SK Food International introduces AncientGrisps to its extensive line of Premium Quality Ingredients.

Will we ever understand how life got started on Earth? We’ve learned much about Earth’s long, multi-billion-year history, but a detailed understanding of how the planet’s atmospheric chemistry evolved still eludes us. At one time, Earth was atmospherically hostile, and its transition from that state to a planet teeming with life followed a complex path. …

Continue reading "Lessons From Ancient Earth’s Atmosphere: From Hostile to Hospitable"

The post Lessons From Ancient Earth’s Atmosphere: From Hostile to Hospitable appeared first on Universe Today.

For the first time, researchers were able to see inside the mummies in the Chicago Field Museum's collections. Their findings paint a more comprehensive picture of ancient Egyptian life

Neil, B J C; Tersmette, D B; Chacko, T; Heaman, L M; Kjarsgaard, B A; Martel, E; Creaser, R A; Pearson, D G; Stern, R A; Dufrane, S A; Luo, Y. Geology vol. 51, no. 6, 2023 p. 597-601, https://doi.org/10.1130/G51110.1
<a href="https://geoscan.nrcan.gc.ca/images/geoscan/20230012.jpg"><img src="https://geoscan.nrcan.gc.ca/images/geoscan/20230012.jpg" title="Geology vol. 51, no. 6, 2023 p. 597-601, https://doi.org/10.1130/G51110.1" height="150" border="1" /></a>

Greece – a land with a glorious past is today faced with many challenges. OM is working with churches, ministering to the Greek and refugees.

Modern radiocarbon dating and advanced gene-sequencing technology have allowed researchers to analyze the remains found.  

Iraqis who grew up under the rule of Saddam Hussein were all familiar with the battle in minute detail

Further excavations may reveal how ancient human populations likely interacted with each other, researchers say

The 1662 Book of Common Prayer of the Church of England (you can download it by clicking the picture to the left or the link below) is still technically the only "official" prayer book of the Church of England, the mother church (for the moment at least) of the Anglican Communion. It itself is the result of more than a century of liturgical development through a turbulent time in British history. Its literary and theological influence is immense; this alone makes it an important document.

Early and medieval Christian literature: Eusebius and Epiphanius Scholasticus, in their Christian histories, place Saracens east of the Gulf of Aqaba but beyond the Roman province of Arabia and mention them as Ishmaelites through Kedar; thus, they are outside the promise given to Abraham and his descendants through Isaac and also therefore, in Christian theology, beyond a privileged place in the family of nations or divine dispensation. The Jews viewed them as pagans and polytheists in ancient times and in later Christian times they became associated with cruel tyrants from early Christian history such as: Herod the Great, Herod Antipas and Agrippa I. Christian writings, such as those by Origen, viewed them as heretics who had to be brought into the orthodox fold. To the Christian Saint Jerome the Arabs, who were also considered in Christian theology as Ishmaelites, were also seen to fit the definition of Saracens; pagan tent-dwelling raiders of the lands on the eastern fringes of the Roman empire. -- The term Saracen carried the connotation of people living on the fringes of settled society, living off raids on towns and villages, and eventually became equated with both the "tent-dwelling" Bedouin as well as sedentary Arabs. Church writers of the period commonly describe Saracen raids on monasteries and their killing of monks. The term and the negative image of Saracens was in popular usage in both the Greek east as well as the Latin west throughout the Middle Ages. With the advent of Islam, in the Arabian peninsula, during the seventh century among the Arabs, the term's strong association with Arabs tied the term closely with not just race and culture, but also the religion. The rise of the Arab Empire and the ensuing hostility with the Byzantine Empire saw itself expressed as conflict between Islam and Christianity and the association of the term with Islam was further accentuated both during and after the Crusades. -- John of Damascus, in a polemical work typical of this attitude described the Saracens in the early 8th century thus: There is also the people-deceiving cult (threskeia) of the Ishmaelites, the forerunner of the Antichrist, which prevails until now. It derives from Ishmael, who was born to Abraham from Hagar, wherefore they are called Hagarenes and Ishmaelites. And they call them Saracens, inasmuch as they were sent away empty-handed by Sarah; for it was said to the angel by Hagar: "Sarah has sent me away empty-handed" (cf. Book of Genesis xxi. 10, 14).

