I’ve been in Grand Rapids, Michigan attending Acton University, which is a large conference put on by the Acton Institute. There are a few hundred participants, almost all of whom have been flown here by the institute. Many of my fellow attendees are from Africa.
The crux of the program has to do with faith and economics. So far, the programming I’ve seen has been impressive. Jennifer Roback Morse’s presentation on learning to think in economic terms was brilliantly articulated. Jay Richards talked about myths of the market and showed signs of being an emerging think tank rock star.
Acton is influencing “influencers” like graduate students, professors, and clergy and producing impeccable content. Last night I saw their new film The Birth of Freedom, which explored the impact of Christianity on the West. The production values were high. The narrative and visuals were compelling. It could easily be aired on The History Channel or PBS and expect to receive a strong rating.
The Acton Institute is The Christian Think Tank 2.0. I expect to see them develop greater influence and budget very quickly in the years ahead. Check out their blog here.
