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A Reflection on the Past 50 Years of the Orthodox Church

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.




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The Nativity Fast

As we are in the beginning days of the Nativity fast, Fr. Tom takes us on a journey from the Presentation of Mary in the Temple to Theophany. Fr. Tom references a couple of resources: The Winter Pascha by Fr. Thomas Hopko Putting Christmas Back into Christ - CD series by Fr. Thomas Hopko




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Nativity, Epiphany, and Pascha - Patterns of Worship

Fr. Thomas Hopko presents a meditation on how the liturgical services of Christmas and Epiphany pattern those of the Christ's Holy Pascha of Easter.




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Thomas Sunday

Father Thomas educates us on why the Sunday a week after our Lord's Resurrection is also called Antipascha.




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God as a Consuming Fire

A meditation on God as a consuming fire and the imagery of fire in the spiritual life. Particularly appropriate as we think about Pentecost.




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Darwin and Christianity - Part 16: Faith and Knowledge, Reason and Revelation

This is the next-to-last episode in the Darwin series.




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Bishops - Part 1: Prophetic, Priestly, and Pastoral

Fr. Tom begins a series of talks on the role of bishops in the Church and their relationships to each other, to the priests, the deacons, and to us. He begins by identifying what is common to all of us in creation. Please also listen to a special encouragement at the very beginning of today's episode.




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Seeing Christ as He Really Is

Is it possible to really see Christ and God as they are? Did the Disciples have an advantage over us because they lived with Christ? Fr. Tom explores these questions in light of the resurrection!




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Exploring the Scripture Readings from the Sunday After Ascension

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.




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Bishops - Part 24: 8th Century Iconoclasm

An intense and violent period in Church history surrounded the veneration of icons. Learn about those who gave their lives for the preservation of this important physical demonstration of the Incarnation as well as those Bishops who sided with with the iconoclasts and were later identified as heretics.




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An Orthodox Assessment of Evangelicalism

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.




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Fr. Thomas Hopko - Sandy Hook and Our Response

After listening to an AFR Commentary by Fr. Lawrence Farley and a sermon by Fr. Andrew Damick, Fr. Thomas offers some additional and personal thoughts on the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CT. We also encourage you to listen to the comments by Fr. Tom Soroka.




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The Eucharistic Prayer of St. Basil's Liturgy

During Great Lent, the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great is prescribed in Orthodox Churches. Fr. Tom appeals for the audible use of that prayer for the blessing and edification of all.




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Introduction to the Bible - Lesson 20: Basil and Gregory

Today, Jeannie looks at two of the Cappadocian Fathers: Basil the Great and Gregory of Nyssa.




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Was St. John Chrysostom Anti-Semite?

Jennie takes a break from her Intro to the Bible series this week to answer a question that has come to her from our listeners on more than one occasion.




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Was Jesus Married?: Part One

Dr. Constantinou takes a break from her introduction to the Bible to address a question that is making headlines around the world: Was Jesus married?




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Was Jesus Married?: Part Two

Dr. Constantinou continues her discussion of the recently discovered square of papyrus that supposedly proves that Jesus was married.




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10 Simple Ways to Make Your WordPress Site Faster

I've become obsessed with site speed over the last six months, systematically working through each of my sites to improve their speed. Supposed SEO benefits aside, the faster your site is, the better the user experience. And the better the user experience, the higher the conversion rate – sales, leads or newsletter subscribers; whatever a…

The post 10 Simple Ways to Make Your WordPress Site Faster appeared first on Sugarrae.




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How to Create a Clickable Affiliate Ad as a Backup for an AdSense Unit

Sometimes an AdSense unit won't display an ad to a user for whatever reason. When an AdSense unit doesn't show an ad, it leaves an odd amount of space within the content, and reduces my ability to monetize those pages – and I find that unacceptable. This used to be a much more significant problem,…

The post How to Create a Clickable Affiliate Ad as a Backup for an AdSense Unit appeared first on Sugarrae.




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27 Detailed Ways to Generate New Blog Post Ideas

Coming up with good topics for your blog posts can be a struggle, especially after you have been blogging for a while. When I get inspired, blogging is easy for me. When I have to sit down and write like it's homework because I need to publish two posts one week, I often sit there…

The post 27 Detailed Ways to Generate New Blog Post Ideas appeared first on Sugarrae.




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Google Search Console – a Beginner’s Guide to Finding Actionable SEO Tasks

Google Search Console (GSC) can be a helpful tool – providing you use it. This guide isn't meant for advanced users nor is it a comprehensive dive into every feature GSC has. I'm not looking to overwhelm you. Instead, we're going to go over eight simple GSC features that can provide you with actionable tasks…

The post Google Search Console – a Beginner’s Guide to Finding Actionable SEO Tasks appeared first on Sugarrae.




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Orthodox Radio in Abilene, Texas?

