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Acton Line

Acton Institute
Acton Institute
Acton University
Artificial Intelligence
Christianity
Jimmy Lai
Poverty
Economics
Hong Kong
Religious Freedom
Education
Conservatism
Higher Education
American Politics
Catholic Social Teaching
Human Dignity
Ethics
Interfaith Dialogue
Emerging Leaders Program
Religion and Liberty
Christian Education

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.

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes590Founded10 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Society & CultureReligion & Spirituality

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Artwork for Acton Line

Latest Episodes

In this episode, Dan Hugger speaks with Samuel Gregg, President of the American Institute for Economic Research and an affiliate scholar here at the Acton Institute, about his new book, The Civilization of Commerce: Invisible Hands and the Pursuit of... more

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In this episode, Dan Hugger speaks with Paulo Ghedini, founder and president of the Christian Libertarian Institute, about the state of the liberty movement in Brazil and the need for an explicitly Christian case for liberty to be made there.

Instit... more

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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 his white paper "Why Detroit... more

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In this episode, Dan Hugger speaks with Stephen Barrows, chief operating officer of the Acton Institute, about Bill Gate’s essay “An epochal shift: The turbulent AI era is here. The choices we make now are critical.”

"An epochal shift: The turbulent... more

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Recent Guests

Paulo Ghedini
Founder and president of the Christian Libertarian Institute (Brazil's first think tank defending liberty from biblical foundations)
Christian Libertarian Institute
Episode: Paulo Ghedini on Religion & Liberty in Brazil
William J. Haun
Senior Counsel at the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty; non-resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute
Becket Fund for Religious Liberty; American Enterprise Institute
Episode: William Haun Explains How and Why the Catholic Church is a Perfect Society
Stephanie Slade
Senior editor at Reason Magazine and Acton Institute fellow
Reason Magazine / Acton Institute
Episode: Stephanie Slade Is Contending for a Conservative Return to Fusionist Roots
David L. Bahnsen
Founder, managing partner, and chief investment officer of the Bahnsen Group
Bahnsen Group
Episode: David Bahnsen on the Past, Present, and Future of Dividend Growth Investing
Stephen Barrows
Chief Operating Officer at Acton Institute; Economist
Acton Institute
Episode: Stephen Barrows on the Fertility Crisis and the Economics of More Children
Luke Burgis
Writer and entrepreneur; founder of the Cluny Institute; professor at the Catholic University of America
The Cluny Institute; Catholic University of America
Episode: Luke Burgis on Forming Solid Selves in an Age of Social Contagion
Marcel van Hattem
Brazilian politician, journalist, and political scientist
Federal representative in Rio Grande do Sul
Episode: Marcel van Hattem Upholds Free Speech in Brazil
Joshua Sprinkle
Rising senior at Wheaton College; Emerging Leaders Program participant
Acton Institute / Wheaton College
Episode: Acton's Emerging Leaders Program with Abigail Buritica and Joshua Sprinkle
Abby Burtica
Rising senior at Grove City College; Emerging Leaders Program participant
Acton Institute / Grove City College
Episode: Acton's Emerging Leaders Program with Abigail Buritica and Joshua Sprinkle

Hosts

Mark Townsend
Producer and host associated with Acton Line and Acton Institute; often leads segments and introductions.
Dan Hugger
Editorial and Research Fellow at the Acton Institute; guides discussions and helps shape episode questions.
Julia LaGrand
Emerging Leader and host; participates in Emerging Leaders Program interviews and program-related discussions.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 269 ratings
  • Beatles

    The only thing missing from the excellent Beatles episode was a discussion of Brian Epstein and his crucial role as manager.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    stegj
    United States4 years ago
  • Well produced and thoughtful podcast that features interviews on a wide variety of topics: culture, economics, science, theology, technology, psychology, etc. Comes from the perspective of the intelligent Christian right. Good podcast content and the length makes it easy to get through an episode during my commute.

    Podcast Addict
    datadriven
    4 years ago
  • Well produced and thoughtful podcast that features interviews on a wide variety of topics: culture, economics, science, theology, technology, psychology, etc. Comes from the perspective of the intelligent Christian right. Good podcast content and the length makes it easy to get through an episode during my commute.

