Fr. Stephen De Young discusses the shift in St. Paul's Letter to the Romans.

Fr. Stephen De Young discusses Romans 12:10-21.

Fr. Stephen De Young discusses Chapter 13 of St. Paul's Letter to the Romans.

Fr. Stephen De Young talks about Chapter 14 of the book of Romans.

Fr. Stephen De Young discusses Chapter 15 of St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans.

Fr. Stephen De Young wraps up the book of Romans, covering the last bit of Chapters 15 and 16.

Our Lord’s ministry violated many of the religious and cultural sensibilities of first-century Palestine in shocking ways. Contrary to all expectations for the Jewish Messiah, He asked for a drink of water from a Samaritan woman with a broken personal history, engaged in an extended spiritual conversation with her, and then spent two days in a Samaritan village. He invited Himself to the home of Zacchaeus, a corrupt tax-collector for the Roman army of occupation. And as we read today, He not only healed the servant of a Roman centurion, but said of this man, “Truly, I say to you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.” This encounter is truly astounding because the Jews expected a Messiah to defeat the Romans by military force, not to praise the faith of their officers.

Fr. John explores what could be called the catacomb culture of the Church in relation to the Roman Empire.

Fr. John explores how the Church began to address, confront, and challenge the pagan culture of the Roman Empire, particularly during the third century.

Fr. John looks at traditional Christianity's eucharistic rites in order to see how they served to reorient the world toward the kingdom of heaven.

Fr. John delineates the various ways in which Constantine contributed to the Christianization of the Roman state.

In this anecdotal introduction to Reflection 21, Father John relates a remarkable but short-lived revolution in fourteenth-century Rome that served as a sign of what the age of utopia would bring. Listeners who enjoy the music of Richard Wagner will recognize the ill-fated revolutionary's name and understand why the turbulent nineteenth-century composer was attracted to him! And speaking of music, if you are wondering about the new closing sequence, it is a chorus from Mozart's utopian opera The Magic Flute and consists of the following (in translation): "When virtue and justice strew with fame the path of the great, then earth is a realm of heaven, and mortals are like the gods."

What was the genius of classical music during its nineteenth-century golden age? According to Fr. John Strickland, it was an effort to rescue Christendom's transformational imperative in an age when secularization threatened to sever earth from heaven. No longer influenced by traditional Christianity, great composers like Beethoven exaggerated earthly passions (especially sexual love) to communicate the West's primordial desire for transcendence. But the emotionalism that resulted threatened to take the floor out from underneath them. This episode concludes by analyzing famous works by Schubert and Berlioz which show how transcendence gave way to descent, and how utopian hopes plunged into irreversible spiritual agony.

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 Parker traveled to Romania and sat down with OCMC missionary Floyd Frantz who works with the Church to help people with addictions.

Sweet Song: A Story of Saint Romanos the Melodist by Jane G Meyer, illustrated by Dorrie Papdemetriou (Ancient Faith Publishing, 2013)

"The Romanov Family," from Royal Saints: A coloring book with stories of saintly royalty throughout the history of Christianity (Draw Near Designs). Saints drawn by Marian Adams. Stories & Borders by Abigail Holt. Layout by Caroline Gann.

Fr. Ted Pulcini, ex-Roman Catholic and now Eastern Orthodox priest and long-time Orthodox participant in Orthodox-Catholic ecumenical dialog, discusses the Vatican's recent document on the doctrine on the Church. He and Kevin Allen discuss the timing of its publication, what it really means, what it says about the current and future state of relations between the two oldest branches of Christianity, and what the divisive issues are.

Fr. Chad talks with visiting Romanian theologian Mihail Neamțu about the future of Orthodoxy in America, the treasures of Romanian Orthodoxy and the effects of communism in Eastern Europe. At the end, Fr. Chad recommended the following book: Bearers of the Spirit: Spiritual Fatherhood in Romanian Orthodoxy.

Protestant critics of Orthodoxy fault us for many things, but one of the foremost of their objections is our devotion to Mary, the Mother of Jesus. Hostility to Roman Catholicism is built into Protestant DNA, so anything in Orthodoxy that resembles something in Roman Catholicism will be subject to criticism, including such more or less innocuous things like clergy wearing cassocks and calling themselves “Father”. Our Orthodox devotion to Mary (whom we call “the Theotokos”) often heads the list of Protestant objections, since it features so prominently in Roman Catholicism.

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.

