Acton Line

Acton Line

Dedicated to the promotion of a free and virtuous society, Acton Line brings together writers, economists, religious leaders, and more to bridge the gap between good intentions and sound economics.

Episodes

June 24, 2026 72 mins
In this episode, Dan Hugger speaks with James M. Patterson, associate professor of public affairs in the Institute of American Civics at the University of Tennessee’s Baker School of Public Policy and Public Affairs and president of the Ciceronian Society, about his and Thomas Howes’s new book, Why Postliberalism Failed. Subscribe to our podcasts Watch this podcast here Why Postliberalism Failed | Patterson...
Listen
Watch
Mark as Played
In this episode, Dan Hugger speaks with John Pinheiro, director of research at the Acton Institute, and Dylan Pahman, research fellow at the Acton Institute and founder and president of the St. Nicholas Cabasilas Institute, about the reception thus far of their new book, The Christian Roots of American Liberty: A Reader. Subscribe to our podcasts Watch this podcast here The Christian Roots of American Liberty: A Reader Chr...
Listen
Watch
Mark as Played
In this episode, Dan Hugger speaks with Ismael Hernandez, founder and president of the Freedom & Virtue Institute, about his book Not Tragically Colored: Freedom, Personhood, and the Renewal of Black America and Rethinking Charity: Restoring Dignity to Poverty Relief. The book explores what people get wrong about charity and the truths about the human person we need to understand before we start rethinking charit...
Listen
Watch
Mark as Played
In this episode, Dan speaks with Dave Hebert, Director of Economics & Economic Freedom and Senior Research Fellow at the American Institute for Economic Research and an affiliate scholar here at the Acton Institute, about the economic impact of the ongoing conflict in Iran—from gas prices to consumer spending. Subscribe to our podcasts Watch this podcast here ⁠Economics Reality Check | Dave Hebert, Substack⁠ If you&rs...
Listen
Watch
Mark as Played
June 1, 2026 13 mins
This month on the Acton Rundown, Dan and Mark chat about upcoming Acton events and new video content. Subscribe to our podcasts Watch this podcast here Why Postliberalism Failed | Patterson & Howes Essays: Can We Moderate a Politicized Church Without Politics? | Stephen O. Presley, Religion & Liberty Magazine Freedom and Responsibility: Seven Takeaways from Magnifica Humanitas | John C. Pinheiro The Economics of Magn...
Listen
Watch
Mark as Played
In this episode, Dan speaks with Dylan Pahman, research fellow at the Acton Institute and founder and president of the St. Nicholas Cabasilas Institute, and Caleb Whitmer, project manager at Acton’s Center for Social Flourishing, about Pope Leo XIV’s first encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, on safeguarding the human person in the time of artificial intelligence. Subscribe to our podcasts Watch this podcast her...
Listen
Watch
Mark as Played
Pope Leo XIV has signaled that artificial intelligence will be a defining concern of his pontificate, with an encyclical expected to address it directly. In this three-part series, the Acton Institute's Dan Hugger sits down with scholars across economics, history, and anthropology to ask what Catholic social teaching has to say about the AI revolution, as well as what an encyclical on AI will need to grapple with. Michael Matheson...
Listen
Watch
Mark as Played
Pope Leo XIV has signaled that artificial intelligence will be a defining concern of his pontificate, with an encyclical expected to address it directly. In this three-part series, the Acton Institute's Dan Hugger sits down with scholars across economics, history, and anthropology to ask what Catholic social teaching has to say about the AI revolution, as well as what an encyclical on AI will need to grapple with. Historian Dr. Jo...
Listen
Watch
Mark as Played
Pope Leo XIV has signaled that artificial intelligence will be a defining concern of his pontificate, with an encyclical expected to address it directly. In this three-part series, the Acton Institute's Dan Hugger sits down with scholars across economics, history, and anthropology to ask what Catholic social teaching has to say about the AI revolution, as well as what an encyclical on AI will need to grapple with. PhD economist an...
Listen
Watch
Mark as Played
Dan Hugger speaks with Anne Bradley, George and Sally Mayer Fellow for Economic Education and vice president of academic affairs at The Fund for American Studies, about the new affordability politics. Subscribe to our podcasts Watch this podcast here The Curious Task of ‘Abundance’ | Anne Bradley Abundance | Klein and Thompson What We Got Right — and Wrong — in ‘Abundance’ | The Ezra Klein S...
Listen
Watch
Mark as Played
In this episode, Dan Hugger speaks with Thomas Howes, editor-in-chief of The Vital Center and lecturer at Princeton University, about his and James Patterson’s forthcoming book, Why Postliberalism Failed. ⁠Subscribe to our podcasts⁠ ⁠Watch this podcast here⁠ ⁠Why Postliberalism Failed | Patterson & Howes⁠ ⁠Why Postliberalism Failed Podcast⁠ If you’d like to support this podcast, you can help by leavin...
Listen
Watch
Mark as Played
In this episode, Dan Hugger speaks with Caleb Whitmer, project manager at the Center for Social Flourishing at the Acton Institute. They discuss Caleb’s essay on the long-developing welfare-fraud scandal in Minnesota, titled “After the Flood in Minnesota,” published at Law & Liberty. The nature and scope of the fraud is unpacked along with some of the underlying approaches to policy and community dynamics...
Listen
Watch
Mark as Played
May 4, 2026 10 mins
This month on the Acton Rundown, Dan and Dylan chat about upcoming Acton events and new video content. The Christian Roots of American Liberty | Pahman and Pinheiro Essays: Persuasion and Propaganda: How Poetry Helps Navigate Politics | J.C. Scharl “Only a Digger”: The Misunderstood Story of the First Christian Socialist | Dylan Pahman Did Anti-Federalists Pass the Religious Test? | John Pinheiro   Video con...
Listen
Watch
Mark as Played
In this episode Dan Hugger speaks with John Pinheiro, director of research at the Acton Institute, and Dylan Pahman, research fellow at the Acton Institute and founder and president of the St. Nicholas Cabasilas Institute, about their new book, The Christian Roots of American Liberty: A Reader. The book is a response to new movements on the right and old prejudices on the left that dismiss the American founding as hopelessly ...
Listen
Watch
Mark as Played
In this episode Dan Hugger speaks with Jeffrey Polet, professor emeritus of political science at Hope College and director of the Ford Leadership Forum at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation. They discuss his review of Gen. Stanley McChrystal's book On Character: Choices That Define a Life, “The Honor of General Stanley McChrystal,” which was published at Religion & Liberty Online. The conversation ...
Listen
Watch
Mark as Played
In this episode, Dan Hugger speaks with Jason Sorens, senior research fellow at the American Institute of Economic Research. They discuss the American housing market, the role of institutional investors in single family housing, the 21st century ROAD to Housing Act, and the path to a future of housing abundance. Subscribe to our podcasts Watch this podcast here Jason Sorens Are Institutions Buying Up Single-Family Homes? | Jaso...
Listen
Watch
Mark as Played
In this episode, Dan Churchwell, Acton’s director for programs and education, talks to Molly Worthen about her new book: “Spellbound: How Charisma Shaped American History from the Puritans to Donald Trump.” Subscribe to our podcasts Watch this podcast here Subscribe to our podcasts Watch this podcast here Acton Lecture Series Who Do We Trust Now? Charisma, Expertise, and the Future of Leadership | Acton Lect...
Listen
Watch
Mark as Played
April 6, 2026 17 mins
This month on the Acton Rundown Dan & Mark chat about upcoming Acton events and new video content. At the Frontiers of Scholasticism: Scientific Method, Innovation, and Economic Reasoning The Christian Roots of American Liberty Essays: Rescuing Souls from the Totalitarian Temptation The Consolation of the Cross When Hitler Was a Moral Compass After the Flood in Minnesota Video content:  Jordan Ballor Expounds ...
Listen
Watch
Mark as Played
In this episode Dan Hugger speaks with Daniel Darling, director of the Land Center for Cultural Engagement at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and fellow at the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention. They discuss his latest book, In Defense of Christian Patriotism, published by Broadside Books. The conversation explores why patriotism needs defending today, why Christians ar...
Listen
Watch
Mark as Played
In this episode, Dan Hugger speaks with Josh Herring, professor of humanities and classical education at Thales College. They discuss Josh’s new book, Sons of Adam, Daughters of Eve: C.S. Lewis’s Images of Gender, published by the Davenant Institute. Is it fair to describe Lewis as a gender theorist? Why should we turn to Lewis in times of gender trouble? How does his consideration of gender diverge from cont...
Listen
Watch
Mark as Played

