A look back at last year's Halloween episode, and what can happen when we're too concerned with being right.

What are icons, and why are they important?

We all know incense smells nice, but why do we use it in our services? It's an important reminder about what God gives us, and what we offer to God.

As Christians, we're called to union with each other and God. Yet we're constantly stuck in divisions, both external and internal. So how are we supposed to achieve true union? The answer is forgiveness: God's invitation to share the same space with Him.

Being a Christian and living the Gospel isn't always easy; in fact, it's usually challenging. Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., experienced that as he fought for justice. So did Archbishop Iakovos when, despite opposition, he chose to stand with Reverend King in Selma. Fifty years after the Selma marches, let's look ahead to how we can live with the same spirit of courage and love.

Many people think that heaven and hell are the places God sends us to either reward or punish us. But Orthodox Christians don't believe in this "two story" model of the universe. We believe that God is "present in all places and filling all things," and that what we interpret as salvation or damnation is actually our response to, and experience of, God's unconditional love.

Christ took on all that is ours so that we can have all that is His. One of those blessings is the ability to call God the Father our Father. That doesn't just affect the way we relate to God; it affects how we relate to all people, our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Living Orthodoxy is about love. Here are six ways you can deepen your love for Christ. Are you ready to start?

It's not easy to love your enemies, especially when they do something terrible. But it's the Christian way, and it's possible because Christ has defeated hatred and fear with forgiveness and love. It's possible because He defeated death with His own death.

St. Dionysios of Zakynthos is a powerful example of forgiveness. He shows us how forgiveness can free us to be who God made us to be, rather than trapping us and defining us by our sins and shortcomings.

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and Fr. John Chryssavgis join Steve to explore why caring for the environment is part of our role as Christians and priests of creation.

Vestments are more than decorations: they reveal something important about our relationship with God and the role of our clergy.

Are there seven sacraments? Are sacraments just symbols, or ways to receive grace? Get ready to unlearn everything you think you know about sacraments in this episode!

We all struggle with something. We're all broken. Every Holy Thursday, we see Christ on the Cross. We come face-to-face with our own brokenness, and the way Christ joins us in our pain. He brings light out of darkness, and life out of death.

Steve takes a walk in the park and shares important news about "Be the Bee."

Do we sometimes focus on what's wrong with people, instead of what's right about them?

Does labeling people help us understand them better, or does it hide the God-given beauty within us all?

Prayer doesn't need to be about hours, or even minutes. It's about the moments throughout the day that we spend with God.

Christians don't need to be afraid of Halloween. We can celebrate it as a day for fun, friends, and family, and use it as a chance to grow closer to God and each other.

"Be the Bee" is back and getting ready for the enthronement of Archbishop Elpidophoros. Why do bishops get enthroned? Put on your hard hats, we're about to drop some knowledge.

Christians seem more divided than ever. Is there really such a thing as "one" Church? Does Christian unity even matter? Father Andrew Stephen Damick joins Steve to tackle these important questions!

As an Orthodox Christian, you're often the only one in the room. How do you share your faith in Christ with others? Why are you an Orthodox Christian (rather than part of some other tradition)? Father Andrew Stephen Damick joins Steve again as they share 4 basics reasons they're Orthodox Christians.

Graduation ceremonies across the country have been cancelled. The Church is here to honor you! But we're not simply honoring your grades or extracurriculars. Steve is joined by Christina Andresen (Director of Ministries for Orthodox Christian Fellowship) to explore how Pentecost can shape our graduation celebration. Because you are called to be the hands of God in a world that needs healing. And you've received the gift of the Holy Spirit to prepare you to be a prophetic voice in the world. Have you been struggling with changes to your life the last few months? We've prepared a "Healthy Human" Journal with guided questions to help you stay healthy: mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Get your free "Healthy Human" PDF here: https://mailchi.mp/goarch/be_the_bee_144

“My strength is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:8) Whether it's a mean comment or act of violence, why is it so easy to hurt people? And why should we care? We're all afraid of being weak, and will often hurt others to feel strong. Yet Jesus showed us that true strength often involves being weak: this is the way of love and the cross. As a special bonus, we've prepared a FREE downloadable workbook to help you act on what you'll learn. https://mailchi.mp/goarch/bethebee151

“Christians have forgotten that the ministry of listening has been committed to them by Him who is Himself the great listener and whose work they should share. We should listen with the ears of God that we may speak the Word of God.” - Dietrich Bonhoeffer, "Life Together" Jesus describes the Kingdom as a feast: a place where we're all seen and known. But life is full of disconnection and loneliness. Those moments aren't a taste of the Kingdom. While we'll never be able to solve every problem, we can all be better listeners. And we can learn to do that with the simple techniques of active listening. The ministry of listening is something we often overlook. But it's a simple way to make the Kingdom present for people and give them a taste of God's love. As always, we've prepared a FREE downloadable workbook to help you act on what you'll learn. https://mailchi.mp/goarch/bethebee164

