John Maddex interviews Fr. Thomas Zain, Vicar General of the Antiochian Orthodox Church of North America, about the falling asleep in the Lord of His Beatitude Ignatius IV of Antioch and All the East.

Bobby Maddex interviews Fr. John Mefrige, a professional Marriage and Family Therapist from San Antonio, Texas. From February 15 through 18, Fr. John will be leading a marriage preparation seminar at Antiochian Village in Ligonier, Pennsylvania. The registration deadline for this retreat is February 1.

We talk with Richard Barrett, Artistic Director for the St. John of Damascus Society about an ambitious project to create a musical setting for the Vesperal Psalm (103/104) blending the various Orthodox music styles. This will eventually be a video presentation including beautiful images from creation. This was launched through a Kickstarter fund raising campaign.

Bobby Maddex interviews David Jennings and Tanya Keenan, the organizers of Doxacon Seattle 2014, an Orthodox conference dedicated to science fiction and fantasy in all of their various forms.

Reader Nicholas Chapman provides an exploration of moves towards Orthodoxy in Britain and later America in a transatlantic connection between the Reformation and the First World War. Our thanks to Fr. Gregory Hallam at St. Aidan Orthodox Church in Manchester (where this talk was given) for the recording.

Bobby Maddex interviews David Jennings, Tanya Keenan, and Tim Brown, the organizers of this year’s Doxacon Seattle conference, an Orthodox gathering for those interested in science fiction and fantasy. The event will take place July 17-19 at South Seattle College and is sponsored by Holy Resurrection Orthodox Church (OCA) in Tacoma, WA.

Angela Doll Carlson is the author of the books Garden in the East and Nearly Orthodox, and the host of the podcast The Wilderness Journal.

Bobby Maddex interviews Peter Schweitzer, a board member of Most Holy Theotokos: Rescuer of the Perishing, which is an Orthodox assisted living facility. Today he is here to talk about a different but related topic—namely, the proper Orthodox response to the prospect of one’s own death.

We interview Graham Sparkman, a fifth-generation bluegrass-Mountain musician who now finds himself on the path into the Orthodox Church. Graham is here to talk about his new, unique, and frankly gorgeous CD titled Lestovka—available now at iTunes and cdbaby.

Bobby Maddex interviews Richard Barrett, the Artistic Director of the St. John of Damascus Society, about his Psalm 103 project.

Bobby Maddex interviews Konstantine Pandolfi, Archimandrite Maximos Weimar, and The Reverend Deacon Dr. Pavlos Siewers about The Holy Orthodox Order of Saint George the Great Martyr. The Holy Orthodox Order of Saint George the Great Martyr is an international, religious, pan-Orthodox, confraternal order of Christian chivalry. Its mission is to help peacefully defend, sustain and preserve the continued existence and wellbeing of the Orthodox Christian Faith within the Holy Land, the Middle East, and wherever the Orthodox Church and her faithful are either persecuted or in need. Learn more about the order and how to get involved here!

Wheaton College, the epicenter of Evangelical Protestantism, has just opened a Center for Early Christian Studies that will immerse students in the fields of Patristics, the Ecumenical Councils, and early Christian literature. This audio documentary, exclusive to AFR, explores the reasons for the sudden Evangelical interest in the Church Fathers, as well as the potential ramifications of this interest.

Part three of our four-part documentary Transformation: Same-Sex Attraction Through the Lens of Orthodox Christianity How are we doing as a Church at showing love to everyone who walks in our doors? Are we welcoming or judgmental? Does a warm welcome translate into endorsement of someone's lifestyle? If we are to truly love one another and bear one another's burdens, we need to get to know them first. Resource: Christian Faith and Same Sex Attraction by Fr. Thomas Hopko

Microsoft is changing its famous Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) to black in Windows 11. The software giant started testing its new design changes in a Windows 11 preview earlier this week, but the Black Screen of Death isn’t fully enabled yet. The Verge understands Microsoft will be switching to a Black Screen of Death for Windows 11, matching the new black logon and shutdown screens.

On the Sunday of the Holy Cross, Fr. Pat explains that it was the fear of death that Jesus faced while praying in the garden.

Fr. Pat explains the importance of hearing the word of God, putting on Christ, and having common sense.

Fr. Pat discusses three approaches to death.

Fr. Pat discusses the three things expected of us during Lent: works of mercy, works of prayer, and works of fasting.

Fr. Pat reflects on the story of the man born blind.

The parable of the Publican and the Pharisee teaches us much about prayer. Father Pat looks at three things: the meaning of the temple, the issue of repeated prayer, and authenticity when speaking with God.

Fr. Pat examines the ten days between Christ's ascension and Pentecost, when the disciples were gathered in the Upper Room.

The story of the Gadarene Demoniac in Luke 8 provokes three questions which are important for us to ask today.

Rather than discussing the main themes from the story of the Prodigal Son, Fr. Pat examines features of the story not related to its central core, but nonetheless significant.

Throughout the book of Ephesians (and elsewhere) the Apostle Paul uses the phrase “in Christ.” Based on Ephesians 5:8-19, Fr. Pat looks at some practical ways to live a life in Christ.

