Our Life in Christ

Icons Part Two

In part two of "Icons" we continue to discuss the Scriptures and the post-Reformation emphasis on the "intellectual" apprehension of the rational message of the Gospel as written in the Bible. But we will see that icons are a fulfillment of the Gospel and more specifically are a logical ramification of the Incarnation of God.

Icons Part One

This is the first of a six part series on "ICONS" from our KPXQ live radio program archives from 2004. In this program we introduce icons and what you will see in an Orthodox Church and look at the scriptures, especially in the Old Testament, that seem to prohibit the making of "graven images". Are all images "idols", and are ALL images and representations of the material world prohibited by God?

Steve the Builder Begins!

On January 15th my personal podcast, "Steve the Builder", begins airing on Ancient Faith. The focus will be about my 56 years of "real" life, our culture, living and working in the world, and just being a layperson seeking to be a Christian. Bill and I will still be producing Our Life in Christ programs in the future as we can hammer out some studio time together, but Steve the Builder will fill in the blanks in between Our Life in Christ productions.

Prayer to the Saints, Part Four

In the final program of the series on "Prayer to the Saints" we continue the discussion of the state of the departed from the Scriptures. In many enigmatic passages we find the foundations for why the Church affirms the "Communion of the Saints" as including both those "in Christ" on earth and the "departed in Christ". Within these passages we find the rationale for believing that those who have gone before us do stand before the throne of God and intercede on our behalf because of our prayers to them.

Prayer to the Saints, Part Three

How can we communicate with the departed saints if they are dead? What is the state of the departed according to the Scriptures? Are they concious, and if so, of what? Can they hear the petitions of those alive on earth? What do they do when people pray to them? These and other questions are actually answered in the Bible. Tune in and find out where.

Prayer to the Saints, Part Two

After a major computer crash, we're finally back in the digisphere! If you have emailed us within the past few weeks with any requests or something important please send again, all of our email was lost.

We are posting part two of "Prayer to the Saints" from our audio archives 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?

Prayer to the Saints, Part One

In the first of a series on "prayers to the saints" from our audio archives of past programs, we begin to discuss how the Orthodox Church connects the dots of many aspects of what it means to be "in Christ" and a member of "the body of Christ." Are we worshipping the saints in prayer? Does Scripture forbid prayer to the dead? Can the living communicate with the dead? What is true prayer? These and many more issues will be discussed in light of Scripture over the next four programs.

Encountering Mary, Part Eight

This is the final program of the three part series on Mary from our audio archives of our live program on KPXQ Phoenix. In this program we discuss several misconceptions about Mary and her place within the Christian Church through the ages.

Encountering Mary, Part Seven

In part seven of "Encountering Mary" we are posting the second program from our live broadcast done in December, 2004 on KPXQ in Phoenix, AZ taken from our audio archives. In this program we continue the discussion of the Church's teachings regarding the perpetual virginity of Mary.

Encountering Mary, Part Six

We continue the series on Encountering Mary with several programs from our Audio Archives from past programs recorded from our live broadcasts at KPXQ 1360 in Phoenix, AZ. In the next three programs we deal with the Perpetual Virginity of Mary.

Role of Laity in the Orthodox Church

Kevin Allen of "The Illumined Heart" podcast here on AFR interviewed Steve on lay ministry in the Orthodox Church. As usual, Kevin asks the hard questions. Join Steve and Kevin for a frank discussion of the opportunities and yes, sometimes pitfalls of trying to do lay ministry in the context of the Orthodox Church.

Encountering Mary, Part Five

In the final program of the series on "Encountering Mary", we deal with some of the hymnography and prayers that are a "brick wall" to many Evangelicals. We discuss several prayers in which Mary seems to be given attributes of deity or usurps the work of Christ in the life of the Christian. But, when we go to the Scriptures we see that the hymnography of the Church is rooted in the Bible and biblical typology and scriptural language in a way that even modern Protestants sometimes use in their devotional lives, practice and hymns.

Encountering Mary, Part Four

In this program we continue the discussion of the early Church's interpretation of Scripture and the typology that points to both the birth of Christ and His birth giver. The hymnography of the Church both praises Mary for her faith and obedience but also explicates the Scriptures and teaches us about the dogma of the person of Christ, our relationship to God, Christ, Mary and all the saints.

Encountering Mary, Part Three

In Part Three of the series on Mary, Steve and Bill tackle some listener feedback and questions about Mary, veneration, worship and children. In the second half of the program they discuss the early second century Fathers of the Church and the universality of the doctrine of Mary as the second Eve which is evidence of the Church's early embracing of Mary and the development of an understanding of her importance in the history of our salvation in Christ.