Tertullian lived in the ancient city of Carthage in what is now Tunisia, sometime around 200 AD. Very little is known about his life - that little comes either from writers two centuries later, or from the scanty personal notes in his works. Much of it has been asserted to be untrue anyway by some modern writers. He was born a member of the educated classes, and clearly gained a good education. Life in his times wasn't very different in some ways to the modern day - he indulged his passions as he saw fit, including sex, and like everyone else attended the games where gladiators killed each other and criminals were eaten alive, for the enjoyment of the spectators. But among the sights he saw, was that of Christians being executed this way. He was struck with the courage with which stupid and contemptible slave men and little slave girls faced a hideous death, against all nature; and after investigating, became a Christian himself, and turned his budding talents to writing in defense of this despised and victimised group. Tertullian was the first Christian writer to write in Latin, and was described three centuries later as writing 'first, and best, and incomparably', of all the writers to do so. (by the unknown author of 'Praedestinatus'). His writing is aggressive, sarcastic and brilliant, and at points very funny even after 2000 years. He was deeply conscious of his own failings, and had a burning desire for truth and integrity. He was described by Jerome as celebrated in all the churches as a speaker; and his works bear the marks of the need to keep an audience awake! His erudition was immense. Much of what he read is lost, but what remains gives a picture of wide reading, which was celebrated even in antiquity. He wrote a great number of works - how many is unknown. Thirty-one are extant; lists of known lost works are elsewhere on this site; but we have no reason to suppose this to be anything like an exhaustive list. Most of those extant have come down to us by the slenderest of threads, and the very nature of Tertullian's terse and ironic style, means that copyists made many errors, and in some cases his text is beyond certain restoration. Not all of his works were ever completed. His most important work is the Apologeticum, in defense of the Christians. Running it close must be Adversus Praxean, in which the doctrine of the Trinity comes into clear focus for the first time, in response to a heretic who was twisting the biblical balance between the persons of the Godhead. In this work, he created most of the terminology with which this doctrine was to be referred (and is still), such as Trinitas, etc. His discussion of how heretical arguments are in general to be handled in De praescriptio haereticorum also deserves wider recognition. Tertullian wrote no systematic theology; all of his works are brought forth by a local event, a persecution, or a heretic. In his time, the church finally decided to reject a movement calling itself 'The New Prophecy', and known later as Montanism. The New Prophecy made no doctrinal innovations, but said that the Holy Spirit was calling Christians to a more ascetic position. But obeying the prophets inevitably meant a problem, if the bishop did not recognise their authority. Tertullian had grown angry at what looked like compromise creeping into the church - unwillingness to be martyred, willingness to forgive more serious public sins - and aligned himself with the Montanists [it was a prophetic movement that called for a reliance on the spontaneity of the Holy Spirit and a more conservative personal ethic. Parallels have been drawn between Montanism and modern day movements such as Pentecostalism and the charismatic movement - wiki.com]. It is unclear whether this involved actually leaving the church, but his later works are avowedly Montanist, and one or two explictly attack the mainstream church on these points. As such he was not recognised as a Saint, despite his orthodoxy, and his works were all marked as condemned in the 6th Century Decretum Gelasianum. His later life is unknown, and we do not know if he was martyred or died of old age as Jerome says.