We bear within our very flesh the hope of which the Apostle Paul speaks; therefore there is going to be something very fleshly about our transformation. Fr. Pat preaches from Colossians 3.

The idea that all things came from God the Father was an idea that fell on the Greco-Roman intellectual world with the force of a bomb. It still does. Fr. Pat preaches from 1 Corinthians 8:6.

Fr. Pat preaches from Matthew 15:21-28, the encounter of Jesus with the Canaanite woman.

Jesus Christ is our savior, but what does He save us from? To answer that, we need to take a closer look at Creation and the Fall. God made us neither mortal nor immortal, but with freedom: we could choose to either move closer to God, the source of life, or away from Him, and find death. When Adam and Eve sinned they separated themselves from God and each other, creating the wounded, sick humanity that they passed down to us.

This week we're responding to another viewer question. Does a love of theology and academic study somehow contradict the mysticism of the Faith? We approach God as complete human persons, and that includes our minds. Reading and studying theology can be a great thing, but it should also be a part of our larger life in Christ. God is more than an idea we think about: He's a person we encounter.

The Church isn't run by a single person. Instead, we come together in councils to keep the Faith and guide the Church through challenges. From the Apostolic Council of Jerusalem (in the Book of Acts) through the upcoming Great and Holy Council, this spirit of togetherness opens us to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Christ asked His disciples something personal: "Who do you say that I am?" It's an invitation to do more than answer a question: He's asking us to share our relationship with Him. So who do you say that Christ is? And how is He active in your life? Share your answer and this video!

Dn John Chryssavgis, theological advisor to His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, joins Steve to explain the Council. They discuss the mission of the Church in the world, and our mission as Christians.

Our lives are chapters in a greater story. What part are you playing: the all-star athlete, the Greek American, the top of your class? What about the disciple of Christ? This week, let's refocus our lives in God's story, the greater story of salvation.

Faith is often treated as a secret, private thing. But if we really believe that we know the way to eternal life in Christ, would we really keep that hidden from others?

Lots of prayers say we should "fear God." Does that mean we should be terrified of Him? How can we fear God and love Him?

You've heard it before: you are what you eat. That's most true when we eat Holy Communion. Christian joins Steve to consider the amazing insights that Fr Alexander Schmemann offers in "For the Life of the World."

Last week, Steve and Christian talked about how receiving Holy Communion forms us into Christ's Body. This week, they reflect on the ways our good habits can build a "second nature" and form us into the people God made us to be.

Do we overcome the darkness by fighting against it? Or is there an easier way?

“Christ is the one who came in order to do what Adam did not do: to be the priest of creation...not just for the human being, although it was achieved through the human being. Christ came so that the whole world may live, and the human being may become that which he was meant to be when he was created by God, namely the priest of creation.” -Metropolitan John (Zizioulas) of Pergamon Some Christians think the world is bad: that we need to escape our bodies and physical things. But the spiritual life isn't just about the spirit. Matter matters. Our job isn't to abandon the physical world, but to save it. And this is exactly what we see in the great feast of Theophany. As always, we've prepared a FREE downloadable workbook to help you act on what you'll learn. mailchi.mp/goarch/bethebee162

“O God, when You come upon the earth in glory, the whole world will tremble. A river of fire will bring all before Your Judgment Seat and the books will be opened, and everything in secret will become public.” (Kontakion of Judgment Sunday) In this Episode: 00:00​ What is Judgment Sunday? 01:14​ How Will We Be Judged? 03:50​ Causing Others to Stumble 05:40​ Love and Judgment 06:54​ My Brother is My Life 09:29​ When Right is Wrong What this Episode is About: In Matthew 25, Jesus offers a prophetic word on the Day of Judgment, when He will come again to judge the living and the dead. Yet this isn't a private judgment, focused on our own private religiosity. It's based on the way we treat other people. In fact, Jesus tells us that, when we love others, we are actually loving Him. And, when we despise others, we're actually despising Him. Because right and wrong is about more than what’s right or wrong for you. As always, we've prepared a FREE downloadable workbook to help you act on what you'll learn: https://mailchi.mp/goarch/bethebee167

Kevin's guest is Rita Madden, host of the AFR podcast "Food, Faith, and Fasting." Rita is a Registered Dietitian who finds inspiration in the great role that the Orthodox Christian faith can play in her modern-day healthcare profession. Here she discusses caring for your health in a spiritually minded manner.

Death crawls down the hill but life springs towards Paradise.

The Lord said we should fast and pray.

The Apostles James and John came with an outrageous question! It's as if they'd learned nothing at all from their time with the Lord. So He sets abouut teaching them again...cas

It's only the first Sunday in Great Lent! Finding the going tough so far? Hmmm. There's a bit more to come!

St. Paul reminds us to concentrate on those things that will last for ever. Mark's Gospel today shows us that we have to work hard to come to the feet of Christ. God bless your Lenten struggle! Hebrews 1:10-2;3, Mark 2:1-12