“O God, when You come upon the earth in glory, the whole world will tremble. A river of fire will bring all before Your Judgment Seat and the books will be opened, and everything in secret will become public.” (Kontakion of Judgment Sunday) In this Episode: 00:00​ What is Judgment Sunday? 01:14​ How Will We Be Judged? 03:50​ Causing Others to Stumble 05:40​ Love and Judgment 06:54​ My Brother is My Life 09:29​ When Right is Wrong What this Episode is About: In Matthew 25, Jesus offers a prophetic word on the Day of Judgment, when He will come again to judge the living and the dead. Yet this isn't a private judgment, focused on our own private religiosity. It's based on the way we treat other people. In fact, Jesus tells us that, when we love others, we are actually loving Him. And, when we despise others, we're actually despising Him. Because right and wrong is about more than what’s right or wrong for you. As always, we've prepared a FREE downloadable workbook to help you act on what you'll learn: https://mailchi.mp/goarch/bethebee167

“Nothing makes us so like God, as our readiness to forgive the wicked and wrongdoer.” (Saint John Chrysostom) The Greek word for forgiveness means "sharing the same space." At the doorstep to Great Lent, we're given the opportunity to both seek and offer forgiveness. Forgiveness Sunday (especially Forgiveness Vespers) is our chance to overcome resentments and share the same space with both God and neighbor. So that, together, we can journey to salvation and an experience of God's Kingdom. Because right and wrong is about more than what’s right or wrong for you. As always, we've prepared a FREE downloadable workbook to help you act on what you'll learn. https://mailchi.mp/goarch/bethebee168 .

"On this day, the first Sunday of Lent, we commemorate the restoration of the holy and venerable icons…” (Synaxarion for the Sunday of Orthodoxy) After weeks of learning about forgiveness and pride and judgment, we begin Great Lent with a Sunday dedicated to icons. Why? On one level, this is the anniversary of the triumph over Iconoclasm in 843 AD. But there's more to this triumph than meets the eye. So we'll take a deep dive into the theology of icons to learn that God made a promise to His saints. That He would unite heaven and earth. That we could look upon the face of the Lord and live. And this promise is fulfilled in us. We hold up icons as proof of this promise, the treasures we display in the Triumph of Orthodoxy. As always, we've prepared a FREE downloadable workbook to help you act on what you'll learn: https://mailchi.mp/goarch/bethebee169

“If you cross the Jordan, you will find glorious rest.” (Life of Saint Mary of Egypt) Jesus tells us that He came to shed His blood and "give His life as a ransom for many.” But what exactly does that mean? What does the Orthodox Church teach about atonement? We're going to learn about the redemption and atonement that Jesus offers us. And this redemption isn't simply *from* something, but also *for* something. And Saint Mary of Egypt (who we celebrate on the Fifth Sunday of Great Lent) is a perfect example of what that looks like. Christ saves us *from* sin and death so we can be *free* to live as Christians, loving and serving both God and neighbor. As always, we've prepared a FREE downloadable workbook to help you act on what you'll learn. https://mailchi.mp/goarch/bethebee173

“Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord” (John 12: 13) The Saturday of Lazarus and Palm Sunday are a sort of bridge between Great Lent and Holy Week. These days also live in the tension between joy and betrayal. People are welcoming Jesus as the Messiah while others are preparing to put Him to death. Do who actually welcomed Jesus when He entered Jerusalem? It was those who were joyous and gentle: whose hearts were ready to be filled with the Holy Spirit so they could welcome the true Messiah. It was the children. As always, we've prepared a FREE downloadable workbook to help you act on what you'll learn: https://mailchi.mp/goarch/bethebee174

“Let us return, brethren, to ourselves...For we cannot be reconciled with God and assimilated to Him unless we first return, or rather, enter into ourselves... For the miracle consists in tearing ourselves away from the distraction and vain concerns of the world and in this way relentlessly seizing hold of the kingdom of heaven within us.” St Nikiphoros the Monk, On Watchfulness and the Guarding of the Heart, Philokalia vol. 4) What this Episode is About: A main goal of the Christian life is to keep our attention focused on Christ. We’re called to drink deeply of the Church’s wisdom so we can master our attention and see Christ at work in all things. But the internet is designed to capture that attention and focus it on things that are superficial at best or toxic at worst. Three Questions as You Watch: 1. What are the limits you’re placing on your social media use? 2. Is your life centered in real communities or artificial internet communities? 3. How does the stuff you’re watching or reading or listening to on the internet help you keep your attention on Christ?

Charles Ajalat joins us to talk about a letter being circulated in Congress that calls for action to be taken by the State Department to secure the release of the two Archbishops being held in Syria. We urge you to call your congressional representative and urge them to sign the Sherman Letter. Find out how to reach your representative HERE.

On the most recent "Ancient Faith Today," The V. Rev. Fr Thomas Hopko, Dean Emeritus of St Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary, helped us understand how Orthodox Holy Tradition interprets and applies the prophetic texts of Scripture in light of the many modern-day "end times" interpretations, including the rapture (pre-Tribulation), the antichrist (the beast), millennialism, and much, much more.

