In this podcast Fr. Stephen looks at the implications involved in living the "Fullness" of the Faith, as taught by the Orthodox Church.

Fr. Stephen looks at last week's podcast on truth and existence and the impact it should have on how we live.

Fr. Stephen contrasts what we think of as "normal" with the vision of the Christian life described in Scripture and the Orthodox faith.

Fr. Stephen looks at the difference between individual salvation and personal salvation and the deep importance found in the distinction.

There is a modern construct of the self that is something of a delusion. Fr. Stephen speaks about our true life "that is hidden with Christ in God" as taught by St. Paul.

Fr. Stephen looks at the importance of understanding our relationship with God as involving all of who and what we are and not reducing our relationship to a set of ideas.

Fr. Stephen looks at the pressures created by our secular culture, particularly how they affect our communion with God.

Fr. Stephen looks at the meaning of the "Great Cloud of Witnesses" whom St. Paul describes as surrounding us as we go about the struggle of the Christian life.

What is the soul? Fr. Stephen speaks about the "secret life" and the mystery of our selves.

Our modern world is increasingly finding ways to avoid the uncomfortable reality of death. Orthodoxy faces death directly and sees within it the triumph of Christ and His affirmation of His good creation.

The true self is "hid with Christ in God," St. Paul tells us. What then is the "self" that we live with every day? Fr. Stephen looks at how we create our own identity and how we should seek our true self in Christ.

How do we lose God in the midst of our plans? How can we keep Him?

Fr. Stephen reflects on the hidden nature of God's work.

Is the me in my head, the voice that rattles on, the same thing as my soul? What is my identity in Christ?

Fr. Stephen Freeman discusses the right relationship between the mind and the body. You might be surprised.

Fr. Stephen Freeman tells us that the culture we live in teaches us to want "good service," to expect things to suit our desires. To serve God, however, requires something very different. Acceptance and thanksgiving are key components of the spiritual life.

The truth of words is much deeper than the "facts" they may represent. A true word is found in the heart of God, and in our hearts when we dwell in God.

Elder Zacharias of Essex says that the "way of shame is the way of the Lord." Fr. Stephen Freeman looks at how our weakness is, in fact, the path of our salvation.

Fr. Stephen Freeman reflects on the thoughts of Thomas Hopko, JRR Tolkien, CS Lewis, and GK Chesterton, all of whom speak of the value of smaller and more local things. He examines this within Orthodox thought as well.

Father Stephen Freeman tells us that the spiritual struggle in our life is not one of moral progress, forcing ourselves to behave better and better. Rather, it is the struggle to enter the depths of our lives and confront the truth - in the presence of Christ.

In the liturgy we pray that we have a "Christian ending to our life: painless, unashamed, and peaceful; and a good defense before the dread judgment seat of Christ." Father Stephen Freeman looks carefully at the true nature of that judgment seat. It might surprise you.

Fr. Stephen observes that the real truth of our lives before God is best found in our weaknesses rather than in our strengths.

Fr. Stephen continues his series on the modern world's division between things secular and things spiritual, showing that the Orthodox life should be lived not in a "two-storey" universe but in a "one-storey" universe. This talk looks at our modern understanding of time and how it runs counter to the Church's traditional understanding.

Fr. Stephen describes the spiritual warfare that Christians are to engage in as a battle within the heart—which is where we find the very depths of heaven.

Fr. Stephen continues his series on the One-Storey Universe and looks at what it means for the Church. The Church is concrete and real. The "Fullness of Him that Filleth All in All" is not an abstraction or an "invisible" Church, but rather the very real Church established by Christ.

In this week's podcast Fr. Stephen notes that things are not always as they seem. In our busy world we often only see things in a blur. We want things quickly. He notes that grace has a slowness about it and urges us to "be still" and "know" God.

Fr. Stephen looks at morality and virtue, particularly as understood during the so-called "Age of Enlightenment," and compares it with an Orthodox understanding of right actions in the life of a Christian.

Fr. Stephen looks at the aspect of seeing the world in wonder—an experience shared by both Christian and non-Christian—and suggests, following St. Gregory of Nyssa, that it is the place where our faith should begin.

In this podcast Fr. Stephen speaks of the God who is "everywhere present and fills all things," and the importance of our being open to Him everywhere, always, in all things.

Fr. Stephen looks at the quiet role played by grace-filled persons in our world. In many ways, God preserves us through the presence of such saints.

In his inaugural podcast, Fr. Stephen describes the Orthodox view of the world in terms we can all understand.

Fr. Stephen continues his look at the world from an Orthodox perspective.

Continuing with his illuminating series, in part four Fr. Stephen Freeman discusses those (both non-Orthodox and Orthodox) for whom knowledge of God is but a relationship with a book (albeit a sacred book) or with ideas about God. These people are what Fr. Freeman calls "practical atheists." "Although a person may espouse a belief in God, it's quite possible for that belief to be so removed from everyday life that God's non-existence would make little difference."

Fr. Stephen looks at the way icons help us to see the world as it truly is rather than as a window to a "second story."

In this talk Fr. Stephen continues with the imagery of the One-Storey Universe, but uses it to challenge our sense of finitude and scarcity and instead boldly proclaims that the risen Christ has raised us to a kingdom where we are not bound by limits, but by the endless abundance of His love.

"It's not until we cease to divide the world into ordinary and extraordinary, into usual and unusual, into sacred and secular, that we will have either the possibility of knowing God, much less living the Christian life." — Fr. Stephen Freeman

Fr. Stephen Freeman examines in some depth why success and progress are not the right measures of the spiritual life.

Fr. Stephen Freeman offers some thoughts on one of the more common Morning Prayers for the Orthodox, in which we pray, “O Lord, Save me whether I want it or not.” It is a hopeful meditation.

Fr. Stephen Freeman offers thoughts on the virtue of contentment and its place in the spiritual life.

Fr. Stephen Freeman speaks on icons as doors that open onto other rooms. He also speaks about how we view evil in this understanding of God's world.

Fr. Stephen Freeman shares about the importance of the sacraments in our lives - particularly in light of the Bible verse that says, “There is but one mediator between God and man, the man, Christ Jesus.”

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