    Podcast Addict
    5
    datadriven
    4 years ago
  • Daring and humble - A positive path forward

    Fearless in taking on controversial topics, but in a kind and thoughtful way. I love the emphasis on virtue, and the ideas on how to navigate our society and promote democracy.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    LisafromtheMidwest
    United States4 years ago
  • Captivating and arousing episodes!

    There are few institutions that so faithfully promote the free and virtuous society. This podcast unpacks the big questions and tensions that surround this society.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    NtwaliB
    United States4 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

High-quality guests and in-depth analysis—great for fans of ideas with substance
Hosts bring respect and civility to controversial topics
Consistently informative with a focus on virtue and public life
Thoughtful, balanced and clear discussions that illuminate big ideas

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Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Paulo Ghedini on Religion & Liberty in Brazil
Q: How did you first encounter libertarianism and how did it grab your interests?
I became familiar with the libertarian idea while living in the US during the 2012 elections; Ron Paul and the Mises Institute sparked my interest, and I later discovered libertarian Christian circles that helped me reconcile faith with libertarian philosophy.
Dave Hebert on How Pittsburgh Beat Detroit to Economic Renewal
Q: What made Pittsburgh more adaptable than Detroit in the long run?
Pittsburgh had a more diversified economic base—healthcare, universities, and technology—along with a steel sector that did not rely exclusively on one industry. This allowed the city to pivot away from steel reliance when needed and attract investment in other sectors, whereas Detroit remained overly dependent on autos and related manufacturing, making it harder to adjust when those industries faced global competition.
Dave Hebert on How Pittsburgh Beat Detroit to Economic Renewal
Q: What are the protectionist measures you identify beyond tariffs, and how did they affect Detroit and Pittsburgh differently?
Protectionist measures include labor contracts under the Treaty of Detroit, which locked in higher wages, pensions, and union membership, making Detroit's auto industry more expensive relative to foreign competitors; eminent domain rewrites that favored big projects like Poletown; and targeted subsidies and mega-tax credits that extended through decades, shaping labor costs and investment incentives. Detroit's rigid labor costs and policy-driven protections amplified fragility, while Pittsburgh benefited from a diversified economy and fewer heavy-handed protections.
William Haun Explains How and Why the Catholic Church is a Perfect Society
Q: What are the practical implications for American society if Catholics reclaim this institutional identity?
Reclaiming the institutional identity could strengthen religious formation, improve public life through authentically Catholic institutions like schools and charities, and offer a more robust vocabulary for religious liberty that goes beyond personal expression to include the role of religious bodies in forming citizens and shaping public policy.
Kevin Vallier Makes the Christian Case for Using AI Well
Q: Could you explain in simple terms what large language models are and how they work?
They are highly sophisticated autocomplete systems trained on huge amounts of text; they predict the next token in a sequence and improve through reinforcement signals, leading to powerful but sometimes unpredictable behavior.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Acton Line

What is Acton Line about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Acton Line consistently explores the interplay between free-market principles, virtue, religion, and public policy through conversations with scholars, policymakers, and emerging leaders. Episodes frequently center on historical foundations of liberty, approaches to poverty and social flourishing, and practical implications of Catholic social teaching in contemporary economics. A distinctive angle is the integration of faith-informed perspectives with secular policy debate, often featuring emerging leaders from the Acton Institute's programs and guests who bring deep historical or theological context to modern economic and political questions. This combination makes it useful for listeners wanting thoughtful, principled takes on economics, ... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Acton Line?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Acton Line:

1. Capital Record
2. First Things Podcast
3. The Thomistic Institute
4. Uncommon Knowledge
5. GLoP Culture

How many episodes of Acton Line are there?

Acton Line launched 10 years ago and published 590 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Acton Line?

Recent guests on Acton Line include:

1. Paulo Ghedini
2. William J. Haun
3. Stephanie Slade
4. David L. Bahnsen
5. Stephen Barrows
6. Luke Burgis
7. Marcel van Hattem
8. Joshua Sprinkle

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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