Exploring Orthodoxy?

Prayers for the Departed

Frederica responds to a question about purgatory and explains why the Orthodox pray for the dead.

Call No Man Father

Fr. Thomas addresses a listener question on the often misunderstood admonition in the Gospel of Matthew to call no man father.

Jesus - Our Redeemer

What does it mean to say that we are "bought with a price"? Fr. Tom talks about redemption and how Christ has "purchased us" with his own blood or Life.

From Pentecostal to Orthodox

Frederica interviews Dn. Barnabas Powell, the former pastor of a Pentecostal church, about his conversion to Orthodoxy.

Iconography, Iconoclasm, and the Theology of Personhood

On a new Ancient Faith Presents, Fr. Anthony Michaels, priest at St. John Chrysostom Antiochian Orthodox Church in Fort Wayne, Indiana, speaks at the Fall Diocesan Meeting of the Antiochian Diocese of Toledo. The lecture is titled "Iconography, Iconoclasm, and the Theology of Personhood."

The Wrath Of God - Part 2

Fr. Thomas continues to get listener feedback on his teaching on God's wrath. In this follow-up lesson, he explores further how the Scriptures and the Fathers express this difficult concept as compared to the hellenistic and platonic views sometimes expressed through history.

The Wrath Of God

Fr. Tom Hopko addresses an issue that he gets the most email about - how are we to understand the wrath of God and how does it relate to our salvation?

Fr. Peter Gillquist - Journey to Orthodoxy

With a touching introduction by Paul Finley, Fr. Peter tells the story of his conversion to Christ and eventually to the Orthodox Church.

Mother Galina - Journey to Orthodoxy

Hear the journey of an Orthodox nun who came to Orthodoxy from a background of drugs and alcohol.

Are You Saved?

Sermon on the Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost (I Corinthians 15:1-11; Matthew 19:16-26)

The Heritage of St. Paul in Orthodox Spirituality - Part 2

Special extended-length broadcast (26 min.): part 2 of 2.

This week we broadcast the second half of our lecture on the heritage of St Paul in Orthodoxy, given recently in Manchester, UK, to a largely non-Orthodox audience. In this portion, Fr Matthew focuses on St. Paul’s injunction to "pray without ceasing," and explores the manner in which this is lived out in the Prayer of the Heart and experiential life of Orthodox Christianity throughout history.

The Heritage of St. Paul in Orthodox Spirituality - Part 1

Special extended-length broadcast; part 1 of 2.

In this first half of a lecture recorded live in commemoration of the "Pauline Year," celebrating 2,000 years since the birth of the Apostle, Fr. Dcn. Matthew explores the heritage of the great missionary saint in Orthodoxy. Drawing connections to Elder Joseph the Hesychast of Mount Athos, St Symeon the New Theologian, and other great figures of the Orthodox tradition, this first portion of the lecture addresses questions of conversion and relationship, and how St Paul’s example is at the heart of living Orthodox Tradition.

Eastern Orthodoxy and Evangelical Protestantism: A Dialogue

On February 19, 2009, the Wheaton College Diversity Committee hosted a dialogue in Wheaton, Illinois, between Dr. Bradley Nassif, an Orthodox professor of biblical and theological studies at North Park University, and Dr. George Kalantzis, an Evangelical professor of theology at Wheaton College. Each speaker was asked to defend the merits of his particular theological perspective.

Orthodoxy and Salvation

In this episode we explore the Orthodox view Salvation.

The Role of the Monastic

Today Frederica is at the Hermitage of the Holy Cross in Wayne, WV with her guest Fr. Seraphim. Who should be a Monk and how does the monastic life contribute to the salvation of us all?

Scripture and Tradition - Part 3: Tradition

What do Orthodox Christians say about Tradition and how does that compare with Roman Catholic and Evangelical assumptions?

Scripture and Tradition - Part 2: Proof Texts

Dn. Michael continues exploring the role of Scripture in the Orthodox Church and examines common proof texts used to defend Sola Scriptura - a premise that is not so much erroneous as it is impossible.

Scripture and Tradition - Part 1: Presuppositions

In his first podcast, Dn. Michael tackles the question of Sola Scriptura and the Tradition of the Church.

Orthodoxy: Christianity, Just Harder

Interviews and arguments, struggles and slogans, one thing's certain: Orthodoxy ain't easy -- and that's no small thing. Or, is it?

As the Apostles Taught: How Orthodoxy understands apostolic succession.

In this edition Kevin tackles the tricky question of which Christian tradition can authentically claim "apostolic succession", with historian, theologian, author and Dean of St Vladimir's Orthodox Theological seminary, Fr John Behr.

Salvation in the New Testament

Monday morning began with a Bible study with Fr. Jon Braun exploring the use of the word "saved" in the New Testament.

