Orthodoxy has declined from 20% of global Christians in 1910 to 12% in 2010. We are not yet making Orthodox "disciples of all nations" to the degree our Lord instructed us. Why? Some answers can be found in the latest leadership, innovation, and change management best practices and research.

Orthodoxy has declined from 20% of global Christians in 1910 to 12% in 2010. We are not yet making Orthodox "disciples of all nations" to the degree our Lord instructed us. PART 3: Listen to the latest leadership, innovation, and change management best practices and research

Frederica is in Anchorage at the Alaska Native Heritage Center today talking with Orthodox convert Steven Alvarez and is interrupted only once by Alaskan wildlife!

This is the first part of a talk Frederica gave on the influence of the sexual revolution in the movies. We have broken it up into three sections and next time will be part 2. The talk was delivered at the Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky Institute in Ottawa. They recently held a conference that they called "The Sheptytsky Institute Study Days."

Here is the second part of a talk Frederica gave on the influence of the sexual revolution in the movies. Part 1 was posted on September 4.

Here is the third and final part of a talk Frederica gave on the influence of the sexual revolution in the movies. Part 1 was posted on September 4 and Part 2 on September 17.

Frederica interviews Daniel Buxhoeveden, an Orthodox scientist who just recently received a Templeton grant to establish an Institute for Science and the Orthodox Church. Please note that Frederica experienced technical difficulties while recording this episode. We apologize in advance for its poor audio quality.

Frederica interviews Kh. Tamera Pelikan, whose husband is the only Orthodox chaplain in Afghanistan.

Frederica reviews the movie, Expecting Mary, which was released September 10, 2010.

Frederica urges us to focus on the truly important aspects of our Orthodox Faith, rather than getting distracted by politics, scandals, or gossip.

Frederica uses the recorded comments of a Buddhist monk to examine the similarities and differences between Orthodox and Buddhist beliefs, particularly as they relate to anger and forgiveness.

Frederica explores the many complex issues surrounding Orthodoxy clergy and their pastoral stance toward same-sex attraction.

Frederica discusses an email message she wrote that eventually become a post on Rod Dreher's blog at The American Conservative. In it she explains her view that trying to experience Christ exclusively with your brain and outside the Church is a futile endeavor—a stance that was not well-received by the blog's many readers.

Frederica reflects on Fr. Marc Dunaway's article "Taking Orthodoxy to America," which appeared in the In Community newsletter from St. John Orthodox Cathedral in Eagle River, Alaska.

Frederica discusses the book Toxic Charity: How Churches and Charities Hurt Those They Help (and How to Reverse It) by Robert D. Lupton, published by HarperOne.

Frederica delivers a speech at UC-Santa Barbara (sponsored by The Veritas Forum) titled "The Meaning of Sex."

Frederica interviews Dn. Barnabas Powell, the former pastor of a Pentecostal church, about his conversion to Orthodoxy.

Frederica discusses her new book in which she uses a visit to a fictional parish, St. Felicity, to provide a basic introduction to the Orthodox Church.

A parishioner at Frederica's parish who has Aspergers writes a letter to a listener who likewise has the syndrome.

Frederica reads the introduction to her new book Welcome to the Orthodox Church: An Introduction to Eastern Christianity, published by Paraclete Press.

Audio recording of Frederica reading the Discussion Questions for her new book titled "Welcome to the Orthodox Church."

Frederica shares the story of St. Xenia of St. Petersburg and reads her akathist hymn.

"Our religion is founded on spiritual experience seen and heard as surely as any physical fact in this world, not theory, not philosophy, not human emotions, but experience." St. Nikolai Velimirovich

Frederica is in Portland this week chatting with Kh. Krista West about the history and significance of Orthodox vestments. Krista makes vestments for clergy and has a web site where you can see her products.

Why do some people feel that "converts" to Orthodoxy are so obnoxious? Today Frederica reflects on the practices of some Orthodox Christians compared with the path to spiritual healing that Orthodoxy represents.

Frederica is in the fourth floor apartment of a friend who recently came to Orthodoxy from the Mennonite church and participated in an excursion to the Middle East with a group intent on apologizing to Eastern faiths for the Crusades.

An informal chat with the wives of two priests from Western Rite parishes in the Antiochian Archdiocese.

Doxacon is a gathering of Orthodox Christians with an interest in fantasy, sci-fi, and gaming. This year they asked me to deliver the lay keynote (conference theme: "Making Virtuous Decisions in Fiction"), and I confessed that I don't know much about those popular forms of media. So we compromised. First, I speak about Charles Dickens, and how some non-virtuous personal decisions affected his life and his writing; then my son, Fr. Stephen Mathewes, relates the "virtuous decisions" question to some popular books, movies, and videogames. At the end I came back with a few thoughts about bees. Enjoy!