Encountering Mary, Part Two

In Part Two of our series on dealing with "Mary issues", the tardiloquent and equipotent Steve and Bill talk more about "the culture of the Kingdom" , the language of the Church, and the development of the Marian doctrines in Church history.

Encountering Mary, Part One

In response to several panicked emails from listeners who attended their first Orthodox services and came face to face with the Church's piety regarding Mary, we begin a series on "Encountering Mary". In the first program we read a typical email and discuss several misconceptions, misperceptions and offer some perspectives that will help someone see the Orthodox devotion to Mary in a Biblical and balanced way.

Interview with Fr. Gregory Jensen on Psychology, Part Two

The second hour of an interview with Fr. Gregory Jensen on the use of psychology and the Orthodox spiritual life.

Interview with Fr. Gregory Jensen on Psychology, Part One

Steve interviews Fr. Gregory Jensen, an Orthodox priest and psychologist. Fr. Gregory discusses the place of clinical psychology within Orthodox spirituality, particularly as it relates to pastoral care and confession.

Essence and Energy, Synergy Part 6

In the sixth and final program on the series on "Relics", Steve and Bill discuss issues that face the Western theological concepts of nature, person, will and their relationships to one another before and after the fall. How one views the nature of God and the human being determines one's view of the meaning of salvation and the impact of "salvation" on the human being in this life. Relics are the evidence of the progressive nature of the human participation in the divine energies of God and a foretaste of the life to come in eternity. In the second half of the program Steve and Bill examine the New Testament and many passages that point us to the concept of "synergy", the working of the human person with God toward the goal of union with God.

Essence and Energy, Relics Part 5

We continue the discussion of essence and energy and give a very broad overview of the influence of the Greek philosophers Plato and Aristotle on Augustine and Aquinas and how philosophy has influenced the views of God in the West. . We also discuss how the East and West's views of God manifest themselves in how we view creation and the human being's relationship to God.

Podcast Promotion

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Relics Part 4: Persons, Essence and Energies

In part four of our discussion of relics, we tackle the nature of God and the nature of the human being and how we can "know" a person. What is the relationship of "nature" to a "person"? What is an "energy"? How is a nature's energies expressed? The proper definition of nature, energy and personhood form the cornerstone for a proper definition of salvation and the goal of our existence in God.

Relics Part 3: Essence and Energies

After a two month disappearance, Steve and Bill resurface and finally record part 3 of the series on "Relics". In this program they discuss the Orthodox view of God and how the creation can literally "participate in God", or as St. Peter says, be a "partaker of the divine nature". How can the infinite God who says "You cannot see My face and live" also promise that "the pure in heart shall see God"? The distinction between the essence and energies of God is one of the fundamental dogmas of the Orthodox faith and gives us a vision of our union with God which is ultimately our salvation.

Relics Part Two, The Orthodox View of Salvation

Heirotheos Vlachos of Nafpaktos said, "The job of the Church is to make relics." The phenomenon of relics is not merely a human sentimental reaction to the past, but it is a real evidence of our salvation in Christ in whom "the fullness of deity dwells bodily" (Colossians 1:19, 2:9). The consequences of the incarnation go beyond a juridical declaration of innocence, they are evidence of the eternal destiny of the human being. In this program Steve and Bill begin to delve into the theology of the Church regarding our union with God in Christ through the Holy Spirit.

Relics, Part One

After being AWOL for several months, we're actually back in the Basement Catacomb Studio recording new material! In the first of a several part series on "relics", we discuss the universal human behavior of collecting "memorabilia" of significant people, the universal human struggle to define the relationship between the spiritual and material worlds, and the significance of Christian relics based on the Incarnation of Christ and the Orthodox view of salvation.

Forming an Orthodox World View: Sola Sacraments?

In the tenth and final program in the series on "Developing an Orthodox World View" Steve and Bill discuss the notion of "sola sacraments". Often we hear that the Orthodox (and other liturgical Churches) believe that all that is necessary is to show up on Sunday and take communion in order to be saved. In this program we look at the relationship of the sacramental life to the rest of our Christian walk in Christ. This is also the first program recorded in the "Basement Catacomb Studio" over three years ago.

Forming an Orthodox World View: Incarnation and Sacrament Part 2

In the ninth part of the series on forming an Orthodox world view, Steve and Bill continue the discussion of the sacramental world view in light of the Incarnation and Trinity.

Forming an Orthodox World View: Incarnation and Sacrament

In Part 8 of the series we discuss the foundations of a "sacramental world view" based on the dogmas of the Incarnation and Trinity. How does God relate to creation and thus to the human being through the Incarnation and how does this manifest itself in the sacramental life of the Church?

