Kevin Allen interviews Michael Whelton on the characteristics of the New Age movement.

Visit the "holy mountain" of Mt. Athos, and join in the quest for a spiritual elder with acclaimed poet and author Scot Cairns, who reads selections from his newly-released book and talks with two-time pilgrim to the holy mountain, Kevin Allen!

The Orthodox Church is seeing an influx of graduates from Evangelical Christian colleges and universities, exploring traditional forms of historic Christianity. In this program Kevin Allen discusses this trend with two graduates of BIOLA University (Jesse Cone and Michael Unruh) who were recently chrismated.

Join host Kevin Allen in his interview with Ancient Faith Radio founder and Chief Operating Officer of Conciliar Media Ministries, John Maddex, about his fascinating journey to the ancient faith of Orthodoxy after 30 years as a evangelical radio executive and self-professed "classic Evangelical Protestant Christian"!

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!

With recent tragedies on college and university campuses, Kevin discusses college life today with Fr. Kevin Scherer, the Executive Director of Orthodox Christian Fellowship on this weekend's Illumined Heart.

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."

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.

Dr Bradley Nassif, a “pioneer of Orthodox-Evangelical Dialogue” talks with host Kevin Allen about “where things are” formally and informally between The Orthodox Church and Evangelical Christians. Kevin asks the question: “What is an Evangelical?”

Kevin interviews Dr. Frank Papatheofanis, President of the new St. Katherine College, about what it takes to start an Orthodox liberal arts and sciences college.

Listen to part 2 of Kevin's interview with Fr. James Early

In this two-part interview, ex-Baptist seminary graduate and missionary to Bosnia, now Orthodox priest, Fr James Early, recounts with Illumined Heart host Kevin Allen the circumstances under which he had to face and eventually reject core Baptist-Evangelical tenets and come to accept the faith handed down once and for all to the Saints. His book is called From Baptist to Byzantium.

The Metropolitan is asked about women's ordination and same sex attraction in this section of the interview.

What can Evangelicals and Orthodox learn from each other is the subject of the 2nd section of our interview with His Eminence.

Mother Melania, stavrophor (little schema) nun at St. Barbara Monastery, Santa Paula, California and author of the series, "The Twelve Great Feasts for Children", and the series, "The 3-Day Pascha" (for Great and Holy Friday, Great and Holy Saturday, and Pascha) discusses purity (and impurity) of heart and overcoming the passions.

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...!

In this episode, the microphone is turned as AFR General Manager and founder John Maddex interviews host Kevin Allen on the catechism module he developed (with his priest's blessing) specifically for inquirers coming from New Age and Eastern spiritual backgrounds. Is the entrance of New Age and Eastern seekers perhaps a trend the Church needs to prepare for? Are the issues, concerns, and paradigms of these seekers the same as those inquiring from Evangelical backgrounds? Must the catechist know something about New Age and Eastern religions in order to catechize effectively? These are some of the questions that will be addressed in this program. You may download an attachment of the course outline here.

Kevin Allen talks with Fr. Peter Gillquist about the status of Orthodox Evangelism and the Church in America.

Fr. Jim Kordaris, Director of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese Department of Outreach and Evangelism, speaks candidly about how the GOA understands “Orthodox evangelism” in America, whether it is committed to growth outside of its ethnic heritage, the role of "Hellenism" in the GOA's evangelistic strategy, and whether he sees the GOA playing a vital role in bringing Orthodoxy to America.

In this encore presentation of The Illumined Heart, hear the story of John Maddex who, along with his wife Tonya, found the Orthodox Church after nearly 40 years in Evangelical Christian radio.

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.

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.

We live in a world of broken reality, of mere facts that exist without the truth of love and communion. The holy icon draws us into communion. Pornography cuts us off from communion. Transcript is available HERE.

Andrew says seeking union with anything or anyone outside of God gradually takes away our freedom, takes away our personhood, takes away our ability to be uniquely ourselves. Read the transcript HERE.

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 first of which, "How Life Begins," can be heard here.

Dean The Very Rev. Dr. John Behr, author of academic, popular, and spiritual works, presented the keynote address at this year's Education Day at St. Vladimir's Seminary. Fr. John highlighted the symbiotic relationship between Christianity and books, and described how the development of the internet has changed the way people read.