Popular Podcasts

    Betrayal Weekly is back for a new season. Every Thursday, Betrayal Weekly shares first-hand accounts of broken trust, shocking deceptions, and the trail of destruction they leave behind. Hosted by Andrea Gunning, this weekly ongoing series digs into real-life stories of betrayal and the aftermath. From stories of double lives to dark discoveries, these are cautionary tales and accounts of resilience against all odds. From the producers of the critically acclaimed Betrayal series, Betrayal Weekly drops new episodes every Thursday. If you would like to share your story, you can reach out to the Betrayal Team by emailing them at betrayalpod@gmail.com and follow us on Instagram at @betrayalpod and @glasspodcasts. Please join our Substack for additional exclusive content, curated book recommendations, and community discussions. Sign up FREE by clicking this link Beyond Betrayal Substack. Join our community dedicated to truth, resilience, and healing. Your voice matters! Be a part of our Betrayal journey on Substack.

    Stuff You Should Know

    If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.

    The Bobby Bones Show

    Listen to 'The Bobby Bones Show' by downloading the daily full replay.

    Crime Junkie

    Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by Audiochuck Media Company.

    The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show

    The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show. Clay Travis and Buck Sexton tackle the biggest stories in news, politics and current events with intelligence and humor. From the border crisis, to the madness of cancel culture and far-left missteps, Clay and Buck guide listeners through the latest headlines and hot topics with fun and entertaining conversations and opinions.

Advertise With Us
Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2026 iHeartMedia, Inc.

  • Help
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • AdChoicesAd Choices