Forming an Orthodox World View: Trinitarian Anthropology

In Part 7 of the series we discuss the "practical application" of the dogma of the Trinity. While all "orthodox" Christian churches affirm the dogma of the Trinity virtually none of them can really tell a believer why it is important to our salvation. If we are created in the image of God, then the Trinity is at the core of our being and defines not only God, but the human being and the nature of our salvation in Christ.

Forming an Orthodox World View: Part 6,  The Nature of The Church Part 2

We continue the discussion of the nature of the Church and the self understanding of the Orthodox Church as being the "one true Church". How does this concept fit within the modern concepts of the "mystical" or "invisible Church"? We also discuss the early Christological heresies and how they relate to the modern concepts of the Church.

Forming an Orthodox World View Part 5: The Church

In part 5 of the series we continue the discussion of the importance of the Creeds, Christology and the incarnation of God in establishing the nature of the Church as the body of Christ. In this program we talk with Father John McCuen, a former Episcopal priest, about the nature of the "one, holy and apostolic Church" confessed in the Nicene Creed. Is it invisible? Is it "spiritual"? Is there still "one Church"?

Forming an Orthodox World View Part 4: The Creeds

In Part 4 we continue the discussion of the Creeds and the 7 Ecumenical Councils. In a broad survey of the first eight centuries we discuss why the Councils called and the specific issues the 7 Councils dealt with. Then we ask, "What practical application do the ancient Councils have for modern Christians?"

Forming an Orthodox World View Part 3: The Creeds

In part three, we discuss the importance of the Creedal statements of the early Church. Are the dogmatic formulations of Trinity and Christology philosophical minor details for scholars or are they the very foundation of how we define EVERYTHING. Are Creeds divisive, intolerant and pointless or are they the basis for real unity in Truth?

Forming an Orthodox World View Part 2: Dogma

In part two of the series, we discuss different world views and philosophies that the Incarnational and Trinitarian Christian dogmas confront. We continue to discuss the importance of clear and precise dogma and what has happened to the concept of "sound doctrine" in the modern Christian world.

Forming an Orthodox World View Part 1: Dogma

This is the first part of a nine part series on forming an Orthodox world view that is founded on the dogmas of the Trinity, Incarnation and Sacrament. In part one we discuss the concept of "dogma" or doctrine. Is dogma important? How can we talk to modern people who believe they don't believe in "dogma"?

Sola Scriptura Part Four

Part four of a four part series on "Sola Scriptura".

Sola Scriptura Part Three

Part three of the four part series on "Sola Scriptura".

Sola Scriptura Part Two

Part two of a four-part series on an Orthodox response to the doctrine of sola Scriptura.

Sola Scriptura Part One

Part one of a four-part series on sola Scriptura. Steve and Bill discuss Hank Hanegraaff's (The Bible Answer Man) Christian Research Institute's piece on "What Think Ye of Rome" in which Norman Geisler and Ralph MacKenzie defend sola Scriptura. In this series of programs they show how and why the anti-Roman Catholic arguments for sola Scriptura do not fit within an Orthodox framework.

Sola Scriptura on the Andrew Tallman Show

Steve and Bill are once again invited to guest host the Andrew Tallman Show on KPXQ, a live Phoenix drive time Christian talk show. We decide to boldly go where no Evangelical talk show host has gone before. We discuss the topic of sola scriptura and during the program get a call from a suprise guest.

Fr. Jonah on Why Be a Monk

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 5 programs.

Father Jonah on the Healing of the Human Person, Part 2

In part two of the conversation with Father Jonah we discuss the relationship of monasticism to the "normal" Christian life. The life lived in the Gospel is universally applied to all Christians, has the same goal and foundation, but is lived out in various ways.

Father Jonah on the Healing of the Human Person, Part 1

We continue the series of interviews with Fr. Jonah. In part one of this interview we discuss a variety of topics that relate to the Orthodox view of the healing of the human person. Monasticism is but one of the ways that we are healed, but all of the spiritual disciplines and "methods" boil down to life within a community, whether it is a monastery, a marriage, a family or a parish. We are also trying some new sound file formats to attempt to fix the 49 minute podcast cut off problem. So, if our podcast listeners can let us know if THIS program plays all the way through we'd appreciate it!

Fr. Jonah on Monasticism

We continue the series of interviews with Fr. Jonah Paffhausen. In this program Fr. Jonah discusses monasticism as a response to the Gospel. While monasticism is a specific calling, there is also a foundation of universal principles that all Christians are called to. Steve and Fr. Jonah also discuss the process of becoming a monk, some of the pitfalls of monasticism and some common misconceptions about monks and monasteries.

Interview with Fr. Jonah on the Jesus Prayer, Part 2

In part two of the discussion of the Jesus Prayer, Fr. Jonah talks about the context of the practice of the prayer and some of the spiritual pitfalls and dangers of entering a discipline of prayer without spiritual direction.

