In this last week of Great Lent, Father Thomas connects the parable of the rich man and Lazarus with Christ's raising from the dead of the actual Lazarus.

Fr. Thomas explores the ultimate Messianic sign from the Gospel of St. John.

The week before Pascha begins with the Bridegroom Matins. Christ is the Bridegroom and we are the Bride, joined in perfect unity through His crucifixion.

Fr. Thomas examines the Mystery of the Crucifixion and Resurrection of our Lord and how it led to the re-creation of the world.

Fr. Thomas takes a closer look at the seventh Sunday of Pascha - the Sunday between Ascension and Pentecost.

As an epilogue to his series on the language of God, Fr. Tom explains these technical, theological terms used by the Church.

What does it mean to be a Christian and to live in this world? To answer that question, Fr. Tom examines the ancient New Testament Church.

Fr. Tom looks at the Roman-Byzantine empire of the fourth century.

Fr. Tom examines the fifth through fifteenth centuries.

Fr. Thomas examines the four centuries of Muslim rule over Eastern Orthodox Christians.

Fr. Tom discusses how the Orthodox Church fared in Russia before the revolution.

Fr. Tom looks at the Church in the 20th century, especially in Communist countries.

Fr. Hopko outlines how the Church fared in the 20th century in lands that were not traditionally Orthodox.

Fr. Thomas concludes his series by reflecting on what it means to be a Christian in America today.

The next interview from Albania is with veteran OCMC missionary Nathan Hoppe. Fr. Tom references a recording of Nathan's late wife Lynette made only a week or two before she died. That recording was featured on AFR in an interview with Fr. Luke Veronis and can be heard HERE. You can purchase Fr. Luke's book by clicking HERE. For Lynette's pictorial album about the re-birth of the Church in Albania, click HERE.

With the Feast Day of the Beheading of St. John approaching (August 29), Fr. Thomas examines the Prophet, Forerunner and Baptizer, John.

In commemoration of the Feast of his beheading, Fr. Tom continues his discussion of the Prophet, Forerunner and Baptizer, John.

Fr. Thomas teaches about the Feast of the Nativity of the Theotokos.

Celebrating one of the twelve great feasts of the Church. (Click here to view the children's choir Fr. Thomas mentions in the podcast.)

Fr. Tom Hopko addresses an issue that he gets the most email about - how are we to understand the wrath of God and how does it relate to our salvation?

Fr. Thomas continues to get listener feedback on his teaching on God's wrath. In this follow-up lesson, he explores further how the Scriptures and the Fathers express this difficult concept as compared to the hellenistic and platonic views sometimes expressed through history.

Following his two part series on the Wrath of God, Fr. Tom turns his attention to our own anger and wrath and how that differs from God's.

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

On a beautiful fall afternoon at the family home in Canada, Fr. Tom is reflecting on the disparity between the beauty of God's creation and the tremendous suffering happening in the world.

On the first two Sundays before Christmas, we commerate and sing about all of the faithful throughout the ages who prepared for the birth of Christ. Fr. Tom references the book Surprised by Christ by Fr. A. James Bernstein which is available from Conciliar Press.

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.

Fr. Tom Hopko talks about St. Seraphim's conversation with Nicholas Motovilov on "acquisition of the Holy Spirit."

Fr. Thomas takes a second look at the story of The Prodigal Son, this time focusing on the meaning of The Father's House.

Today Fr. Tom talks about the study and communication of the Fathers of the Church according to Archimandrite Vasileios, retired Abbot of the Iviron Monastery on Mt. Athos.

Fr. Thomas Hopko explains how our acts, especially our prayers, are included in God's predestination based on His foreknowledge, and how our free-will actions, particularly our prayers, contribute to God's providence in our lives.

Fr. Thomas continues his examination of Passion Week with Jesus' teachings on the final judgment.

Fr. Thomas addresses a listener question on the often misunderstood admonition in the Gospel of Matthew to call no man father.

Fr. Tom reflects further on the letter he received asking if God played favorites particularly as it relates to the canonization of saints.

In this episode on the Darwinian Revolution and the relationship between natural science and Christian theology, Fr. Thomas Hopko reflects on the issue of death.

Fr. Tom continues his series on Darwin and Christianity with some musings on God and Creation.

What are some of the misunderstandings and misgivings about miracles, and how does that relate to natural science and Christian theology?

As Fr. Tom gets close to the end of his series on Darwin and Christianity, he reflects on the terms and concepts of nature and super-nature.

On August 6, we will celebrate the Transfiguration of our Lord, and Fr. Thomas Hopko helps us understand the pivotal nature of this event in Christian history.

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

Fr. Thomas Hopko reflects on one of the twelve great feasts of the Church.

In the third part of his series on reading the Bible, Fr. Tom discusses the various English language translations that are available and offers his recommendations.

In a new episode, Fr. Thomas Hopko presses the question on the Incarnation of Christ - do we REALLY believe it?

If we believe that the Orthodox Church is the True Church, how are we to relate to those in other faith traditions or even non Christians? Fr. Tom takes us to the Church Fathers for answers.

In the 6th Century, three individuals played a huge role in forming and influencing the ecclesiastical structure of the Church. They were the Emperor Justinian, Pope Gregory the Great of Rome, and Dionysius the Areopagite. Fr. Tom deals with the first 2 here and the third in the next episode.

Fr. Tom Hopko highly recommends a book by Dee Pennock titled Path to Sanity: Lessons from Ancient Holy Counselors on How to Have a Sound Mind.

As we begin the Lenten fast, Fr.Tom reflects on the 40 days Christ spent in the desert being tempted by Satan. Learn how some churches actually promise things that Christ rejected in the desert.

What can we say and not say about God? Fr. Thomas Hopko confirms one thing we can say and that is God is faithful.

Fr. Tom continues to comment on the events of the 9th century concentrating today on St. Photius the Great and his relationship to Rome and the Filioque.

Fr. Tom says the 14th Century situation in Constantinople is critical to understanding the Church today.

Fr. Thomas gets down to basics with this episode by saying everything the ancient Christian Church believes about the world, society, nature, sex, humanity, and everything else comes down to its view of God and death.