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Taking It To The Streets - An Interview With IOCC Executive Director Constantine M. Triantifilou

He served in war-torn Bosnia and Kenya before he turned 40! Now he heads Orthodoxy’s largest charitable and humanitarian aid organization – International Orthodox Christian Charities. Meet Constantine M. Triantifilou, IOCC’s Executive Director, as he speaks about a career and vocation of service. (Don’t hold it against him – he’s also a Boston Red Sox fan!)




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Raised By The “Hell's Angels” - Adopted By His Guardian Angel

Raised by the Hell’s Angel’s motorcycle gang as a youth, John Franklin lived a hell on earth before submitting to Christ and discovering The Orthodox Church while serving a third-term in prison. A story of (continuing) repentance and the grace and mercy of God, this is one you won’t want to miss!




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Illumined Heart Christmas Special

Kevin Allen talks with Fr. Tom Hopko about the significance of the incarnation.




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Hardcore Christian rock ‘n roll star finds ancient faith!

Ex-member of the hard-core Christian rock band East West (2002 Dove Award Winner!) speaks about the Christian Contemporary Music Industry, the reality of touring life on the road, the spiritual and physical exhaustion that eventually led him to examine his faith and eventually discovery of the Eastern Orthodox Church.




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Kevin Speaks With The Rabbi About Judaism And Christianity

This week Kevin re-conneects after 35 years with his old college dorm neighbor, Conservative Jewish Rabbi Alan J.Iser, about Judaism, the Jewish roots of Orthodox Christianity, and how religious Jews understand the Torah verses what Christians interpret christologically in this frank interview. Rabbi Iser is the spiritual leader of Congregation OR SHALOM in Berwyn, Pennsylvania. 44:05




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Collateral Damage: Iraq's persecuted Christians

As many as 30%+ of Iraqi's 4.2 million displaced refugees are Christian. They are being persecuted from all sides of the conflict. Amal Morcos of IOCC recently returned from Syria and Lebanon and reports first hand on what the U.N. calls "the fastest growing refugee crisis in the world."




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One Marriage - Two Churches: Loving Your Spouse Into The Orthodox Church

A common dillemma for inquirers into the Orthodox Church is either disinterest or outright hostility to the idea of Orthodoxy by their spouse. In this edition Kevin speaks with a couple who lived this scenario. Meet Bruce and Lynn Marie Heying and learn about their family dynamic and what made Lynn Marie decide to follow Bruce into Orthodoxy seven years later.




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Orthodox Christians Encountering Muslims

In this edition Kevin and Fr Ted Pulcini talk frankly about Orthodox Christian - Muslim dialogue and how Orthodoxy can best communicate its ineffable Truth to Muslims in a way that will resonate. Fr Ted's recently published booklet is titled Face to Face: A Guide for Orthodox Christians Encountering Muslims.




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Christians Suffering in Iraq - Encore

Kevin’s guest in this summer encore presentation is Amal Morcos of IOCC who reports on her trip to Syria and Lebanon.




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151: Metropolitan PHILIP on the Financial Audit of the Archdiocese




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148: Orthodox Christianity and Racial Reconciliation

Meet Father Paisius Altschul, the priest of Saint Mary of Egypt Serbian Orthodox Church and the Executive Director of Reconciliation Services/FOCUS Kansas City. Kevin speaks with Father Paisius about his community’s unique ministry of racial reconciliation and ministry to the poor and homeless in the inner city of Kansas City. (USA).




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161: Interfaith Dialogue: Co-Exist or Convert?

Fr. Alexander Goussetis, priest, comparative religion professor, and interfaith dialogue participant and advocate, speaks with host Kevin Allen about his views on the purpose of interfaith dialogue with Jews, Muslims, and other non-Christians. Kevin asks: Does the Gospel call us to merely understand the faiths of non-Christians, to enter into dialogue with them with no agenda, or is the goal always to try to win those we dialogue with to Christ? Is it "Orthodox" to proselytize, or simply to be a holy witness? These and other questions will be addressed in this program.




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163:  Yoga and Orthodox Christianity: Are They Compatible?

Dr. Christine Mangala was raised in India and brought up a devout Hindu. Her family was close to one of India's leading Hindu gurus and teachers. Now an Orthodox Christian writer and teacher, she and Illumined Heart host Kevin Allen speak about whether various aspects of Hindu Yoga are compatible with Christian faith and practice, or whether Yoga should be shunned entirely.




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Orthodox Christian Psychological Therapy

Wouldn't it be wonderful to combine the "best" of classic Orthodox Christian spiritual "therapies" (praxis) with modern psychological modalities in therapy? In the first of the new fall line-up, Kevin speaks with Orthodox professor and therapist, Dr. Philip Mamalakis about the ground-breaking work in this area he is pioneering. The web site for Dr. Philip that was mentioned in the interview can be found HERE.




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Fr. Josiah Trenham: St. John Chrysostom on Marriage and Monasticism

Steve McMeans talks to Fr. Josiah about St. John Chrysostom and his views on the relationship between marriage and monasticism. This show will suprise you...!




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91: Viva Ortodoxia!