Justin became a Christian, but he continued to wear the cloak that was the characteristic uniform of the professional teacher of philosophy. His position was that pagan philosophy, especially Platonism, is not simply wrong, but is a partial grasp of the truth, and serves as "a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ." He engaged in debates and disputations with non-Christians of all varieties, pagans, Jews, and heretics. He opened a school of Christian philosophy and accepted students, first at Ephesus and then later at Rome. There he engaged the Cynic philosopher Crescens in debate, and soon after was arrested on the charge of practicing an anauthorized religion. (It is suggested that Crescens lost the debate and denounced Justin to the authorities out of spite.) He was tried before the Roman prefect Rusticus, refused to renounce Christianity, and was put to death by beheading along with six of his students, one of them a woman. A record of the trial, probably authentic, is preserved, known as The Acts of Justin the Martyr. ... Justin's works are found in the multi-volumed set called The Ante-nicene Fathers [Church leaders before the Council of Nicea in 325 A.D.], and in various other collections of early Christian writings.

Such councils include the **Council of Jerusalem (50 AD) [Acts 15:6], the Council of Rome (155 AD), the Second Council of Rome (193 AD), the Council of Ephesus (193 AD), the Council of Carthage (251 AD), the Council of Iconium (258 AD), the **Council of Antioch (264 AD), the Councils of Arabia (246-247 AD), the Council of Elvira (306 AD), the Council of Carthage (311 AD), the Synod of Neo-Caesarea (314 AD), the Council of Ancyra (314 AD) and the Council of Arles (314 AD). -- and later the **Council in Nicaea, Bithynia (Turkey) in 325 A.D.

(PBS) -- This video report is from the Public Broadcasting Service in America. Related: Timeline of ISIS in IraqRelated: Attacks on Assyrians in Syria

In a groundbreaking discovery, archaeologists have unearthed an ancient relic that offers a vivid snapshot of life nearly 3,000 years ago. However, it wasn't a precious gem, intricate artifact, or a hidden scripture, but rather a seemingly mundane brick.

Archaeologists have discovered the ruins of a 2,000-year-old temple off the coast of the city of Pozzuoli, Italy, which has remained untouched for centuries.

oday, I'm talking with friend and author Angela Doll Carlson about living the liturgical year. From logistics and practicalities to marriage and community, there's a little something for everyone in this episode (yes, even men!).

Can you say Yakima? Ever been? Fr. Joseph affirms the latter; still not sure about the former. (What about Wapato?) Here's a little history of Holy Cross Church/Yakima, Washington. No matter how you say it, it's well worth a visit!

Fr. John shares his homily on Psalm 88.

Filled in his youth with the love of Christ and a hunger for holiness, he travelled among the holy places of the Middle East seeking the counsel of holy men. Finally he settled as a monk in the Ancient Caves of the Lavra of Chariton the Great in Palestine. Living in Chariton's own cave, he spent his days in fasting, prayer and vigil, becoming known in his own lifetime for his holiness. He reposed in peace in the 8th century.

Filled in his youth with the love of Christ and a hunger for holiness, he travelled among the holy places of the Middle East seeking the counsel of holy men. Finally he settled as a monk in the Ancient Caves of the Lavra of Chariton the Great in Palestine. Living in Chariton's own cave, he spent his days in fasting, prayer and vigil, becoming known in his own lifetime for his holiness. He reposed in peace in the 8th century.

Filled in his youth with the love of Christ and a hunger for holiness, he travelled among the holy places of the Middle East seeking the counsel of holy men. Finally he settled as a monk in the Ancient Caves of the Lavra of Chariton the Great in Palestine. Living in Chariton's own cave, he spent his days in fasting, prayer and vigil, becoming known in his own lifetime for his holiness. He reposed in peace in the 8th century.

Fr. Andrew speaks at Christ the Saviour Orthodox Church in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

Today, we start a 3-part series entitled The Ancient Christian Faith in the Modern World. Theme music: "Burn Out Bright" by Switchfoot from their 2006 album "Oh! Gravity." Used by permission.

Today, we continue our 3-part series entitled "The Ancient Christian Faith in the Modern World." (25:43) Theme music: "Burn Out Bright" by Switchfoot from their 2006 album "Oh! Gravity." Used by permission."

