Frederica is in Spokane again for today's episode and chats with icnonographer Heather Kochamma Durka.

Today Frederica is in Spokane and has an enlightening visit with a Coptic monk. Don't miss his intoned prayer at the end!

Frederica reads from and reflects on St. Basil the Great's writings on praying without ceasing.

Doxacon is a gathering of Orthodox Christians with an interest in fantasy, sci-fi, and gaming. This year they asked me to deliver the lay keynote (conference theme: "Making Virtuous Decisions in Fiction"), and I confessed that I don't know much about those popular forms of media. So we compromised. First, I speak about Charles Dickens, and how some non-virtuous personal decisions affected his life and his writing; then my son, Fr. Stephen Mathewes, relates the "virtuous decisions" question to some popular books, movies, and videogames. At the end I came back with a few thoughts about bees. Enjoy!

Frederica Mathewes-Green presents a Romanian elder’s take on the simple faith that is held by many Americans, and how God responds to it, and she also reports a prayer experience that conveyed the same idea.

Frederica Mathewes-Green explains that traditions can be beneficial for a family or community, and that all churches have their own “tradition.”

Frederica speaks with the Orthodox Christian Book Club about the Canon of St. Andrew of Crete and the topic of prayer.

The second-biggest problem Protestants have with Orthodox Christianity (after our love for Jesus' mother Mary) is our icons--not so much the fact of them, but the way we venerate them, bowing, kissing, and lighting candles. But they misinterpret those actions, which are simply continuations from an earlier time. I hope this video will help Protestants understand how we really relate to icons--with affection and honor, and not as objects of worship.

Here's the third of five interviews Frederica has with monks from Holy Cross Monastery in Wayne, West Virginia.

Listen to the final of five interviews Frederica has with monks from Holy Cross Monastery in Wayne, West Virginia.

Josh David Jordan, is a filmmaker and convert to Orthodoxy from St Seraphim Cathedral. Dallas is working on a movie about an abbott who is a fool-for-Christ. Josh got a lot of critical praise for his first movie, "This World Won't Break," which was screened at festivals around the world and won many awards. It is streaming now on every platform. Thanks to the positive response to "This World Won't Break," Josh was able to draw Hollywood professionals from every discipline to "El Tonto." It's an impressive film and I think will do much to introduce people everywhere to Orthodoxy. https://www.eltontoporcristo.com

As human beings, we find that we are surrounded by relationships everywhere we go. Could it be that relationality is something about what it means to be human? Join Christian as he discusses what it is to be human through the lens of being relational beings made in the image of a relational God.

Having a relationship with God is just that—a relationship. It is personal, dynamic, and shareable. Join Christian this week as he explores the primary relationship in our lives: our relationship with the Lord.

Connect with us at the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese's Department of Youth & Young Adult Ministries!

Sometimes we can get stuck in talking about the Orthodox Faith as though it were a set of beliefs and ideas that are right, rather than looking at it as a Tradition that points us toward and leads us into an encounter with Christ. Join Christian this week as he explores Orthodoxy as the Faith that rests in the Person of Jesus Christ.

Join Christian this week as he explores the reality that we cannot share a real love for Christ if we don't possess it ourselves.

Fr. Tom reflects upon the expulsion of Adam from Paradise, one of the two themes of Forgiveness Sunday.

On March 25, exactly 9 months before Nativity, the Church celebrates the Annunciation to the Theotokos that she will be the Mother of God. God's declaration through the angel Gabriel, however, had a contingency attached. Listen to find out what it was.

On April 7, we remember the repose of St. Tikhon, Patriarch of Moscow and Apostle to America. Fr. Tom has 3 stories to tell about this venerable Saint.

Fr. Thomas explains the two ways the Holy Trinity are depicted in icons.

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

Father Thomas reveals how icons are painted and the proper procedure for placing them in the church building.

Ancient Faith Radio is proud to present a three-part lecture on teaching doctrine by Fr. Thomas given in June 2008 at the Met. Andrey Sheptytsky Institute in Ottawa.

Fr. Tom reflects on our spiritual labors while sitting in his office on Labor Day.

Fr. Tom spoke at the 40th Anniversary of the consecration of the chapel at the Orthodox Monastery of the Transfiguration in Ellwood City, PA, on September 27, 2008. In this lecture he reflects on 40 years of Orthodoxy in North America.

Fr. Tom expounds on one of the most difficult passages in the New Testament.

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.

In his continuing interview series from Albania, Fr. Tom interviews four US missionaries including full time OCMC missionary Pamela Anastasia Barksdale.

In his final interview series from Albania, Fr. Tom talks with John and Aleks from the Resurrection School of Theology in Albania.

Fr. Tom follows up on his thoughts on suffering and pain by looking specifically at the events of 9-11-2001.

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

Sitting in his study, Fr. Tom reflects on the past 50 years of the Orthodox Church. August marked the 46th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood.

Having just celebrated the Feast of the Angels, Fr. Tom asks - Who are the angels and the demons? Were the demons created evil? Can they repent? Get the answer to these questions and much more in this episode.

God grieves, we grieve, and life is often permeated with sadness. What does this mean when we also contemplate the "joy" of the Christian life?

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.

Enthroned on high with the Eternal Father and Your divine Spirit, O Jesus, You willed to be born on earth of the unwedded handmaid, your Mother. Therefore You were circumcised as an eight-day old Child. Glory to Your most gracious counsel; glory to Your dispensation; glory to Your condescension, O only Lover of mankind.

St. Seraphim of Sarov taught that the aim of the Christian life is to live by the Spirit of God. Today Fr. Tom explores the acquisition of the Holy Spirit.

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

Fr. Tom continues his series on Darwin and Christianity. This is part 2.

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

How should we reflect on calamity and disasters like what was experienced in Haiti from a Christian perspective? Is God exacting judgment or is there another explanation? Fr. Tom Hopko helps us think this through.

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

A meditation on God as a consuming fire and the imagery of fire in the spiritual life. Particularly appropriate as we think about Pentecost.

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?

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.

On August 15, the Church celebrates the Dormition of the Mother of God. Fr.Tom explores the theology associated with this Feast and the implications on our own resurrection.

Fr. Thomas Hopko gives one Orthodox Christian's understanding of unity.