Interview with Abbot Jonah on the Jesus Prayer, Part 1

During a recent visit to St. John's Monastery, Steve recorded and interview with Abbot Jonah about the Jesus Prayer. In part one, Fr. Jonah discusses the Orthodox view of prayer that goes beyond "requests and praise". He also discusses the practice of the Jesus Prayer and the transformation of the human being which is a difficult and sometimes painful experience.

We’re Back

Steve and Bill offer indisputable evidence that they are still alive by breaking radio silence. Tune in and find out what has been going on for the last few weeks, and then join them in a discussion of "The Unseen Warfare", a Lenten discussion of the spiritual warfare.

The Andrew Tallman Show Hour Two

This is hour two of the Andrew Tallman Show that Steve and Bill hosted during Andrew's Christmas vacation.

Steve and Bill Host a Protestant Radio Program

Steve and Bill got invited to fill in for the vacationing Andrew Tallman, the afternoon drive time talk show host on 1360 KPXQ, the Phoenix area SALEM evangelical radio station. It is a two hour show from 5 to 7pm, so we are posting the first hour of the program this week and the second hour next week.

An Explanation of the Nativity Icon

We're baaaack! After an unintended extended hiatus from the program, we were finally able to find an evening to record a special "Christmas edition" of Our Life in Christ. In this program we walk through the icon of the Nativity and look at the wholistic view of the ministry of Christ in His incarnation. The Nativity icon foreshadows the Passion of Christ and we see in the details of the icon commmon elements that show us that our salvation began from eternity. Blessed Nativity to all of our listeners!

Holy Spirit Part 2

In this episode, Steve and Bill discuss the role of the Holy Spirit in bringing salvation to the human race through the person of Mary on whom the Holy Spirit descends to incarnate the second person of the Godhead, Jesus Christ. This is understood as the "economy" or the role of the Spirit as the one who does not manifest Himself, but reveals Christ. But then something happens during the second break and... well, don't reveal the suprise ending of this program to anyone.

The Holy Spirit Part 1

We've gotten several requests over time to do a program on the Orthodox view of "speaking in tongues" and the charismatic movement within the Evangelical Churches. After avoiding the topic for a couple years we decided to do a series on the Orthodox Church's understanding of the person and work of the Holy Spirit. With all the claims and experiences regarding the Holy Spirit today is there a way to discern what is real and what is perhaps a spiritual deception? We begin the series at the beginning: the role of the Holy Spirit in creation.

End Times Part 4: 666, Antichrist and the Beast

In the last program of the End Times series, Steve and Bill try to tag team wrestle "the Beast" and the "Antichrist". It was a tough matchup, and the they left some marks on them, but not the trademark "666". And just what does "666" mean anyway? Tune in and see who has been marked as the Beast and the Antichrist through history.

End Times Part 3, Rapture, Dispensationalism and Zionism

In part three on this series on the end times Steve and Bill discuss the Father's ancient wisdom of being silent on things that are difficult to interpret in the Bible then go on to discuss difficult topics about the end times. In this program they discuss the Rapture, dispensationalism and the place of the Church in God's plan of salvation, and Christian Zionism, all hinges on the door of many Protestant end time theories. They summarize how the Creed addresses all of these interpretations.

End Times Part 2, Church History

In the second part of a possible 144,000 part series on the End Times and the Revelation of St. John, Steve and Bill give some definitions of some of the views of the Tribulation and Rapture and where the second coming of Christ and judgment fits in the various scenarios. Then they take a romp through Church history and go through a list of prognostications about the second coming throughout the centuries.

The End Times Part One

In response to listener requests, Steve and Bill begin a new series on the Orthodox view of the end times and the book of Revelation. With the popularity of the "Left Behind" books, the recent developments in the Middle East, and the American Protestant theological hodge podge of end time scenarios, what does the Church have to say about all of the speculations about the immanent return of Christ? In this program Steve and Bill discuss the landscape of popular end time scenarios and laugh way too much.

The Divine Liturgy Part 9: The Dismissal and Post Communion Prayers

In this final program of the series on the Divine Liturgy we discuss the dismissal prayers after communion. These are more than just a formality as they express the summation of all that we have experienced for the past hour or more: God is the lover of mankind. But the Christian's experience of the Eucharist does not end with the final doxology or the Liturgy. In many parishes there are "post communion prayers" that are read as the people come for the closing blessing and antidoron from the priest. These express in prayer the Orthodox experience of the Eucharist and its meaning to us as we commune and "go forth in peace."