Hispanics comprise one of the largest and fastest-growing demographic groups in the United States. Find out what what one "inner city" Orthodox parish in Los Angeles is doing to reach out and minister to them! Dn Paul Olson, a former Protestant missionary to Columbia explains.




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133: Law and Order and Orthodox Christianity

Rookie police officer, Orthodox deacon's son and priest's grandson, Joseph (Jobie) Braun speaks with Kevin about his job as a policeman in the infamous Los Angeles "South Central" area (e.g. the movie "Training Day") and how his Orthodox Christianity keeps him grounded.




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96: The Culture War and Orthodox Christianity

Fr. Hans Jacobse, editor of Orthodoxy Today and President of The American Orthodox Institute speaks with host Kevin Allen about whether Eastern Orthodox Christians need to engage in the moral and social war that is being waged in our culture. They will also talk about whether "Religious Right" leaning ex-Evangelical converts are taking over the Orthodox churches in America! Buckle your seat belts!




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134: Marriage as a Path to Holiness

Orthodox marriage and family therapist and professor at Holy Cross Theological Seminary, Dr. Philip Mamalakis, speaks about the mystery of marriage and how it is meant to be—and can be—a path to holiness.




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Pornography, Unfaithfulness, and Ultimate Marriage

Andrew continues from the last episode about unfaithfulness being the characteristic act of immorality by exploring how pornography is a rejection of the ultimate significance of marriage. Read a transcript HERE.




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




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Trinitarian Anthropology: Being as Communion - Part 7

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.




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Revitalizing Our Priestly Ministry in a Post Christian Culture - Part 1

Fr. Chad spoke to the Serbian Clergy Brotherhood last month on the challenges facing our priests in today's culture. We have broken it up into three parts and bring you part 1 today.




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Revitalizing Our Priestly Ministry in a Post Christian Culture - Part 2

Today we bring you part two of Fr. Chad Hatfield's talk at the Serbian Clergy Brotherhood in June on the challenges facing our priests in today's culture.




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Revitalizing Our Priestly Ministry in a Post Christian Culture - Part 3

Here is the third and final part of Fr. Chad's address to the Serbian Clergy about how we should look at the ministry of the priesthood in today's society.




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Treasure in Romanian Orthodoxy

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.




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How New Life Appears (Isaiah)

Fr. Harry Pappas, priest at Archangel Orthodox Church in Stanford, Connecticut, and an adjunct professor at St. Vladimir's, leads the seminary's second annual Public Lenten Retreat. Titled "Back to Basics: Old Testament and Life," his presentation is divided into three parts, the third of which, "How New Life Appears," can be heard here.




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Realities of Life in Orthodox Christian Mission Churches

Fr. John Parker, the new chairman of the OCA's Department of Evangelization, describes how his parish, Holy Ascension Orthodox Church in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, went from having a handful of believers to being a lively and growing body of Christ.




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Constantine, Eusebius, and the Future of Christianity

Princeton University's Philip and Beulah Rollins Professor of History Emeritus Dr. Peter Brown presented the 30th Annual Father Alexander Schmemann Memorial Lecture to a standing room only crowd in the Metropolitan Philip Auditorium of the John G. Rangos Family Building at St. Vladimir's Seminary.




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Does Christian Tradition Have a Future? Fr. John Meyendorff's Questions Revisited

The Very Rev. Dr. John H. Erickson, former seminary Dean (2002-2007), speaks at the first annual "Father John Meyendorff Memorial Lecture" at St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary on September 15, 2013.




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Archimandrite Zacharias Speaks about “Domestic Theology”

In a presentation centering on Christian identity, Archimandrite Zacharias, a monk of the Monastery of St. John the Baptist, Tolleshunt Knights by Maldon, Essex, England, inspired an audience of more than 100 people with what he termed "domestic theology," that is, "simple things, in Church life that bear profound consequences. Father Zacharias, a disciple of Father Sophrony (of blessed memory) who was a disciple of St. Silouan of Mount Athos, emphasized the importance of each Christian becoming a living temple of God, but in particular, priests.




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Orthodox Christian Laity Open Forum

Orthodox Christian Laity hosted an open forum at St. Vlad's on the work of the Episcopal Assembly. Speakers included Alexei Krindatch, Bishop Michael of New York and New Jersey, and Archbishop Nathaniel of the Romanian Episcopate.




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Patriarch JOHN X of Antioch

Patriarch JOHN X of Antioch is awarded the degree Doctor of Divinity honoris causa at St. Vladimir's Seminary.




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Third Annual Father John Meyendorff Memorial Lecture

Dr. Predrag Matejić, the curator of the Hilandar Collection at Ohio State University, delivers the third annual Fr. John Meyendorff Memorial Lecture. Metropolitan Tikhon of the OCA and Metropolitan Joseph of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese were also given honorary doctor of divinity degrees at the convocation.




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Our Common Saints: Hymns of Rome, Alexandria, Constantinople, and Sebaste

The St. Vladimir’s Seminary Octet, under the direction of Hierodeacon Herman (Majkrzak), presented a concert of liturgical music at this year’s Education Day at St. Vladimir’s Seminary. The program included hymns in celebration of saints venerated in both the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches.