Today, we wrap up our 3-part series entitled The Ancient Christian Faith in the Modern World. We also take time to chat with Stephanie Mardigian, chapter president at VCU in Richmond, VA. Theme music: "Burn Out Bright" by Switchfoot from their 2006 album "Oh! Gravity." Used by permission.

The Ancient Faith Men's Retreat runs August 22-25, 2024.

Join host Kevin Allen in his interview with Ancient Faith Radio founder and Chief Operating Officer of Conciliar Media Ministries, John Maddex, about his fascinating journey to the ancient faith of Orthodoxy after 30 years as a evangelical radio executive and self-professed "classic Evangelical Protestant Christian"!

Ex-member of the hard-core Christian rock band East West (2002 Dove Award Winner!) speaks about the Christian Contemporary Music Industry, the reality of touring life on the road, the spiritual and physical exhaustion that eventually led him to examine his faith and eventually discovery of the Eastern Orthodox Church.

Bobby interviews Fr. James Guirguis, the author of the new Ancient Faith Publishing book Ask for the Ancient Paths: Discovering What Church Is Meant to Be.

Bobby interviews Katherine Hyde, an acquisitions editor at Ancient Faith Publishing, about the new Ancient Faith Prayer Book.

Get an update on the inner workings and future plans of Ancient Faith Radio as Fr. Tom Soroka of The Path interviews AFR founder and General Manager John Maddex.

An interview with Dr. Nancy Barrow, an MD with a specialty in psychiatry, and a talented vocalist. Nancy has produced her own Christmas CD and does all of the vocals herself! You can purchase the CD here.

On January 29, St. Katherine College hosted a Presidential Gala in San Diego for friends and benefactors of the new Orthodox college. John Maddex was there and filed this report.

Bobby Maddex interviews Ron Moore, owner/operator of the websites Fullness of the Faith and St. Romanos Records, about his new venture, Ancient Church Arts.

We interview Fr. Moses Berry about the annual Ancient Christianity conference sponsored by The Brotherhood of St. Moses the Black. The dates are May 30 - Jun 1 in the Ash Grove/Springfield, MO, area.

Bobby Maddex, Operations Manager of Ancient Faith Radio, interviews Melinda Johnson, the Director of Marketing and Development with Ancient Faith Ministries, about our upcoming Ancient Faith Writing and Podcasting Conference.

Introducing the new Ancient Faith Blogs site, featuring some of the most popular and widely read blogs in Orthodoxy today. Learn how you can access them and subscribe.

Bobby Maddex interviews Michael and Jodi Hailey, the founders and managers of The Ancient Church, an Orthodox Christian Art, Music, and Reading Room located in Forest Grove, Oregon.

Bobby Maddex interviews Melinda Johnson, the Marketing Director of Ancient Faith Ministries, about the 2017 Ancient Faith Writing and Podcasting Conference, which will take place at Antiochian Village this coming June 15-17.

Melinda Johnson, the Marketing Director of Ancient Faith Ministries, talks about the Ancient Faith Writing and Podcasting Conference, which will take place June 13-15 at Antiochian Village in Bolivar, Pennsylvania. Click here to register!

Bobby Maddex interviews Katherine Hyde, the Acquisitions Editor of Ancient Faith Publishing, about the Ancient Faith Writing and Podcasting Conference.

Join siblings Bobby Maddex and Molly Sabourin as they glean spiritual insights from modern literature. Listen to this introduction to learn more about the book club schedule, how the podcast will operate, and the ways in which you can participate. The first book is The Power and the Glory by Graham Greene, and the discussion will take place one month from now—on October 7, 2019. Click here to purchase the book, view the whole book list, and leave a message for Molly and Bobby. Get reading!

John Maddex interviews Kevin Allen about the new live call-in program coming to Ancient Faith Radio on April 22. Learn about the topics and plans as well as how you can be involved,

Jane G. Meyer is the Children's' Book Editor for Ancient Faith Publishing, and she joins us to talk about the importance of Orthodox books for children as well as an opportunity to help support new publications.