The Divine Liturgy Part 8: Receiving Communion

The prayers are said, the clergy have commmuned and we finally come to the people's communion. The Eastern Rite Orthodox communion has no counterpart in Western Christian practice, so we discuss the mechanics of taking communion, the unusual "liturgical spoon", the different ways communion has been served over the centuries, and the minor variations of praxis among Orthodox Churches. The communion ends with several prayers that declare what the Church has been teaching, confessing and praying all through the liturgy: we have found the true faith, worshipping the undivided Trinity. Is this triumphalistic arrogance or something more?

The Divine Liturgy, Part 7: Pre-Communion Prayers

The mystical change of the gifts of bread an wine into the Body and Blood of Christ in the Epiclesis is followed by a series of pre-communion prayers and hymns - given to continually focus us on the grace and unity of the Holy Spirit, for it is He who has been invited to come down upon us and abide in us. The closing prayer of the Epiclesis, which declares the unity of all saints made righteous by faith, is followed by the Megalynarion - the Magnification of Mary, for it was she who by virtue of her humility and purity and the power of the Holy Spirit provided the world with Christ's Body and Blood - the Incarnation itself. The litanies then lead us to the Lord's Prayer, the extolling of God's Holiness (not ours), and then a final declaration of of our own humility and allegiance before we partake of the Mystery of Mysteries. The now thoroughly inadequate Steve and Bill move through this part of the Divine Liturgy "as usual" - with their familiar, winsome klutziness.

The Divine Liturgy, Part 6: The Epiclesis

We come to the most sacred and debated words of Christian worship in history: the Epiclesis, the calling down of the Holy Spirit upon the bread and wine to make them into the Body and Blood of Christ. Is the change "real" or is it symbolic? How does the change happen? When does it happen? Are the words just a "hocus pocus" incantation? Can it happen anywhere a priest just speaks the words? Steve and Bill take up the challenge of going three rounds with this theological giant. In the first round they come out hesitant and tentative, dancing around their opponent. In the second and third rounds they get bolder and grapple with the topic but in the end are no match for the great Mystery. The epiclesis wins by a unanimous decision and Steve and Bill go home and hope to recover from their wounds by next week's show.

Divine Liturgy Part 5:  Lay Aside All Earthly Cares

The bread and wine, the gifts of the people, have been moved from the table of preparation (prothesis table) to the altar in the Great Entrance. In this program we further discuss the Cherubic Hymn in which we are admonished to "lay aside all earthly cares" as we confront the reality of the heavenly Kingdom and the unity of all believers both in heaven and on earth who confess "Father, Son and Holy Spirit, the Trinity one in essence and undivided". We enter a liturgical dialogue with the priest as we contemplate the greatness of the grace of God who accepts from us sinners our gifts in order to return them to us as the Body and Blood of His Son. In this liturgical dialogue we acknowledge our life in the Trinity, the love and unity of the Church, the glory of God, our gratitude to God for His mercy and the awesome and fearful prospect of taking the "fire of divinity" into our human flesh in the Eucharist.

The Divine Liturgy, Part 4: The Liturgy of the Faithful - The Great Entrance

With the reading of the Gospel and the homily that often follows it, the Liturgy of the Catechumens is concluded, and we transition to the Liturgy of the Faithful - The Communion Service. The Eucharist has always been the central focus of the life and worship of the Church from the beginning. Here we try to convey, by way of the Cherubic Hymn and the priestly prayers, the meaning of the Great Entrance - the journey of the gifts from the Prothesis table to the Altar. This is the life-journey of Christ in the world on his way to His Life-Giving Death, and the faithful are eyewitnesses to this - as the lines between heaven and earth are blurred in the mysterious and sacred space of the Kingdom.

The Divine Liturgy, Part 3: The Liturgy of the Word

The priest is vested, the Gifts have been prepared for the celebration of the Eucharist, and now the Divine Liturgy begins. The first half of the Divine Liturgy is called "the Liturgy of the Word" or "the Liturgy of the Catechumens". In the Liturgy of the Word we hear the Church's teaching about the saints, feasts and events being commemorated that day, the Epistle is read and the Gospel is preached. We see it is not always easy to follow along, even with a service book in hand. Steve and Bill offer some insights into the structure and flow of the Liturgy of the Word that will help newcomers participate more fully in the service.

The Divine Liturgy, Part 2: The Proskomide

The Proskomide, or the leavened bread that is offered to God, and the accompanying Proskomide prayers, form the essential first part of the Divine Liturgy, taking place well before the arrival of the parishoners to the scheduled service. In this program we attempt to convey some of the significance of the Proskomide and the preparation required for its use. In the Proskomide, the whole of the Kingdom of God - those on earth and in heaven - is commemorated; the Incarnate Lord, the One Sacrifice, the One Bread, the One Body of Christ.