Sixth Sunday after Pentecost (Originally given July 27, 2008)

Seventh Sunday after Pentecost

The Scriptures and the Fathers have much to say about the Jewish people, and unfortunately, this view has largely been misrepresented. Fr Tom teaches us that the people of God, Israel, will always be those who love and follow the true God. (Fifth Sunday after Pentecost)

The New Testament epistles as well as the Divine Liturgy constantly encourage us to be of one mind because we are members of the Body of Christ and of one another. Fr Tom used today's epistle reading as an opportunity to encourage his parishioners to develop oneness with each other in order to achieve parish goals. (Seventh Sunday after Pentecost)

Dr. Al Rossi interviews Dr. Daniel Hinshaw on the life and spiritual legacy of Fr. Roman Braga. Dr. Daniel Hinshaw is professor of palliative care at St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary in Yonkers, New York.

OCMC missionary Floyd Frantz about his work with addictions in Romania.

We talk with Alexander Lingas about this new beautiful 2-CD production from Cappella Romana. Also available from Liturgica.

Listen to an interview with Bev Cooke about her new book from Conciliar Press: Royal Monastic: Princess Ileana of Romania. This is the true story of a princess who later became Mother Alexandra, the founder of the Holy Transfiguration monastery in Ellwood City, PA.

Bobby Maddex interviews Fr. Lawrence Russell, priest at Church of the Annunciation in Santa Maria, California, about a truly remarkable Orthodox ministry, located in Adwa, Ethiopia, and the even more remarkable woman who started it.

Bobby Maddex interviews Ron Moore, the new owner of two online Orthodox retail outlets—Saint Romanos Records and Fullness of the Faith.

Fr Joseph Huneycutt welcomes you to St Joseph Orthodox Church, Houston, Texas for this Special AFR Christmas presentation: “God is With Us” by the St Romanos Chorale under the direction of Dr William Attra. The St Romanos Chorale takes its name from the Syrian religious poet and hymnographer of the Eastern Orthodox Christian Church, St. Romanos, who is considered to be the greatest of the Byzantine melodist-poets. The Chorale is composed of singers from Orthodox Christian churches in the greater Houston area. The music is sung a cappella in both Byzantine and Slavonic styles, predominantly in English, but also in Greek, Arabic, and Slavonic. The Chorale has presented beautiful Orthodox Christian music to audiences throughout Texas and neighboring states at venues including major colleges and universities. The special Christmas performance you are about to hear was recorded on December 10, 2011, at St Joseph Antiochian Orthodox Church, Houston, Texas.

We interview Fr. Robert Miclean, the Rector of Holy Archangels Orthodox Mission in Annapolis, Maryland, who will soon be leading a pilgrimage to Romania. Among the highlights of this upcoming trip will be the celebration of Holy Ascension in Valea Plopului, Romania, and Holy Pentecost at Putna Monastery in the northern part of Romania, home of the famous "painted monasteries" built by St. Stephen the Great.

Bobby Maddex interviews Fr. Robert Miclean, the Rector of Holy Archangels Orthodox Mission in Annapolis, Maryland, about the pilgrimage he will be leading to Romania in 2019.

Fr. Pat explores the dynamic nature of God's word, what it means to profess the Resurrection, and the contrast between law and gospel.

Every summer, my brothers and sisters, in either late June or early July we listen to the first ten verses of Romans 10. This text appears near the middle of Paul's analysis of the dialectical structure of history, which is the subject of Romans 9-11.

Romans 5:1-11

Emily is looking for the ONE...hobby. Will Jiu Jitsu be be the activity she falls for?!

Parts of Roman Watling Street discovered near New Cross.

We're excited to announce a Search Central Live event in Bucharest, Romania on April 4, 2024. Search Central Live is our global Google Search event series specifically for site owners, publishers, and SEOs.

Bible studies in Romans Chapter 7 cover The Law Of Sin And Death and Who Will Rescue Me. The questions are designed for personal or group inductive style Bible study and discussion.

The Book of Romans is a great place to get an understanding of basic doctrines of Christianity...and how they differ from modern assumptions. Each chapter study has inductive style questions designed for personal application and group discussion.

Nearly two decades ago, My Chemical Romance released their career-defining rock opera, "The Black Parade," cementing their shift from mainstays of the emo scene to mainstream recognition and becoming one of the most inventive bands of the 21st century.

The tour kicks off July 11 in Seattle, concluding on Sept. 13 in Tampa, Florida. It hits San Francisco; Los Angeles; Arlington, Texas; East Rutherford, New Jersey; Philadelphia; Toronto; Chicago; and Boston.

The post My Chemical Romance returns with ‘The Black Parade’ tour, featuring a stop at Fenway appeared first on Boston.com.

For some people, running a marathon changes everything — including how you are as a partner.

The post How did a marathon change your romantic relationship? appeared first on Boston.com.

Whether it’s a classic flick or a romance arc in a new thriller, love seems pretty easy on screen.

The post How do romance movies and books affect your relationships? appeared first on Boston.com.