Andrew reminds us that we can use our creativity in cooperation with God’s creative power or we can use it apart from God. Read the transcript HERE.

The scourge of pornography use in our society is also itself an image — an image that manifests certain unpalatable realities of our culture and relationships. Read a transcript HERE.

What’s a good time to have such a conversation? Well, it shouldn’t just be a one-off conversation… it should be an ongoing dialogue and discussion. Listen to the podcast and read the transcript HERE.

In the final interview of the series with Father Jonah, Steve and Bill have a major meltdown during the first segment trying to explain that even though this is the last interview it was really the first one recorded. This program focuses on the Christian life and monasticism as one expression of living out the Gospel of Christ in community. In this program Fr. Jonah discusses his view of our modern culture, the spirit of the age, and marriage and family and its similarities to the monastic community. It serves as a summary of many of the things discussed in the other five programs.

In this program we deal with the concept of prayer and intercession. What is prayer in the scriptures? Is "prayer" worship to be given only to God? What is intercession? Why are we commanded to intercede for each other? More importantly, who can intercede for us?

The St. Vladimir’s Seminary Octet, under the direction of Hierodeacon Herman (Majkrzak), presented a concert of liturgical music at this year’s Education Day at St. Vladimir’s Seminary. The program included hymns in celebration of saints venerated in both the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches.

It can seem sometimes that if we are not fasting, we are preparing to fast in the Orthodox Church. In part 1, Dn. Michael helps understand why we fast.

Dn. Michael continues his study on fasting in an age of self-gratification and excess.

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.

Fr. Evan Armatas welcomes guest co-hosts Dr. Timothy Patitsas from Holy Cross Hellenic College and Thomaida Hudanish from the Metropolis of San Fransisco Mission and Evangelism Ministry. to take listener questions but also to talk about the Beauty First Films project. If listeners would like to subscribe to the Beauty First Films email news list, here is the link: https://mailchi.mp/37d8ba4d0802/beautyfirstfilms Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/beautyfirstfilms/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beautyfirstfilms/

The Orthodox view existence as directed toward an encounter with a personal God who gives meaning to all the dimensions of earthly human existence.

Listen to a short reflection about S., who is becoming a new person.

The Refuge is a place to refocus, pray, and plan, impacting the entire community associated with St. John the Compassionate Mission.

The Pudding's deep analysis of 10 years of fanfic ships on AO3 #

In the original usage, the Trisagion was sung as a refrain to Psalm 80. The cantor would chant verses of the psalm as all walked in procession and the people sung the Trisagion hymn as its refrain after every verse.

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

Many years ago, when I was tucking my eldest daughter into bed, she asked me a question: “Dad, why do we believe in the Resurrection?” I have always taught both my daughters to be strong and to think for themselves, and so I was happy to hear the question, and I answered it as best as I could, giving the historical evidence. At the end of it all, she said, “Oh, good. I was afraid you were going to say that we should believe in it because it was in the Bible.” No chance of that; Dad is not a fideist, nor a fan of circular reasoning. The case for Christianity is a strong one, and can withstand historical scrutiny. Here I would like to set out the case for Christianity in somewhat fuller terms than I did that night so long ago.

In my previous piece, “Why I Am a Christian (Part 1)” I examined the question of why one should believe in the physical Resurrection of Jesus from the dead. I looked at the essential historical reliability of the Gospels portraits of Jesus and His claims to be God. I concluded that given the number and audacity of those claims, there were only three live options on the table: either He was a liar, a lunatic, or the Lord. I suggested that His many miracles made sense of and supported the third option.

A story is told of the final temptation of Christ. Satan had been trying to tempt Jesus to sin, to compromise, to abandon His divine mission (see Matthew 4:1-11 and Luke 4:1-13), and according to this story, Satan tried one last time to deflect Jesus from His goal. Jesus had been arrested, interrogated, condemned by the Sanhedrin, brought before Pilate, again condemned, mocked and flogged. He carried His cross along the way from the Roman praetorium to the place of execution and was nailed to the cross. His adversaries continued to mock Him, even unto the end: “He saved others, He cannot save Himself! He is the King of Israel; let Him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in Him!” (Matthew 27:42). And it was then, the story goes, that Satan whispered into His ear the words of the final temptation, intended to convince Jesus to give it all up and indeed come down from the cross. Satan said to Him, “They’re not worth it, Lord”.

Fr. Apostolos Hill discusses the role of confession in maintaining a healthy spiritual life.

Fr. Apostolos Hill took the opportunity of his and Presvytera Denise's 38th wedding anniversary to offer a homily about marriage in the Orthodox view.

"I'm no longer content for our faith to be stuck in a mason jar. Our faith is food, and hungry, starving people need to eat what we uniquely can give them."