The Divine Liturgy, Part 1

Having entered sacred space in the Church building, we now turn to the 'main event' of the Church, the Divine Liturgy. We know that liturgy means 'work of the people', the labor of love we perform as citizens of the Kingdom. Yet, there is much that must be done to prepare for the public worship, and this work is begun long before the typical schedule published in the bulletin. In this program we focus on the "eternal time" of the Divine Liturgy in the sacred space of the Church, and the rationale for the special clothes or vestments of the priest, which, having been donned with special prayers from Holy Scripture, transform him into the Icon of Christ, the Humble Servant.

A Tour of an Orthodox Church

It is said that if you are familiar with the book of Revelation you will feel right at home in an Orthodox Church. The interior of the Church is modeled after the vision of St. John, who on the Lord's Day in worship, sees the heavenly worship he is participating in here on earth. The 'sacred space' of the Church building is the joining of us who are still 'in the world but not of it' to those who are before the altar of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world in the Heavenly Jerusalem in eternity. This is not mere symbolism, but the mystical reality of the communion of the saints spoken of in Hebrews 12. Steve and Bill give an 'audio tour' of an Orthodox Church building and talk about the meaning of the things that you will see beginning from entering the doors from the west parking lot to the easternmost back wall behind the altar.

Sacred Space

If the daily, monthly, yearly prayer cycle of the Church and personal practice of the Jesus Prayer speak to the consecration of the person in time - sacred time - then it follows that Orthodox Christians are also concerned with space and its relationship to the Kingdom of God. Orthodox Church architecture and the decoration of space reflect the grand reality and destiny of the universe created and redeemed by God incarnate: Jesus Christ. It is through the Incarnation and the sacramental world view that we come to understand that the physical Church building itself allows us to participate in the Holy Infinite, even as the physical Eucharist is mysteriously the Body and Blood of Christ. Simply put: Church buildings are indeed "houses of God." This program begins to explain why.

Personal Prayer

In this program we discuss the topic of "personal prayer" in the Orthodox Tradition. Liturgical (corporate) and personal prayer are tightly linked together because the goal of all prayer is, ultimately, union with God. To "pray without ceasing" (I Thess. 5:17) is to live every moment consciously in the presence of God and to "take every thought captive to Christ" (2 Cor. 10:5). The Fathers teach that when we set ourselves to pray seriously, we enter the arena of spiritual warfare with the hosts of Satan whose aim is to keep us from God. As in all things, the Orthodox Christian succeeds in prayer through humility and simplicity - and the Jesus Prayer and the prayer rope are our aids in making our lives, as Paul Evdokimov says, "prayer incarnate."

The Great Feasts

Steve and Bill finish the mini-series on the liturgical prayer life of the Church. For all the teaching and talk about fasting on the program, the Church's liturgical calendar really focuses on the 12 Great Feasts and fasting is our preparation for the Feasts of the Church. In the third segment of the program, Steve and Bill tag team wrestle a glossary of liturgical terms and show once again that two lightweights are no match for the 2000 year old Tradition. They deftly handle the Troparion, they almost pin down the Kontakion, but the Canons and Exapostilarion finally throw them. The Church's liturgical terms win by a unanimous decision. A rematch may be scheduled in the future.

The Eight Tones

Central to the prayer life of the Church is the cycle of eight musical tones or structures (The Octoechos, or eight echos) that accompany the hymns and prayers in all the services. In this program, Steve provides a basic, lighthearted but informative overview of the Eight Tones of the Church as expressed in Byzantine, Russian, Bulgarian and other styles, and how the Tones reflect the Orthodox Traditional concern with the beauty of sound and its place in sacramental worship.

Prayer, The Daily Order

We begin a series on prayer which is the center of the life of the Orthodox Christian. Prayer is our connection to God who is our life. It is to be like our breathing, without ceasing. The Church provides a deep wealth of writings about prayer, but it also provides us with a daily order of services that structures the entire day around prayer. We are able to pray in the same ways the Jews prayed at set hours of the day that we see in the book of Acts. In this program Steve and Bill begin a discussion of the daily order of prayer services and then next week will move into "personal prayer" and a discussion of "The Jesus Prayer", the single most important prayer of our spiritual life.

Scholasticism and Theology: The Difference Between East and West

What accounts for the differences between the Eastern and Western churches? Many things of course, but primarily the development in the West - through those such as Anselm and Aquinas - of an emphasis on human reason and intellect in the pursuit of theological understanding. Returning briefly to our discussion of Rome and the Eastern Church, we contrast rationalism with the Eastern tradition that bows to the Mystery of the Incomprehensible, that proclaims that "theologians" are pure in heart through love of God (the eastern Church grants the title of Theologian to only three Saints in all of Church History), and we begin to see how steeped our modern culture and we ourselves are in scholastic thinking.

