This is one of three lectures that Fr. Chad Hatfield delivered at the Parish Life Conference of the Antiochian Diocese of Los Angeles and the West, held in Phoenix, Arizona, June 28-July 3, 2016.

This is a lecture from St. Vladimir's Seminary's annual Orthodox Education Day event, held this year on October 1, 2016. The speaker is Dr. Mary B. Cunningham, lecturer in Historical Theology in the Department of Theology and Religious Studies at the University of Nottingham, England.

Antwian (Anthony) Davis has been experiencing and witnessing God's miraculous grace from a time beyond his own memories as a small child, and seemingly at every turn since: through the profound faith of his parents; in his journey from serious illness and near death in childhood to health and adulthood; from ordained Baptist minister to seminarian at St Vladimir's Seminary; and during his encounters with the sick, suffering, and incarcerated. In this episode of Voices from St Vladimir's Seminary, Antwian shares powerful stories from his life and conversion to Orthodox Christianity—including why he's thankful to his Baptist parents, who he says "actually raised me to be Orthodox." Antwian, who currently serves as SVS Press Bookstore manager, also reveals his favorite Press books and announces the next stop in his grace-filled journey, this time away from St Vladimir's Seminary.

Dn. Michael discusses chapter two in St. Athanasius's book On the Incarnation. This is lesson four in his series "In But Not Of."

Steve answers listener email and discusses our human fear of free will. Ultimately, we are created FOR paradise, not BY paradise.

Steve discusses his struggle with his recent diagnosis with cancer while caregiving his dying parents. He takes an honest, hard look at the common sayings and spiritual counsels often given to people who are suffering.

Dn. Theodore, the Director of Community of St. John the Compassionate Mission, reminds us that our relationship with God needs to be simpler and a lot more trusting.

Fr. Roberto Ubertino, Founder and Executive Director of St. John the Compassionate Mission, demonstrates how part of the challenge and the beauty of living Orthodox mission is learning to accept the tenderness of God in our lives through the poor.

Paul shares about his experiences at the mission with children of all backgrounds and from all walks of life. He reflects on a story that changed his perspective of world cultures, and how that pertains to our Orthodox way of life.

Listen to excerpts from this past Sunday's bulletin at St. John the Compassionate Mission, serving the most vulnerable in Toronto.

Listen to excerpts from this past Sunday's bulletin at St. John the Compassionate Mission, serving the most vulnerable in Toronto.

Listen to excerpts from this past Sunday's bulletin at St. John the Compassionate Mission, serving the most vulnerable in Toronto.

Listen to stories from Brother Luke about people who frequent St. John the Compassionate Mission in Toronto, Ontario.

Listen to a short reflection about R., whose life has been difficult as he lives for the Truth.

Reflections written by Brother Luke.

Writings from Fr. Nicolaie for the Sunday before the Nativity.

Reflections written by Fr. Nicolaie about the gospel story of the father of the demon-possessed boy.

Notes from the community that offer a peek at how the community members are seeing God at work in and through each other.

Do the words “God is love” mean God could never be wrathful?

In my Protestant days, I had no problem with anyone talking about Mary—so long as it was Christmas. On Boxing Day, that was it. Over. No more talking about Mary. What are we anyway, Catholics? It was understood that when we packed away the Nativity set, all talk of Mary got packed up along with it. And my proof that Bible-believing Christians should not talk about Mary? The New Testament never did. Well, hardly ever did—just long enough to narrate the Christmas story. Was she in the Acts of the Apostles? Not really. Was she in the Epistles? No. So there you go: no talking about Mary or calling her blessed.

Recently I heard a very dark and serious song about the judgment of God and His wrath against sinners. It was the folk song “Great God Almighty’s Gonna Cut You Down” (accessed here). I was not aware of the song before; apparently it is an American folk song. The oracular Wikipedia informs me that it was first recorded by the Golden Gate Quartet in 1946 and issued in 1947 by the Jubalairies, and since then has been covered by a variety of singers in country, folk, electronic, and black metal genres, including such singers as Johnny Cash, Tom Jones, and Elvis Presley. It takes some imagination to contemplate someone singing both about blue suede shoes and the wrath of God, but that’s America for you.