For his last class on Evangelism, Fr. Chad Hatfield, the Chancellor of St. Vladimir’s Seminary, hosted three priests for a panel responding to questions raised by the Seminarians. The three priests were Fr. John Parker from Mt. Pleasant, SC. and Chairman of the Dept of Evangelism of the OCA, Fr. Michael Elias, pastor of St. Mary Antiochian Orthodox Church, Brooklyn, NY, and Fr. Michael Sorial, pastor of St. Anianas Coptic Orthodox Church, Princeton, NJ. All three are SVOTS grads.

Archpriest Chad Hatfield, the Chancellor of St. Vladimir's Seminary, delivers the homily at the school's Great and Holy Friday service.

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 included three workshops on the topic of autocephaly. In the second, “Autocephaly & Evangelism," Archpriest John Parker, dean of Tikhon’s Orthodox Theological Seminary, delivered a passionate call to action and reminder that "autocephaly is an inner evangelism in reminding all Orthodox Christians that in Christ Jews and Greeks, Turks and Cretans, Romanians, Latinos, Africans, Asians all find true motherland in the nave and at the chalice."

Saint Vladimir’s Seminary President Fr. Chad Hatfield discusses Orthodox evangelism, drawing from his experience as a missionary in South Africa and Orthodox mission planter in the United States, to an audience at NLA University College in Bergen, Norway. The talk, delivered on December 5, 2019, was organized in part by St. Vladimir's Alumnus Fr. Theodor Svane (’15) and the parish Fr. Theodore serves, Annunciation of the Holy Virgin Mary Orthodox Mission Parish, in Bergen.

Saint Vladimir's Seminary entered into its annual, two-day Lenten Retreat on Clean Monday and Tuesday, March 15 and 16, 2021. Four talks delivered over the two days followed the theme of "Ora et Labora: The Foundations of Spirituality According to the Rule of St Benedict of Nursia." In this reflection, Dr Vitaly Permiakov, the Seminary's assistant professor of liturgical theology, leads a meditation on "Praying Together."

Saint Vladimir's Seminary entered into its annual, two-day Lenten Retreat on Clean Monday and Tuesday, March 15 and 16, 2021. Four talks delivered over the two days followed the theme of "Ora et Labora: The Foundations of Spirituality According to the Rule of St Benedict of Nursia." In this final meditation, Fr Nicholas Roth, the Seminary’s Spiritual Formation Director and Ecclesiarch, speaks of “Working Together.”

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

Using personal experiences, the Bible and teachings of the Church, Dn. Michael discusses the importance of handling our anger appropriately.

Dn. Michael interviews his wife Gail about her recent trip to St. Paisius Serbian Orthodox Monastery in Safford, Arizona.

Dn. Michael Hyatt returns to his Sunday school class and begins teaching through Time and Despondency: Regaining the Present in Faith and Life..

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.

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.

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.

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.

Would you have thought that the quality of your marriage has a direct correlation to prayer? In this 5th episode of the Sacred Marriage series, Dn. Michael and Gail Hyatt discuss the ramifications of your prayer life as it relates to your marriage.Together they are teaching through the book Sacred Marriage by Gary Thomas.

Dn. Michael and Gail Hyatt says that recognizing and dealing with our own sin is a necessary component of a good marriage. Together they are teaching through the book Sacred Marriage by Gary Thomas. In this episode, Dn. Michael mentions 2 books by Drs. David and Mary Ford:Marriage as a Path to HolinessGlory and Honor: Orthodox Christian Resources on Marriage

Perseverance in marriage is not only possible it is expected by God. What choices are we making today that will either build up or tear down our marriages tomorrow? Dn. Michael and Gail Hyatt continue to teach through the book Sacred Marriage by Gary Thomas.

There is a struggle in marriage and that isn't all bad. Discover what can result in this next class as Dn. Michael and Gail Hyatt continue to teach through the book Sacred Marriage by Gary Thomas.

Conflict is inevitable in a marriage. But when it happens, we can either advance in our relationships or decline. Today's topic is Falling Forward when conflict arises as Dn. Michael and Gail Hyatt continue to teach through the book Sacred Marriage by Gary Thomas.

Before moving on to the remaining chapters, Dn. Michael and Gail address questions from AFR listeners by email as well as from the audience. They are teaching through the book Sacred Marriage by Gary Thomas.

What are we willing to sacrifice for our spouses. Dn. Michael and Gail Hyatt share a personal story as they continue to teach through the book Sacred Marriage by Gary Thomas.

In this class, Dn. Michael and Gail Hyatt address sex in the marital relationship as a means to holiness as they continue to teach through the book Sacred Marriage by Gary Thomas.

Dn. Michael and Gail Hyatt discuss the importance of Sacred Presence in the marriage as they continue to teach through the book Sacred Marriage by Gary Thomas.