Fr. Stephen De Young begins the discussion of St. Paul's Second Epistle to the Thessalonians (1:1-2:4).

Fr. Stephen De Young concludes the discussion of 2 Thessalonians (2:5 to 3:18).

Fr. Stephen De Young discusses the beginning of Genesis Chapter 13.

Fr. Tom continues his series on the Names of Jesus by exploring two names that we do not usually associate with Christ.

This week, the guys decided to talk about their first overtly Christian piece of art: Josh Garrels’ album, Love & War & the Sea In Between. They discuss the unique power of poetry and music to speak our hearts, the struggle and necessity of facing our own brokenness, and the tension between what we see and what we hope for. They close with their Top 5 Western Christian Church Hymns.

The guys are back to kick off season 5 by discussing Dave Chapelle’s new comedy special, Sticks and Stones. They discuss whether Chapelle’s humor is puerile or prophetic, the need to speak truth fearlessly, and the complicated nature of the modern moral order. They close with their Top Next 5 Comedy Specials.

Jesus called the Apostles to leave everything to follow Him and become fishers of men. And He calls all of us to take up our cross and follow Him right in the midst of our daily lives, making those places of weakness and failure become occasions of beauty and blessing.

Fr. Philip LeMasters reflects on the baptism of Christ by the Holy Prophet and Forerunner, John the Baptist.

Fr. Philip LeMasters reflects on the nativity of St. John the Baptist and it's meaning for us today.

Fr. Philip LeMasters shares the story of the conception of St. John the Baptist, and how the troubles of our lives provide us with an additional opportunity to walk by faith.

Fr. Philip LeMasters preaches on the example of the twelve holy apostles who sacrificed all for the sake of following Jesus.

At Theophany, we celebrate that no dimension of our life or world is intrinsically profane or cut off from sharing in the holiness of God. All things, physical and spiritual, visible and invisible, are called to participate in the divine glory that our Lord has brought to the world, to become even now signs of the coming fullness of God’s Kingdom.

It is easy to assume that we have strong faith when it seems like everything is going our way. All too often, that means that we have come to trust in ourselves for following a religion that we imagine will give us what we want. When difficult struggles come, however, the truth about our weak souls is revealed. Then we come to see that real faith in God is not about serving or congratulating ourselves, but something entirely different.

The feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos calls us to live faithfully as those who have put on Christ like a garment in baptism, been filled with the Holy Spirit in chrismation, and become guests at the heavenly banquet in the Eucharist.

Those who have put on Christ in baptism and who receive the Communion of His Body and Blood must become epiphanies of His fulfillment of the human person in God’s image and likeness. As we prepare to celebrate Theophany, let us gain the spiritual clarity to behold the glory of Christ’s baptism by straightening the crooked areas of our lives.

To rise up, take up our beds, and walk home requires obedience to Christ’s commands, but not a legalistic obedience in the sense of following a code for its own sake. Instead, this obedience is like following the guidance of a physician or therapist who makes clear to us what we must do in order to regain health and function for our bodies.

Today we continue to celebrate the most fundamental and joyful proclamation of our faith: Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and upon those in the tombs bestowing life!

Fr. John discusses the case of Caesaropapism and the symphony when it was actually achieved.

Fr. John introduces the principle of heavenly orientation and then explores actual forms of art, beginning with iconography.

Fr. John discusses the development of Christian hymnography.

Fr. John discusses the spiritual decline of the Church in the West and the attempt to reform this degradation.

Fr. John continues his exploration of the pivotal reign of Pope Leo IX and the way in which its reforms led toward a confrontation with the Patriarchate of Constantinople in 1054.

In this conclusion to his account of the Great Schism, Fr. John reviews the leading controversies that aggravated relations between Rome and Constantinople during Pope Leo IX's military confinement, and how they resulted in the latter's posthumous act of excommunicating Patriarch Michael Cerularius in 1054.

In the anecdotal introduction to a new reflection, Fr. John tells the story of the fall of Constantinople to the western crusaders in 1204, showing how this event, inspired in part by new claims of papal supremacy, resulted in the permanent separation of eastern and western Christendom.

In this episode, Fr. John discusses the immediate aftermath of the mutual excommunications of 1054 and the ways in which papal supremacy emerged as the main point of continued division between the east and the west.

In this episode, Fr. John discusses the coming of the crusades and the decisive role played by Pope Gregory VII.

In this final episode of Reflection 15, Fr. John discusses the thirteenth-century popes Innocent III and Gregory IX, showing the close connection between their efforts to advance papal supremacy on the one hand and direct crusades against the Orthodox on the other. He concludes the reflection by noting the recent meeting of Pope Francis and Patriarch Bartholomew and placing it within the context of centuries of cultural division between east and west.

In this episode, Fr. John discusses Pope Urban II's calling of the First Crusade and the impact it and the crusades of the twelfth century had upon relations between the Orthodox and Roman Catholics.

In this episode, Fr. John discusses ways in which papal supremacy led to the growing sense of crisis that preceded the Protestant Reformation.

In this, the first episode of the Paradise and Utopia video edition, Father John provides a video lecture from his office in Puget Sound, showing, with the use of powerful, full-color icons such as those of Andrei Rublev, how hesychasm inspired some of the greatest art in the history of eastern Christendom.

In this special edition of Paradise and Utopia, Fr. John Strickland responds to a recent review of the first two volumes of his book series. In it, he notes the failure to consider the books on their own terms. He uses the opportunity to elaborate what he considers a healthy vision of Christian historiography, one that supports what many consider the need for a "re-enchantment" of modern culture.

In this episode, Fr. John Parker interviews Fr. Robert Miclean, pastor of Holy Archangels Mission in Annapolis, MD. Fr Robert is the founding pastor of this new mission, and the founder of Annapolis College Ministry, which is an intentional, discipleship-driven, missionary outreach to three Maryland colleges: the US Naval Academy, St John’s College, and Anne Arundel Community College.

In this episode, Fr. John interviews Fr. Jason Foster, pastor of Holy Nativity Orthodox Mission in Shreveport, LA. Fr. Jason is doing amazing and catalytic missionary work in Louisiana.

Fr. John reflects on the Synaxis of the Holy Apostles, commemorated on the day following the Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul. "Their proclamation has gone out into all the world, and their words to the end of the universe."

Fr. John Parker begins a short series showcasing the lives and impact of OCMC missionaries, especially the role of mission work in Africa.

Exodus 1:1-20; Job 1:1-12.

Exodus 2:5-10; Job 1:13-22.

Exodus 2:11-22; Job 2:1-10.

Exodus 19:10-19; Job 38:1-23; 42:1-5.

Exodus 33:11-23; Job 42:12-17 (LXX).

Matthew 28:1-20; John 1:1-17.

Acts 1:12-17, 21-26; John 1:18-28.

Acts 2:14-21; Luke 24:12-35.

Acts 2:22-36; John 1:35-51.

Acts 2:38-43; John 3:1-15.

Acts 3:1-8; John 2:12-22.

Acts 3:19-26; John 2:1-11.

Acts 4:1-10; John 3:16-21.

Acts 4:13-22; John 5:17-24.

Acts 4:23-31; John 5:24-30.