Christ is Risen! Words From Holy Week

In this program, we revisit Orthodox Holy Week with selected passages from the Holy Tradition - in the hope of trying to convey the richness of the "conversation" between God and the Church. For Christ invites us to go with Him to the Holy Cross, and we find ourselves both willing and unwilling, like the repentant harlot and the betrayer Judas, like the good thief and the blind and unbelieving crowd. Glory to God in Christ! He overcomes the wrath and sins of mankind through love and humility in His Suffering and tramples down Death by Death.

Christ is Risen! KPXQ Radio Program Segment

Christ is Risen! Indeed He is Risen! This is the anthem of Pascha, and since it was in fact Holy Week and Pascha last week, we have decided to "go lite" this program hour and air a 20-minute interview segment we did last month with local Phoenix evangelical drive-time radio program host Andrew Tallman in lieu of a full study hour. So enjoy, and next week we'll tackle another topic. A blessed Bright Week to all.

The Prayer of St. Ephraim - Patience, Love, and Not Judging Our Brother

We finish this Lenten series discussing the virtues of patience, love and not judging our brother. Again, the Orthodox axiom of working out the virtues in the body is true, and we learn that patience is not merely a passive state, but also requires spiritual/bodily effort to restrain evil thoughts/actions, choosing to perform God's will instead. Love for God, neighbor, enemies and the whole of creation is our aim, cultivated with our growing awareness of God's pure and captivating eros coming down from heaven. Engulfed in this love we lose interest in the world and adopt the humble mind of Christ, whose words on the Cross, "forgive them for they know not what they do," are to become our own towards all men.

The Prayer of St. Ephraim - Humility

Following Chastity in the the list of virtues in St. Ephraim's prayer comes Humility. Reading from the Fathers, we find that humility is not merely a state of mind, but a mystery that comes about as the result of labors of the soul and body, mirroring the Incarnation itself - and so it is by nature incomprehensible. We look at humility and its opposite - pride and "prelest" to try to gain even just a little more understanding of this virtue and why it is central to our life in Christ.

The Prayer of St. Ephraim - Chastity

St. Ephraim begins the second half of his great prayer "Give rather a spirit of chastity, humility, patience and love to Thy servant." Asking God to take our sinful passions away is followed by a petition to give us virtue - chastity being first in the order. In the Fathers, and especially St. John Climacus, we find that the virtues - which are in truth the energies of the Holy Spirit - act in our heart and are active through us through the deeds of the body surrendered to Christ. And chastity, rather than being limited to some quaint notion of sexual purity (true enough), is the virtue of wholeness in Christ which enables us to fight the passions fervently.

The Prayer of St. Ephraim - Lust for Power and Idle Talk

We continue our discussion of the famous Prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian and his plea for God to remove from him the "lust for power" and "idle talk". As is made clear from the sayings of the Fathers cited here, these sins are so well-rooted in our normal, everyday lives that raising our self-awareness regarding how and how often we commit them is a significant Lenten undertaking.

Lent: The Prayer of St. Ephraim

We continue our discussion of Great Lent by reviewing, with many quotes from the Church Fathers, the famous Prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian that is used during all the weekday services. Writing in the 4th Century, St. Ephraim's hymnography captures the Spirit of the Lenten Season and has been a vital standard for the Orthodox Church ever since. In its simplicity and penetrating quality we learn that we are at once helpless and in need of God's grace to overcome our sinful nature, and yet must also pursue repentance and the virtues in faith continually - to be both emptied and filled.

The Purpose of Lent

O Lord and Master of my life, take from me the spirit of sloth, faintheartedness, lust for power and idle talk.
-Lenten Prayer, St. Ephraim the Syrian

The Filioque

The addition and acceptance of three words - and the Son (filioque in Latin) - to the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Symbol of Faith (Creed) in the Western Church, and then finally by the Roman See, changed the course of Church and human history. It is often seen as the primordial cause of the dogmatic schism that separated the West from the East a thousand years ago. Here we attempt to unpack the origin and significance of the filioque, and why the Eastern Orthodox Church views it as an assault on the historical doctrine of the Holy Trinity.

Rome, Petrine Doctrine and the Orthodox Tradition

Continuing with our discussion about Eastern Orthodox ecclesiology, we turn to the question of what happened to the One, Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church in the first centuries following the death of the Apostles, and specifically the relationship between the Eastern Churches and the Church at Rome. Contrasting the Petrine Doctrine and the conduct of Roman Bishops with that of the Eastern Bishops through the Seven Ecumenical Councils and the first millenium, we find that the collegial model was maintained as it had begun in Acts 15, and that Rome, despite certain attempts to exert universal authority over the Churches, was subject to the Councils and their declarations.

