Fr. Gabriel, priest at St. Mary Magdalene (OCA) in Fenton, MI speaks at College Conference Midwest about how to practically live a sacramental life by dissecting the Church's sacraments and how we draw closer to Christ through them.

Matthew answers the question, "What was God's purpose with the Old Testament sacrificial system?"

Matthew concludes his series by examining the nature of man's conscience.

Sacraments are how God lives out His life in us moment by moment, day by day.

Sacraments are not a bridge to anywhere - they are the destination.

Are the sacraments some duty to be fulfilled or are they part of our very lives as Orthodox Christians?

The Louhs speak with Dr. James Skedros, Michael G. and Anastasia Cantonis Professor of Byzantine Studies and Professor of Early Christianity at Holy Cross/Hellenic College and also Harvard professor. They discuss the spiritual, psychological, and emotional components of the pandemic in school settings, as well as the historical responses to such crises in the Church.

Fr. Evan provides a short history and spiritual biography of the New Testament canon.

Fr. Evan discusses the formation of the New Testament canon and the authorship of the Gospel of Mark.

As our culture grows more and more accepting of things that trouble us as Orthodox Christians, Fr. John Oliver shares the example of St. Paul to guide our response.

Fr. John sees our sexuality as a gift from the Divine Logos.

In part 3 of his series on same sex marriage, Fr. John reflects on what a civil right is and how that applies to the question of same same unions.

Fr. John explains how all the Church's words are full of grace and truth—an example for us all as we celebrate the birth of the Word.

Fr. John Oliver reflects on the need to take responsibility for one's own sins.

Father Joseph talks about possible titles for his forthcoming book: a humorous look at Orthodoxy in America. NOTE: For those keeping score, during the course of this podcast the following words will be mentioned: sycophant, bishops, titles, convivial, cult and Antiochian.

A blatantly commercial message for Fr. Joseph Huneycutt's new book, "We Came, We Saw, We Converted" (Conciliar Press). It's a humorous look at a book that takes a humorous look at Orthodoxy. But what else would you expect from the Orthodixie?

In this special edition of Orthodixie, John Maddex interviews Fr. Joseph about his new Conciliar Press book, We Came, We Saw, We Converted.

First it was "live podding," then the dread, the guilt and the heavens were separated from the earth (which, naturally, led to a parody of the theme song from "Green Acres"). Clean Monday blows through quickly; pigs don't fly, but kites do (and don't miss Fr. Joseph's fun outtakes at the very end).

As many of you know, an historic gathering took place this past week in New York City: All of the Canonical Orthodox Bishops (at least a goodly number of them) met to discuss matters which pertain to the Church in the Americas. The Orthodixie Podcast had a Man on the Street for the proceedings but, as this podcast is only updated about once a week,some of the information you are about to hear may seem contrary to other reports, or it may be a bit dated, or, frankly, it may be flat out untrue. (But have fun identifying the snippets of music in the podcast.)

(Fr. Joseph dedicates this program to the memory of Fr. Matthew MacKay, who would have appreciated the humor—he hopes.) This week the Orthodixie podcast catches up with the author of An Empty Church is a Peaceful Church, Fr. Danislav Gregorio, about his new book, Speedy Sacraments for Liturgical Losers.

This is really not a sermon about so-called same-sex unions. Really, it's not.

Today, Fr. Joseph is reading his fan mail and coming across some interesting questions!

Today Fr. Anthony Perkins and Subdeacon and Evangelist Adam Roberts talk about the Western Rite and whether it is capable of becoming an organic expression of a uniquely American Orthodoxy. You can see the films that we talk about at orthodoxwest.com. Enjoy the show!

In this episode, Cyril Jenkins, PhD., Director of the St. Basil Center for Orthodox Thought and Culture at Eastern University, shares his thoughts on the challenges Orthodox Christians face in America and how intentionally Orthodox educational institutions - like the St. Basil Center and the St. Constantine School - can help them grow in Christ and evangelize America. He also talks about his current project: bringing a St. Constantine School campus to the Lehigh Valley. Fr. Anthony finishes by encouraging people to consider moving to the Lehigh Valley so that they can benefit from and contribute to the wonderful pan-Orthodox culture there.

In this episode, Fr. Anthony and Fr. Harry Linsinbigler address the often misunderstood necessity of withholding sacraments. Framing it as a normal process (to include preparation for Baptism/Chrismation) allows us to see it less as a political power play or punishment (as the world would have us see it) and more as a valid and necessary part of our life in Christ. Enjoy the show!

Let’s not just offer little Bible Stories as morality tales. Let’s instead help our children to encounter the Scriptures in their wholeness, finding Christ in the Old and the New.

Is there a way to approach the Old Testament with our children in a fascinating and dimensional way? Elissa encourages us to teach Old Testament stories on three different levels.