I forget, in the course of my long life as a Christian, how many times I have heard people assure me that “God will never give you more than you can handle”. By this they seemed to mean that God knows my emotional limits and capabilities, and will make sure that no disaster befalls me that will tax me emotionally beyond my present strength. Sometimes they affix a Bible verse from 1 Corinthians 10:13 to it to make their case: “No temptation has overtaken you but such is common to man, and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, that you may be able to endure it”. I must report however, on the basis of my long life as a Christian, that the assuring notion that God will never give anyone more than they can handle is nonsense.

In his book Reflections on the Psalms, C. S. Lewis wrote a chapter on praising which began with him saying that “It is possible (and it is to be hoped) that this chapter will be unnecessary for most people”. In the same spirit, I hope that this and subsequent episodes on the topic of predestination will be unnecessary for most people.

In my last episode, I examined Paul’s words in Romans 9 and their bearing upon the classic Reformed teaching about predestination—i.e. the notion that before the creation of the world God had already chosen some to be saved and some to be damned, and that these choices were based solely upon His sovereign will, and that furthermore, our human choices to accept or reject Christ were simply the outworking of God’s primordial decisions. Those whom He chose to be saved He would draw to Himself so that they would accept Christ, and those whom He had chosen for damnation He would harden so that they would reject Christ. Those teaching this often refer to Paul’s words in Ephesians 1 in support of their views, so we will examine that passage here.

Fr. Apostolos speaks on knowing God and merely knowing about Him as we celebrate the memory of St. Gregory Palamas.

Fr. Apostolos shares from 1 Corinthians 3, reminding us that our bodies belong to the Lord, "The temple of God is holy, and that is what you are."

"We are called to be saints. We are called to fellowship with God. We are called to sanctification and true freedom in Christ. We are called to lay hold of eternal life. May we ever strive to walk in that manner, worthy of the high calling as we press on in our Lenten journey."

Fr. Apostolos shares about the flash mob that gathered on Palm Sunday and at the trial of Jesus.

Fr. Apostolos talks about the true worship of God, "This week, as we celebrate the Presentation of the Lord of glory into the Temple, may we be reminded that we come into this holy place not in a state of mere passive observance, but in one of active, noetic worship of the One who alone deserves all glory, honor, and worship: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, now until the ages of ages."

Fr. Apostolos talks about God's mercy.

Fr. Apostolos talks about the key of humility that unlocks God's grace.

Fr. Apostolos Hill delivers a homily based on St. Paul's exhortation to Timothy about hoping in God.

Fr. Apostolos Hill likens the experience of knowing God to that of meeting his bride. The effort we put into spending time together is a blueprint for entering more deeply into our union with Jesus.

In Fr. Apostolos' Cathedral homily, he talks about the challenges we are facing with COVID-19 as a Church and as a nation. Fr. Apostolos likened the shuttering of our various distractions to the "Alone with God" time our youth enjoy in the camping ministry.

Fr. Apostolos Hill returns after undergoing eye surgery to reattach the retina in his left eye. He speaks about the times when God allows us to undergo trials to strengthen our Faith in Him and sharpen and correct our priorities.

On the Sunday of St. Mary of Egypt, Fr. Apostolos Hill shares on the Prophet Micah's closing comment on God throwing our sins into the depths of the ocean. As St. Mary's life indicates, we cannot out-sin the measureless mercy of God's love.

Sermon on the Sunday of the Blind Man (John 9:1-38)

Sermon on the Ninth Sunday after Pentecost (I Corinthians 3:9-17; Matthew 14:22-34)

Sermon on the Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost (II Cor 9:6-11; Luke 8:5-15)

Fifth Sunday after Pentecost

Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Fourth Sunday of the Great Fast

Fifth Sunday after Pentecost