Join Fr. Harry Linsinbigler and Fr. Anthony Perkins as they (mainly) talk about the actual formula decided on at Nicea, why it was important, and where we are now (hint: we are completely in compliance!). There's also a tangental gem on the Masoretic vs. Septuagint Old Testament. Fr. Harry has (mostly) recovered from his bout with COVID and he and Fr. Anthony are still basking in the Paschal Glow. Enjoy the show!

Dru Johnson is an associate professor of biblical and theological studies at The King’s College in New York City, director of the Center for Hebraic Thought , editor at The Biblical Mind, host of the The Biblical Mind podcast, and co-host of the OnScript Podcast. Before that, he was a high-school dropout, skinhead, punk rock drummer, combat veteran, IT supervisor, and pastor. Dru is an ordained minister and accomplished academic, with several articles and books, to include Biblical Philosophy – A Hebraic Approach to the Old and New Testaments, Biblical Knowing: A Scriptural Epistemology of Error, Epistemology and Biblical Theology: from the Pentateuch to Mark’s Gospel, and my favorites, Human Rites: The Power of Rituals, Habits, and Sacraments, and Knowledge by Ritual: A Biblical Prolegomenon to Sacramental Theology.

Justin Shaun Coyle, PhD, (Mount Angel Seminary, outside Portland, OR; Ukrainian Catholic) and Fr. Anthony talk about life in New England, the joy of NC BBQ, and how studying the works of serious atheist philosophers can help develop an instinct for charity and pastoral evangelism. You can see Justin's work at: https://mountangelabbey.academia.edu/JustinShaunCoyle/Ephemera. Enjoy the show!

Join Fr. Anthony as he talks with Dn. Timothy Kelleher about his roles on Independence Day and Star Trek: The Next Generation (he was also on Voyager and Enterprise) and how good storytelling is always evangelical. Enjoy the show!

Fr. Anthony talks frankly with Fr. Gregory Jensen, PhD, about the how the selection of priests affects the quality of priestly ministry. From narcissism to the built-in preference for agreeableness - it's all grist for the mill. Enjoy the show!

In this episode, Fr. Anthony and Fr. Harry Linsinbigler address the often misunderstood necessity of withholding sacraments. Framing it as a normal process (to include preparation for Baptism/Chrismation) allows us to see it less as a political power play or punishment (as the world would have us see it) and more as a valid and necessary part of our life in Christ. Enjoy the show!

Today Fr. Anthony talks with heterodox political scientist Matthew Woessner (PhD, OSU) about how to recognize bad research. We are being inundated by all kinds of misinformation (and disinformation!) through the press and social media, to include from otherwise Orthodox sources. This is increasing our polarization and decreasing our trust in institutions and one another. Learning to recognize bad research isn't just useful for spotting deceptions about public health; it may even help us see through bogus claims about about ecclesial politics. Matthew Woessner is a Professor of Institutional Research at the United States Army War College, but the views he presents in this talk are his own.

Fr. Anthony talks with evangelical author, blogger, and podcaster, John Michalak about grace, liturgy, and the need to "surrender subjectivity." John started attending services at Holy Resurrection in Waynesville NC a few months ago and shares some observations. Enjoy the show!

Fr. Robert Holet is the author of The First and Finest: Orthodox Christian Stewardship as Sacred Offering, one of the best practical guides to fostering a healthy parish culture that you can find. Fr. Robert is also one of Fr. Anthony's mentors, something that comes out clearly in this, their conversation on the role of leadership in fostering a healthy mission culture. What do horses have to do with that? Listen and find out!

Fr. Anthony continues his discussion with Fr. Robert Holet, author of "The First and Finest: Orthodox Christian Stewardship as Sacred Offering" about mission work, this time focusing on the need to organize and routinize the work of the parish intentionally and well (so that grace can grow). Enjoy the show!

Elissa encourages us to develop a vocabulary to communicate the significance of prayer in terms children can understand and then offer opportunities to put it into practice.

Elissa explains how it is that God has no beginning and no end and what that tells us about Him.

Elissa describes how the life of St. Nicholas can be used as an inspiration to give anonymously.

Elissa offers various ideas for communicating the glorious feast of Theophany to children.

Elissa offers some suggestions for teaching children about the purpose of fasting.

Elissa encourages us to teach our children to view their souls as habitations for our Lord.