New To Orthodoxy? Listen To This First

Dn. Michael Hyatt is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Thomas Nelson Publishers, the largest Christian publishing company in the world and the sixth largest trade book publishing company in the U.S.
Dn. Mike and his wife, Gail have been married for 30 years. They have five daughters and two grand daughters and live outside of Nashville, Tennessee.
He is a member of St. Ignatius Orthodox Church in Franklin, Tennessee, where he has been a member for 24 years. In a recent catechism class, Dn. Michael reflected on 10 things he wishes he had known before his first visit to an Orthodox Church.

From Classic Evangelicalism to Orthodoxy

In this encore presentation of The Illumined Heart, hear the story of John Maddex who, along with his wife Tonya, found the Orthodox Church after nearly 40 years in Evangelical Christian radio.

Saved

Are you saved? A familiar question if you come from evangelical background but what does it mean to an Orthodox Christian?

From Mennonite to Orthodox

Frederica is in the 4th floor apartment of a friend who recently came to Orthodoxy from the Mennonite church and participated in an excursion to the middle east with a group intent on apologizing to eastern faiths for the Crusades.

The Veneration of Mary and the Saints in the Holy Tradition

Today we’re going to be talking about the veneration of Mary and the Saints in the Holy Tradition. This topic is often misunderstood and can be a stumbling block for inquirers. Our guest is Father Patrick Henry Reardon, Pastor of All Saints Antiochian Orthodox Church in Chicago, Illinois, Sr. Editor of Touchstone Magazine and author of "Christ in the Saints".

The Authority of Scripture

A talk by Reader Christopher Orr, born and raised Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran and received into Orthodoxy in 2001. He is an associate at Heidrick and Struggles, an executive search and leadership consulting firm.

A Tour of an Orthodox Church

It is said that if you are familiar with the book of Revelation you will feel right at home in an Orthodox Church. The interior of the Church is modeled after the vision of St. John, who on the Lord's Day in worship, sees the heavenly worship he is participating in here on earth. The 'sacred space' of the Church building is the joining of us who are still 'in the world but not of it' to those who are before the altar of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world in the Heavenly Jerusalem in eternity. This is not mere symbolism, but the mystical reality of the communion of the saints spoken of in Hebrews 12. Steve and Bill give an 'audio tour' of an Orthodox Church building and talk about the meaning of the things that you will see beginning from entering the doors from the west parking lot to the easternmost back wall behind the altar.

Scholasticism and Theology: The Difference Between East and West

What accounts for the differences between the Eastern and Western churches? Many things of course, but primarily the development in the West - through those such as Anselm and Aquinas - of an emphasis on human reason and intellect in the pursuit of theological understanding. Returning briefly to our discussion of Rome and the Eastern Church, we contrast rationalism with the Eastern tradition that bows to the Mystery of the Incomprehensible, that proclaims that "theologians" are pure in heart through love of God (the eastern Church grants the title of Theologian to only three Saints in all of Church History), and we begin to see how steeped our modern culture and we ourselves are in scholastic thinking.

Rome, Petrine Doctrine and the Orthodox Tradition

Continuing with our discussion about Eastern Orthodox ecclesiology, we turn to the question of what happened to the One, Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church in the first centuries following the death of the Apostles, and specifically the relationship between the Eastern Churches and the Church at Rome. Contrasting the Petrine Doctrine and the conduct of Roman Bishops with that of the Eastern Bishops through the Seven Ecumenical Councils and the first millenium, we find that the collegial model was maintained as it had begun in Acts 15, and that Rome, despite certain attempts to exert universal authority over the Churches, was subject to the Councils and their declarations.

Answering Objections to Apostolic Succession

We continue our discussion of apostolic succession by examining some common objections given by Protestants - found in a sermon outline published on Calvin College's CCEL Historical Church document site. It becomes clear that for Protestants, reaction against apostolic succession is not based on solid Biblical or historical grounds, but rather on the need to question and reject the authority of Rome (papal and magisterial) and its excesses, which are not necessarily a part of the Eastern Orthodox Tradition.

Understanding The Virgin Mary - Part 3

First Visit to an Orthodox Church: 12 Things I Wish I’d Known - Part 4

Closed Communion: 12 Things I Wish I’d Known - Part 3

Frederica Matthewes-Green

First Visit to an Orthodox Church: 12 Things I Wish I’d Known - Part 2

First Visit to an Orthodox Church: 12 Things I Wish I’d Known - Part 1

Understanding The Virgin Mary - Part 2

Understanding The Virgin Mary - Part 1

Liturgical Worship in the New Testament

Icons and the Theology of Light, the Orthodox View of Salvation - Part 2

Icons and the Theology of Light, the Orthodox View of Salvation - Part 1

Holy Tradition and Holy Scripture

An interview with Fr. Chris Salamy

Icons in the Orthodox Faith - Part 2

Icons in the Orthodox Faith - Part 1