rather than job seekers. Her story is a powerful testament to the impact of combining principled entrepreneurship with a commitment to the social good.

Acton University is the Acton Institute’s flagship conference, focused on building the foundations of human freedom and exploring the intersection of faith and free markets. To learn more about Acton University, please visit university.acton.org. And to find additional content from previous Acton Universities, visit ondemand.acton.org.

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Acton University

Acton On-Demand

Heterodox Academy

Richard Nixon's Faith Aug 21, 2024

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In this episode, Dan Hugger speaks with Daniel Silliman, historian and news editor for Christianity Today, about his new book, One Lost Soul: Richard Nixon’s Search for Salvation. Silliman argues that Nixon’s life was framed by a fundamentally theological struggle: He wanted to be loved by God but couldn’t figure out how. From an idiosyncratic Quaker childhood, to an explicitly modernist youth and final embrace of a Cold War Christianity, did the president ever find the grace he craved?

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One Lost Soul | Daniel Silliman

He Told Richard Nixon to Confess | Daniel Silliman, Christianity Today

How Christian fiction shaped a culture and a faith | Acton Line

Faith and the Future of Philanthropy Aug 14, 2024

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In this episode, Acton’s director of research, John Pinheiro, speaks to Jeremy Beer from Acton University 2024 about the definition of philanthropy, the importance of philanthropy today, and why finding a way to connect identities is the key to success.

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Jeremy Beer | AmPhil

Acton University

Acton On-Demand

Potential Truths in Anti-Liberal Ideologies Aug 07, 2024

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In this episode, Acton director of marketing and communications Eric Kohn talks to Kevin Vallier about his book “All the Kingdoms of the World,” the conversations he’s had with young college students interested in ideas like Catholic integralism and post-liberalism, and where he thinks movements rooted in those ideas are at today.

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Acton University

Kevin Vallier

All the Kingdoms of the World

The Rise and Fall of American Integralism | The Dispatch

Universities in a Free Society Jul 31, 2024

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In today’s episode, we bring you one of the plenary talks from Acton University 2024. Here Dr. John Tomasi, a distinguished political philosopher and president of Heterodox Academy, delves into the critical role played by universities in supporting a free society.

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Acton University

Acton On-Demand

Heterodox Academy

Acton's Emerging Leaders Jul 24, 2024

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Each summer, the Acton Institute welcomes a cohort of students to Grand Rapids, Michigan, as part of our Emerging Leaders Program. This leadership-development program is not your typical internship. Students from across the United States and around the globe get to participate in eight weeks of seminars, networking, and Acton events to develop professional experience, grow their network, and go deeper into the ideas of a free and virtuous society.

In this episode, Noah Gould, Acton alumni and student programs manager, talks to three Emerging Leaders about how they found Acton, how they’ve spent their summer, and how they’ll take what they’ve learned into their future vocations.

Emerging Leaders Program

The Constitution Is Still the Answer Jul 17, 2024

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Common ground is hard to find in today’s politics. In a society teeming with irreconcilable political perspectives, many people have grown frustrated under a system of government that constantly demands compromise. More and more Americans on both the right and the left have come to blame the Constitution for the resulting discord.

But the Constitution is not the problem; it’s the solution, says Yuval Levin in his new book, American Covenant: How the Constitution Unified Our Nation—And Could Again.

In today’s episode, Acton director of marketing and communications Eric Kohn talks to Yuval about his new book, the constitution, and how a proper understanding of our system of government can heal our broken politics.

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American Covenant | Basic Books

Yuval Levin | American Enterprise Institute

Economic Potpourri Jul 10, 2024

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In this episode, Eric Kohn, Acton’s director of marketing and communications, sits down with financial expert David Bahnsen to discuss the current state of the American and global economies, where inflation is at, and the role of the Federal Reserve.

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Acton University

Acton On-Demand

Full-Time: Work and the Meaning of Life | David Bahnsen

Fighting for Freedom with Renato Moicano Jul 03, 2024

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In the 34-year history of the Acton Institute, never have we had an opportunity to combine Ludwig Von Mises and the Austrian school of economics with mixed martial arts. That is, until Renato Moicano presented us with just that opportunity at Acton University 2024.

Hailing from Brazil, Renato has been a professional MMA fighter since 2010 and currently competes in the lightweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Rather than boasting about himself after a match in April, he took the opportunity to express his enthusiasm for the U.S. Constitution, private property, the Second Amendment—and then gave a shout-out to Ludwig Von Mises and the Austrian school of economics.

After this viral clip caught our attention, we welcomed Renato to Acton University 2024 for a conversation with Acton’s co-founder and president emeritus, Fr. Robert Sirico. In this episode, we bring you that conversation.

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