Elissa recounts her week at Camp St. Sava, the official Orthodox summer camp of the Serbian Orthodox Church's Western American Diocese.

Elissa talks about the new hymnology program at her parish in Austih, TX, and then discusses the Cherubic Hymn.

Elissa expresses how important it is to be honest and humble when teaching children, freely showing our imperfections.

Elissa details what she and her parish learned when FOCUS North America's Youth Equipped to Serve (YES) came to visit Austin, Texas.

Elissa addresses the issue of testing Sunday School students.

Elissa discusses the story of Abraham and Isaac and her favorite prayer for children.

Elissa shares the wisdom of the newly canonized St. Porphyrios with regard to raising up children.

Elissa describes the "Psalter group" and its purpose during Great Lent.

Elissa shares with us how to get our kids to the place where their worldview is totally dependent on the Christian story.

Elissa discusses Orthodox marriage and parenting, focusing particularly on how both involve dying to self.

Elissa is teaching middle schoolers this year at Sunday school, and she will be using the film The Butterfly Circus as the grounding image.

Elissa discusses angels and what children can learn from them in Sunday school.

Gifts are a part of Christmas, and that's actually okay, but "God become flesh" is the true meaning of Christmas.

How do you make fasting a beautiful and natural part of your home?

It is good for our children to understand that the Orthodox treat bodies differently.

How will we help our children find a respectful and good way to offer Orthodoxy to this world? Elissa emphasizes the importance of being able to articulate the Orthodox faith in emulation of the twelve Holy Apostles.

Rather than picture a perfect, established, normal Sunday school and try to fit yourself into that plan, maybe it's better to start by looking at what you do have and find a flexible, innovative way to make it work.

Elissa encourages us to engage in spiritual pilgrimages and approach all of life as pilgrims.

Elissa encourages us to teach our children some prayers to say to themselves while they're standing in line for Communion.

Elissa discusses how the parish and Sunday school can help support the family throughout Lent.

Elissa offers some suggestions for guiding children through death and dying.

Sometimes, the God we imagine is not at all who He really is. We need to let our children see faith that is alive and real—which reflects the True God who exists apart from our imaginations.

The Holy Spirit can be a difficult and abstract concept to explain to young people, so in honor of the feast of Pentecost, Elissa explores the story of the tongues of fire, as well as the prayer "O Heavenly King," to find ways to describe this most mysterious person of the Holy Trinity.

Is there a way to approach the Old Testament with our children in a fascinating and dimensional way? Elissa encourages us to teach Old Testament stories on three different levels.

Our culture shies away from death, but every year, as we Orthodox participate in Holy Week and Pascha, we recalibrate our relationship with death. We face death squarely, and we enter into grief and find that Christ conquers death.

In honor of Parenting Month at Ancient Faith, Raising Saints is flipping it around: instead of talking about how adults can feed the faith of children, we're considering the impact this process has on the parents, and the many ways in which raising saints can transform one into a saint.

Elissa updates the Raising Saints audience on some new projects they might find interesting, and establishes a new plan for the future of Raising Saints.

Elissa interviews Jenny Stasinopoulos, the Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministries at the GOA Metropolis of Denver about a big change she made this year at Camp Emmanuel. Perhaps we should all consider innovative ways to empower our kids to take responsibility for their own faith lives!

Elissa and her Tending the Garden of Our Hearts co-author, Kristina Wenger, discuss the nuts and bolts of their new book of daily Lenten meditations for Families and their ongoing Tending the Garden podcast, including how the meditations can be adjusted for use in church school classrooms.

Fr. Michael shares the song of the vineyard, from the Prophet Isaiah.

Fr. Michael discusses fear of, and love for, God.

Fr. Michael encourages us to trust that God, as our coach, will teach us to float and to swim, knowing that He is our teacher, and His hands are beneath us.

Fr. Michael addresses the passages in the gospels where Jesus instructs his disciples to buy swords, Peter's use of the sword, and our own response. "When you look at the Orthodox tradition, there is quite a mixed bag regarding violence and the use of weapons.... When we use force to oppose those who oppose us, when we end up fighting fire with fire, we destroy the ability of our enemy to hear. We cut off the ear of the very ones Jesus came to save."

Fr. Michael concludes his two-part series on discussing the comparison between vocations: marriage, monasticism, and singleness.