Recently, I uploaded an old video to YouTube, of one of the strangest and funniest experiences I ever had with an interview. It was 1996. A producer for a viewer-call-in political talk show, "Capital Watch," phoned me about the work I was doing with a group called Common Ground for Life and Choice. We brought pro-life and pro-choice people together in dialogue, to get better understanding of each other's beliefs. (To get past misunderstanding so we could arrive at genuine disagreement, I used to say.) I put it on my calendar, and drove to the studio on Capital Hill. But while I was standing just off the set, waiting to be introduced, I heard the host say I was going to talk about common ground between Republicans and Democrats. I knew nothing about that. I didn't follow politics at all. But in a matter of seconds I had to walk on the set, sit down, and basically fake it for 20 minutes. I guess the producer had written "Common Ground" on the schedule without any further explanation, and that's what the hosts thought I was there to talk about. It's pretty funny. You can see me making guesses about what answer the hosts expected me to give, trying to sound like I actually knew something about the topic. Afterward I wrote a column about it, and how you can see someone on a talk show who appears to not know what they're talking about, "the idiot beside the potted plant." Well, that would be me. Watch the interview at www.youtube.com/watch?v=SneiaHIiogA. Read the column at: frederica.com/writings/whos-that-idiot-next-to-the-potted-plant.html.

Orthodoxy in America is in revival, and that makes it a lively place to be. In other times and places revival has been a temporary state, so it can’t be expected to last forever. At the moment, though, it’s a great time to become Orthodox.

Frederica speaks with the Orthodox Christian Book Club about the Canon of St. Andrew of Crete and the topic of prayer.

Fr. Tom reflects upon the expulsion of Adam from Paradise, one of the two themes of Forgiveness Sunday.

You won't find a more concise and helpful explanation of why Orthodox Christians keep and venerate icons.

Fr. Thomas examines the life of the prominent Russian Orthodox dissident, writer and Nobel Peace Prize winner, who passed away just last month (Click here to order the "Solzhenitsyn Reader" recommended by Fr. Tom).

Fr. Tom interviews the leaders of the Crossroad program at Hellenic College in Brookline, MA. Crossroad is intended to help High School students discern their life callings, matching their personal gifts with the needs of the world. His guests are Ann Bezzerides, Mary Long, and Dan Belonic. He referenced in this interview his very informative eight-part AFR podcast series on the Church and State. In the next program, Fr. Tom will interview some of the participants in Crossroad.

Fr. Tom speaks with two students and a leader in the Crossroad program.

Celebrating one of the twelve great feasts of the Church. (Click here to view the children's choir Fr. Thomas mentions in the podcast.)

Sitting in his study, Fr. Tom reflects on the past 50 years of the Orthodox Church. August marked the 46th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood.

As we celebrate the Triumph of Orthodoxy and the victory over iconoclasm, Fr. Tom gives a personal reflection on icons and their use and misuse.

Everyone at one time or another has been fearful. But how do we deal with unhealthy anxiety and fear? Fr. Tom looks at this problem in light of Holy Scripture.

Fr. Thomas Hopko reflects on one of the twelve great feasts of the Church.

Fr. Tom received a number of emails about his talks on reading the Bible and the various translations. Several listeners asked about the scandalous nature of the Old Testament with stories of murder, slaughter, multiple wives, concubines, etc. So today, Fr. Tom begins a short series of talks to deal with this subject.

What are we to make of the moral behavior of many of the heroes of the Old Testament like David, Solomon, Abraham, Lot, and others? Fr. Tom helps us deal with these figures in the proper way and according to God's ultimate plan.

If we believe that the Orthodox Church is the True Church, how are we to relate to those in other faith traditions or even non Christians? Fr. Tom takes us to the Church Fathers for answers.

On the Sunday after Ascension and before Pentecost, the appointed Scripture readings for the Divine Liturgy have striking similarities between the Apostle Reading (Acts 20) and the Gospel (John 17:1-13). Read these 2 "farewell addresses" and then listen to Fr. Tom's teaching that he recorded in his study following the Liturgy.

To what lengths will a true saint go to defend pure doctrine? Fr. Tom tells the incredible story of St. Maximus and St. Martin.

Recently Fr. Thomas Hopko visited and spoke at the well known and evangelical based Wheaton College. While he appreciated and was honored by the opportunity, it caused him to reflect on the evangelical movement from an Orthodox Christian perspective. His thoughts will be of value to Orthodox and Evangelicals alike.

We have just finished the month of January where many of the heroes of the Faith are remembered. One of them is St. Maximus the Confessor who paid a price for resisting bishops and emperors when he thought they were promoting false doctrine. Fr. Tom teaches us what can we learn from this humble and brave saint.

Fr. Thomas Hopko calls the Reformation one of the most impactful periods of Church history on Orthodoxy. Learn about how the Orthodox were influenced by Roman Catholic and Protestant thinking.

Fr. Tom talks about what happened in the 17th Century, when Orthodoxy in both Constantinople and Ukraine were influenced by non Orthodox thinking.