Fr. Philip LeMasters, pastor of St Luke/Abilene, records a weekly radio program for a local radio station. While there aren't many Orthodox Christians in Abilene, this program provides a means of spreading the Faith in the "Friendly Frontier." After some local radio shtick, Fr. Philip and Fr. Joseph get down to some serious subjects.




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Pascha as Baptismal Season

At St Simeon Mission/Santa Clarita, California, Fr John delivers a teaching sermon on the season of Pascha and how it relates, every Sunday, to baptism -- for the newly illumined and all who are baptized into Christ. Christ is Risen!




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Could We See Other Mass Conversions (ala 1987)?

Fr. Finley, with reference to potential “mass conversions,” explains what we must do to prepare.




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The True Measure of Kinship

Jesus was: A) a Jew; B) a Samaritan; C) All off the above? Fr John, speaking at St Paisios Mission/Yuma, Arizona, explains.




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Paschal Prayers

Like a flash, Pascha and Bright Week are upon us—and if we are not paying attention, the new way to pray may slip our minds. Fr. Joseph offers a refresher on praying during Bright Week and the Paschal season.




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I Don't Live in Dallas, I Live in Texas

Don't fret this episode's title, Big D folks can handle it. Fr Joseph interviews Fr John Guy Winfrey on the one year anniversary of St Katherine/Burleson, Texas. Y'all ever had possum for Pascha?




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From Texas: Pascha with Peeps!

Fr Joseph, at home with the peeps of St Joseph/Houston (masks and all), says: Christ is Risen!




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“Mom, Dad—there was an explosion . . . in Beirut”

Moments after the explosion on August 4, Fr. Joseph receives audio messages from his daughter in Beirut.




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It's My Pascha (Prom), I'll Cry If I Want To

In 2020, pretty much EVERYONE missed the Lamentations service! (No, watching it online is no more the same as watching American Bandstand, or Dancing with the Stars, is the same as attending the prom.) Fr Joseph wept.




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Quite a Mashup in Concord

This "Mission Recipe" mixes loss of vision, retirement, 20-20, homeschooling, and a local bookstore. Fr. Joseph chats with Fr. Paul Solberg of Christ the Good Shepherd Mission in Concord, North Carolina.




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Paschal Prayers

Like a flash, Pascha and Bright Week are upon us—and if we are not paying attention, the new way to pray may slip our minds. In this encore episode of The 153, Fr. Joseph offers a refresher on praying during Bright Week and the Paschal season.




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The Passover Exodus

In this important episode, Fr. Thomas shows how the Passover Exodus pre-figures the work of Christ and how that relates to our worship today.




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Worship as Clergy and Laity

What do we mean when we say "clergy and laity"? Fr. Tom says there is a real sense in which we are all both!




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“As Many as Have Been Baptized into Christ Have Put on Christ”

Fr. John shares his homily on Theophany.




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“As it was in the Days of Noah”

Fr. John shares his homily on Genesis 6:5-8.




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Passing on the Faith

Fr. John asks the question, "Will your children remain in the Church?" (Deuteronomy 6:1-9) and gives suggestions for parents to pass along the faith.




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Walk Not as the Gentiles (Ephesians 4:17-24)

Fr. John encourages us to renew our minds and not live in our former sins.




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What is the Significance of the Feast of the New Martyrs of Russia?

Fr. John shares stories of martyrdom and encourages us to prepare for our own.




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Churching and the Feast of the Meeting of the Lord

Fr. John shares about how the Feast of the Meeting of the Lord fits in with the Old Testament and today.




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Come Now, and Let Us Reason Together

Fr. John shares about repentance from Isaiah 1:1-20 on the first Sunday of Great Lent.




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The Forty Martyrs of Sebaste

Fr. John shares about the life of the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste. "It's through our struggle that we are saved. There's a crown that's waiting for each and every one of us, but we have to take up the struggle and endure to the end."




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Reality as God Sees It

Fr. John shares from the story of the Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31).




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The Easy Yoke of Christ

Fr. John shares about the easy yoke of Christ, from Matthew 11:28-30.




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How to Approach the Fast

Fr. John shares from Matthew 6:14-21 encouragement as we begin Great Lent.




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Running the Race of the Fast

Fr. John shares from Hebrews 12:1-2 encouragement for running the race of the fast.




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To What Purpose Was This Waste?

Fr. John talks about the contrast between Mary (the sister of Lazarus) and Judas, from John 12:1-8; Matthew 26:6-13; Mark 14:3-9.




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Loving the Feasts of the Church

Fr. John talks about the importance of celebrating the feasts of the Church.




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The Hidden Treasure and the Pearl of Great Price

Fr. John shares from Matthew 13:44-52.




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In Everlasting Remembrance Shall the Righteous Be

Fr. John shares from Psalm 111.