Fr. Apostolos Hill gives a straightforward line-by-line examination of the Gospel message in John 3:16.

Sermon on the Feast of the Elevation of the Precious Cross (I Corinthians 1:18-24; John 19:6-11, 13-20, 25-28, 30-35)

Sixth Sunday after Pentecost

Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost

At the foundation of our life as Christians, we are given the gift of new life in baptism. Fr Tom reminds us that this baptism is given to us not to escape the crosses and illnesses of this life, but rather so that we can endure them.

We all know of someone who's given up on The Faith for one reason or another. Fr Thomas reminds us that our love for God and for one another must be the bond that brings us together and keeps us together. (Thirtieth Sunday after Pentecost)

When we hear about Old Testament Temple worship, we can sometimes think we're far removed from it. Fr Thomas reminds us that Orthodox Christian worship is, in fact, directly related to Old Testament Temple worship, because it's the fulfillment of those old forms and rituals. (Great Feast of the Presentation of Christ in the Temple)

It's becoming more and more common today for some people to leave the religion of their childhood and explore other faiths. While Orthodoxy has recently gained a tremendous number of converts from this movement, admittedly, "the door swings both ways." Fr Thomas teaches about why the Church is one and gives an impassioned and compelling presentation on the remarkable uniqueness of the Orthodox Faith. (Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council/7th Sunday of Pascha)

Jesus issued a stern warning in the book of Revelation for the church which was lukewarm and apathetic: "I will spit you out of my mouth." Fr Thomas reminds us that every Divine Service we attend at church, we have an opportunity "practice" the unity and care that we're called to manifest every day of the week. (7th Sunday after Pentecost)

Often the Orthodox Church is criticized for practicing what is sometimes called "closed communion," which means only Orthodox Christians are permitted to receive the Eucharist. Using the story of the miracle of feeding the five thousand, Fr Thomas reminds us that God shares his fullness with us in Holy Communion. And since we experience unity with one another at the chalice, the implications are enormous!

One of the most enduring questions in the minds of people is, "Why do bad things happen to good people?" Christians are certainly not immune from either bad things happening or questioning why. Fr Thomas, using the story of Jesus walking on the water, reminds us that He is the Master Teacher, and can use all struggles to bring us closer to Him. (Mt 14:22-33)

Before we enter into Great Lent, the Church presents us with a depiction of the awesome and fearful Final Judgment of the world by Christ to motivate us to love God and man. In teaching this, Fr Thomas offers an answer to the age-old question, "Why do we have to be judged?"

At every post-Resurrection appearance, the Lord Jesus Christ greets His Disciples with the words "Peace be with you! Do not be afraid!" Fr Thomas teaches us that because of Christ's destruction of the sting of death by His own death, and our participation in His death and resurrection through our baptism, we have nothing to fear, not even death itself!

On the First Sunday of Great Lent, Fr Thomas teaches us that icons are not merely beautiful decorations, but rather absolutely necessary witnesses to the incarnation of Christ and the presence of the Kingdom of God.

On the Sunday of the Healing of the Paralytic, Fr Thomas took the opportunity to speak honestly and encouragingly to his congregation about what it is to be a healthy church. Using the gospel and epistle readings, he gently reminded them that we're called to be a house of mercy, intentionally Christian, and a place of good works and of love for one another.

On Christmas Eve, Fr Thomas reminds us that Christ came as a human to restore the image of God in us and show us how to become what we were always meant to be.

Fr Thomas gives a compelling case for the intense spiritual and physical efforts involved in observing Great Lent, beginning with the end in mind: the true significance of the Resurrection of Christ.

"God is Love" has become one of the most abused verses of Scripture. It's used today to justify every sin and excuse every condition. Fr Thomas urges us to look at the entirety of the Gospel message to truly understand the implications of being a creature of God Who is Love.

On the Sunday of All Saints, Fr. Thomas gives clear and direct evidence from the scriptures explaining how and why we ask for the prayers of the saints who have gone before us.

Being judged by God is far more than a legal pronouncement. Listen as Fr. Tom reminds the faithful that God's judgment has much more to do with our purification and our becoming truly human.

Listen as Fr. Tom discusses what it means to be truly human and why we can't settle for being anything less.

When did fasting begin? Did Jesus start the whole thing off? The righteous and the repentant fasted in the Old Testament. Well, what about Abraham then? The fact is, humankind was taught to fast right from the very beginning, in the Garden of Eden.

The normal experience of being a Christian is both joy and struggle. There is a deep joy in knowing Christ but also a struggle against demonically inspired forces of violence and rebellion, inside us and outside us.

The Cross turns all our expectations on their heads; this is God, who is also fully human, suffering and showing utter love to His creatures.