Inspired by the Serbian Orthodox custom of Krsna Slava, Elissa suggests that American convert families consider adopting a feast day for their Little Churches!

Fr. Michael shares his concerns with the familiar "Poop in the Brownies" story and offers some positive alternatives to talking about purity with children.

After the introductory address of “Our Father in heaven,” the Lord taught His disciples to make three commands.

"The experience of forgiveness is much more organic, more relational. Forgiveness is actually something that grows. St. Theophan says that it is necessary to develop the hope that comes from working on our salvation (i.e. cooperating with God’s Grace through repentance and spiritual disciplines). And it is this hope that begins to release us from shame and is the evidence of growing or maturing forgiveness. 'Without it,' St. Theophan says, 'there can be no beginning of the work of salvation; and even more so, no continuation. But there it was in conception; here it is mature.' For St. Theophan, it seems, forgiveness and the accompanying release from shame is something that is conceived in us and grows to maturity."

We live in a generation that has been taught to tie their personal identity to their imagined sexual preferences. Consequently, it is difficult to help people who struggle with sexual passions to find hope and repentance. However, the teaching of holy fathers such as St. Isaac the Syrian and St. Barsanuphius of Gaza provide a very helpful alternative to the world’s way of thinking about such passions. For these saints, same-sex attraction is a passion like any other. It is not part of one’s identity, but is a parasitical passion, resisted and struggled against as all other passions are.

Fr. Stephen De Young gives an overview of the Epistle of St. James.

Fr. Stephen De Young begins the discussion of James, Chapter 1.

Fr. Stephen De Young leads a discussion of James, Chapters 1 and 2.

Fr. Stephen De Young speaks from the Epistle of St. James.

Fr. Stephen De Young leads a discussion from the Epistle of St. James.

Fr. Stephen De Young discusses the Epistle of St. James, Chapter 4.

Fr. Stephen De Young concludes the discussion of the Epistle of St. James.

In this final reflection in the Names of Jesus series, Fr. Tom Hopko shows how the Name of Jesus is supreme.

At the beginning of the new season, Steve and Emma stir things up with the first ever crossover episode of PCCH! They take a look at HBO’s hit series Game of Thrones. They address the controversy surrounding the show’s grittier content, the possibility of personal transformation, and the only true battle that matters: the battle between Life and Death. They close with their Top 5 Tragic Heroes.

The girls take on the popular podcast This American Life. They discuss how a culture of confession brings people together, the need to empathize with our larger society, and the ways we're all torn between belief and doubt. They close with their Top 5 Podcasts.

The girls take on not one, not two, but three dystopian stories! They take a look at Battle Royale, The Hunger Games, and Lord of the Flies, in order to discuss the question of whether human beings, at their core, are good. They also cover how fear drives people to commit heinous acts, how perfect love casts out fear, and how sacrifice is the ultimate expression of God’s love. They close with their Top 5 Dystopian Books.

The guys are pumped to talk about the final chapter of the first decade of the MCU, Avengers: Endgame! They discuss how grief and loss affect everyone differently, the sticky implications and universal appeal of time travel, and how sacrifice will always win the day. They close with their Top 5 Final Chapters.

“Don't kill me.” - George Floyd The guys were going to talk about the Netflix series: Bonfire of Destiny. But important things are happening. And we, as a nation and a Church, need to talk about them. Steve Christoforou and Christian Gonzalez have a tough conversation about the unjust slaying of George Floyd on May 25 and the protests that have developed since. They discuss race in America, violence and virtue, and the theology of the cross.

Are you willing to look at what your life truly is like? It is the grace of God that moves us more and more into the life of Christ, crucifying our shame and despair.

There is a temptation in pursuing the Christian life to think that we are more faithful than we actually are because we have confused lesser goals for our true calling. Then we can pat ourselves on the back for achieving far less than what the God-Man has made possible for us as “partakers of the divine nature.”

In this reflection, Father John Strickland turns from secular humanism to reformational Christianity to see how Christendom's paradisiacal culture was subverted by both the Protestant "Counter-Reformation" and the Roman Catholic "Neo-Reformation." Ironically, Protestant fathers like Luther and Calvin did much to perpetuate the anthropological pessimism and cosmological contempt of their rivals like the earlier Pope Innocent III, opening the door even wider to the wholesale secularization of the West.

Most Americans know Tchaikovsky as the composer of the delightful dances contained within the Nutcracker Ballet. As Fr. John Strickland shows, however, there is much more to be heard in their melodies, and little that was delightful about the emotionally agonized life behind them. Using selections from a variety of works, he explores how the romantic agony came for Tchaikovsky in his boyhood and thereafter never departed. Special attention is given to an analysis of the famous Sixth Symphony, nicknamed Pathetique. First performed just days before the composer's abrupt death, the work brings the generation of the romantics to a heart-rending and emblematic conclusion.

Fr John explains why “Lord, send me!” has its name, and challenges us with Isaiah 6.