Answering Objections to Apostolic Succession

We continue our discussion of apostolic succession by examining some common objections given by Protestants - found in a sermon outline published on Calvin College's CCEL Historical Church document site. It becomes clear that for Protestants, reaction against apostolic succession is not based on solid Biblical or historical grounds, but rather on the need to question and reject the authority of Rome (papal and magisterial) and its excesses, which are not necessarily a part of the Eastern Orthodox Tradition.

Apostolic Succession

The phrase "apostolic succession" has a number of different meanings among the various Christian traditions, but is key to a proper understanding of Orthodox ecclesiology and her claim to be the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church stated in the Nicene Creed. Here we offer a modest explanation of the Orthodox Church's view, focusing on the collegiate role of Bishops - in whose office and authority is found the continuation of Christ and His Apostles' sacramental unity, oversight and teaching through history to the present day.

Orthodox Ecclesiology

The Orthodox Church’s View of Non-Orthodox Christians Part 4

Converts Part 3

Converts Part 2

Understanding The Virgin Mary - Part 3

Converts Part 1

Confession Part 3

Confession Part 2

Confession Part 1

The Eucharist

Original Sin

The Sacrament of Baptism - Part 4

The Sacrament of Baptism - Infant Baptism, Part 3

The Sacrament of Baptism, Part 2

The Sacrament of Baptism, Part 1

Sola Sacramentalism?

Sacred Meals

An interview with Fr. John Finley (www.sacredmeals.com)

Incarnation, Sacrament and Salvation - Part 9

Incarnation, Sacrament and Salvation - Part 8

Trinitarian Anthropology: Being as Communion - Part 7

The Trinity, Incarnation and Nature of the Church- Part 6

The Creed, Trinity, Incarnation, and the One Church Part 5

A Discussion with Father John McCuen

The Creeds and the Sacramental Life - Part 4

The Creeds and the Sacramental Life - Part 3

On the Spiritual Life

An Interview with Father Damian

Story Time for Father’s Day

Trinity, Incarnation and Sacrament - Part 2

Trinity, Incarnation and Sacrament: Dogma - Part 1

Sola Scriptura and Tradition - Part 4

Sola Scriptura and Tradition - Part 3

Orthodoxy and the Religion of the Future

Sola Scriptura and Tradition - Part 2

Sola Scriptura and Tradition - Part 1

From Hank Hannigraf's CRI Series What Think Ye of Rome (Part 3), Norman Geisler, Ralph MacKenzie

Interview with Bishop Benjamin (OCA)

First Visit to an Orthodox Church: 12 Things I Wish I’d Known - Part 4

Closed Communion: 12 Things I Wish I’d Known - Part 3

Frederica Matthewes-Green

First Visit to an Orthodox Church: 12 Things I Wish I’d Known - Part 2

First Visit to an Orthodox Church: 12 Things I Wish I’d Known - Part 1

The Monastic Life

An Interview with Hieromonk Damascene

Overview of Lent

Prayers to the Saints - Part 4: State of the Dead, cont’d.

Prayers to the Saints - Part 3: The State of the Dead

Prayers to the Saints - Part 2: Why Intercession?

Prayers to the Saints - Part 1: What is a Saint?

The Feast of the Theophany: Salvation of the Cosmos - Part 2

The Feast of the Theophany: Salvation of the Cosmos - Part 1

Best Of Sacred Music

Music featured on Our Life of Christ

Understanding The Virgin Mary - Part 2

Understanding The Virgin Mary - Part 1

Liturgical Worship: In Spirit and Truth?

Liturgical Worship in the New Testament

The Nativity Fast

An Hour With Father Peter Gillquist

Icons and Veneration

Icons and the Theology of Light, the Orthodox View of Salvation - Part 2

Icons and the Theology of Light, the Orthodox View of Salvation - Part 1

Holy Tradition and Holy Scripture

An interview with Fr. Chris Salamy

History of Icons

Icons in the Orthodox Faith - Part 2

Icons in the Orthodox Faith - Part 1

Brokeness and Restoration

A Study of the Paralytic in Mark Chapter 2

Sometimes the world appears to be so divided and its people so alienated from one another, that it seems like it would take a miricle fix it and bring us all together again! And yet, this is exactly what Christ came to do. Likewise, the purpose of The Church, which is His body, is to re-unite in itself the world, which has been pulled apart by sin. Drawing on the healing narratives of the Gospels, the sayings of early Church Father, St. John Chrysostom, and contemporary Orthodox thinker Fr. Alexander Schmemen, Steve and Bill examine the causes of division, and discuss how we are healed, and the fragmented cosmos is put back together again in the person of Christ.