Dr. Daniel Fanous (Taught by God: Making Sense of the Difficult Sayings of Jesus) is Kevin's guest and he addresses the "difficult" sayings and parables of our Lord in the gospels based on his extensive study of the Torah, Mishnah, and the religious and cultural environment of first-century Palestinian Judaism and early Christianity.

Kevin Allen's guest is Fr. Barnabas Powell, a former Pentecostal pastor and now an Orthodox priest. On this show, they take questions on doubts and struggles in our faith. What do we do when our faith wavers?

Host Kevin Allen talks with Faith McDonnell and Ralph H. Sidway about the rising tide of Christian intolerance and genocide—the intentional killing of people for their Christian faith—and why global Christophobia is rarely covered by Western media or addressed by the United Nations. Faith McDonnell is the Director of Religious Liberty Programs at the Institute for Religion and Democracy and the author of the book Girl Soldier: A Story of Hope for Northern Uganda's Children. Her blog is titled "Juicy Ecumenism." Ralph H. Sidway is the author of Facing Islam and the blog of the same name.

One of the most challenging and important jobs a parent has is to talk to their children about sexuality in a way that incorporates the various spheres of life – biological, emotional, relational, social, and spiritual. In this episode of Ancient Faith Today, host Kevin Allen speaks with Dr. John T. Chirban, author of How to Talk With Your Kids About Sex, about ways to prepare for this most important parental responsibility.

Guest: Veronica Hughes, author of The Pearl of Great Price: The Spiritual Journey of a New Age Seeker to the Light of Christ and the Eastern Orthodox Church.

Guest: Deacon J. Mark Barna, author of A Christian Ending: A Handbook For Burial in the Ancient Christian Tradition, speaks about dying, death, the movement toward natural burial, and dealing with grief from the perspective of the ancient Orthodox Christian tradition.

Guest: Joel Miller, author of the recently published Lifted by Angels: The Presence and Power of Our Heavenly Guides and Guardians discusses with Kevin Allen and the callers the reality and role of angels within the Christian salvation context.

Fr. Theodore Paraskevopoulos, Ancient Faith Radio podcaster and the parish priest of St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church in Winnipeg, Canada, and Matthew Namee, a Founding Director of The Society for Orthodox Christian History in the Americas, speak about this vexing and all-too-pervasive reality—and obstacle to evangelism—in the Orthodox Church.

Guest: Perry C. Robinson, the editor of the popular Orthodox theology blog Energetic Procession, will share his perspectives on the perennial heterodox idea that God will eventually save/liberate everyone and why there is such a vibrant theological conversation on this subject going on within segments of Evangelicalism (Rob Bell).

Elissa D. Bjeletich, author of In God's Hands - A Mother's Journey Through Her Infant's Critical Illness as well as the AFR podcast Raising Saints, and Elizabeth White, author of Following A Sacred Path - Raising Godly Children, join host Kevin Allen to discuss how to develop the spiritual nature of children and raise them to love and experience God.

Are Humans the Centerpiece of Creation? This episode deals with "Human Exceptionalism" and its threat by the animal and nature rights movements. Kevin Allens's guests are lawyer and award-winning author (and Orthodox Christian) Wesley J. Smith ("A Rat Is a Pig is a Dog is a Boy"), and Fr Christopher of New Skete monastery.

Kevin Allen talks with guest Father Michael Butler about how we might address the environmental issues that confront us today by appealing to the authentic Orthodox Tradition. Fr. Michael is the co-author of Creation and the Heart of Man.

Father Barnabas Powell talks about why he left Pentecostalism, why he was drawn to Eastern Orthodox Christianity, and how he and the Orthodox tradition view this contemporary Christian movement.

In this special edition of Ancient Faith Today, Kevin speaks, in this extensive interview, with David Daleiden, the director of the Center For Medical Progress, the pro-life activist organization that planned and produced the ​exposé videos that have shaken the abortion industry in the United States.

Earlier in the year one of Kevin's guests, Dr. George E. Demacopoulos, wrote on the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese blog that through the increasing expansion of 'Orthodox fundamentalism' in ordinary parishes, "the entire Orthodox Church is at risk of being hijacked by extremists." Father John Whiteford, ROCOR priest and blogger wrote a robust rebuttal to this article. On this episode of Ancient Faith Today, Kevin discusses with his guests their views of 'Orthodox fundamentalism': what it is, whether it truly exists, and what impact it is having on the Orthodox Church today.

Many Orthodox Christians are wondering how to live and raise their families in an increasingly secularized and anti-Christian culture in the U.S. and Western Europe where many believe Christianity has lost the "culture wars." In this episode of Ancient Faith Today, host Kevin Allen speaks with author and journalist Rod Dreher, of The American Conservative, about what he calls "The Benedict Option."

Guest: Frederica Mathewes-Green, ex-feminist turned pro-life Christian, author of Gender and Real Choices, and a cultural commentator for NPR, National Review, Beliefnet.com, and Ancient Faith Radio.