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The Mystery of Mary: The Mother of God in the Orthodox Christian Tradition

This is a lecture from St. Vladimir's Seminary's annual Orthodox Education Day event, held this year on October 1, 2016. The speaker is Dr. Mary B. Cunningham, lecturer in Historical Theology in the Department of Theology and Religious Studies at the University of Nottingham, England.




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The 4th Annual Fr. John Meyendorff Memorial Lecture

Dr. Alice-Mary Talbot presented the 4​th annual Father John Meyendorff Memorial Lectu​re at St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary on Friday, September 15​, 2017.​ ​Her presentation, titled, Varieties of Monastic Experience in Byzantium, 800–1453, opened a window into Byzantine monasticism that revealed a culture as rich and diverse as the personalities of the monks and nuns who embraced it.​ She highlighted the many ways one could be a Byzantine monk or nun, and the continuous tensions in Byzantium between the eremitic (solitary living) and coenobitic (community living) forms of monasticism.




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Faces Among Icons Panel Discussion: The Renewal of Russian Orthodoxy

Rome-based Catholic filmmaker Robert Duncan took part in a special, public screening of his documentary Faces Among Icons on April 29, 2018 at St. Vladimir’s Seminary, followed by a panel discussion about the renewal of Orthodoxy in Russia. Duncan was joined on the panel by Seminary President Archpriest Chad Hatfield and third-year Seminarian Priest Christopher Moore. Hear the panel discussion in its entirety as it addressed issues including ecumenical dialogue with the Roman Catholic Church, the nature of church-state relations in Russia, and how the Orthodox Church there is addressing social concerns in Russian society.




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The 37th Fr. Alexander Schmemann Memorial Lecture & Mid-Year Commencement Ceremony

St. Vladimir’s Seminary celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA)’s autocephaly Thursday, January 30, 2020. A full-day of events culminated with a passionate, heartfelt 37th Annual Father Alexander Schmemann Memorial Lecture delivered by His Eminence, Archbishop Michael (Dahulich). Hear his lecture, "The Gift of Autocephaly," the Mid-Year Commencement Ceremony, and a final reflection from His Beatitude, Metropolitan Tikhon.




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'The Faith I'm Looking for': God's Wonders in the Life of Antwian Davis

Antwian (Anthony) Davis has been experiencing and witnessing God's miraculous grace from a time beyond his own memories as a small child, and seemingly at every turn since: through the profound faith of his parents; in his journey from serious illness and near death in childhood to health and adulthood; from ordained Baptist minister to seminarian at St Vladimir's Seminary; and during his encounters with the sick, suffering, and incarcerated. In this episode of Voices from St Vladimir's Seminary, Antwian shares powerful stories from his life and conversion to Orthodox Christianity—including why he's thankful to his Baptist parents, who he says "actually raised me to be Orthodox." Antwian, who currently serves as SVS Press Bookstore manager, also reveals his favorite Press books and announces the next stop in his grace-filled journey, this time away from St Vladimir's Seminary.




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Marriage as a Sacrament

When one considers Orthodoxy, he or she is confronted with a clearly sacramental world view. So how does that apply to Christian marriage?




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The Roles in Marriage

In part two of Dn. Michael's lessons on marriage, he explores the roles in marriage as indicated in Scripture and the Tradition of the Church.




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Reconciliation - Part 3

Dn. Michael concludes his series on reconciliation with advice on when and how to confront someone.




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Now on Summer Hiatus

At the Intersection of East and West is now on summer hiatus. Dn. Michael will return this coming fall with a brand new slate of fascinating programs. Thanks for your patience.




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Peace on Earth - The Priority of Reconciliation

In part 2 of his mini-series during this Nativity season, Dn. Michael Hyatt works through the Matthew 18 principle of reconciling with our brother and uses his own family to help illustrate the point.




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The Persistence of Reconciliation

As we enter the week of celebrating our Lord's coming to earth, many of us will have family members visiting or we will be visiting them. For some, this means inevitable conflict. In this final episode of his series called Peace On Earth, Dn. Michael Hyatt addresses The Persistence of Reconciliation - what happens when you've tried everything?




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Sacred Marriage - Part 1

In a new series, Dn. Michael and Gail Hyatt team teach through the book Sacred Marriage by Gary Thomas. In this first episode we learn that the purpose in marriage is not happiness but holiness.




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Sacred Marriage - Part 2

Dn. Michael and Gail Hyatt continue to teach through the book Sacred Marriage by Gary Thomas. In part 2, they talk about the priority of pleasing God in our marriages.




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Sacred Marriage - Part 3

How do we love our spouses even when we don't feel love? Dn. Michael and Gail Hyatt continue to teach through the book Sacred Marriage by Gary Thomas.




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Sacred Marriage - Part 4

Contempt has become an epidemic in our society and it can spill over into our marriages. Dn. Michael Hyatt reminds us that as our marriages mature, we have to guard against disrespecting our spouses. Dn. Michael and Gail Hyatt continue to teach through the book Sacred Marriage by Gary Thomas.