Fr. Stephen looks at the image of Christ with the unrighteous gathered around Him and recalls a famous passage in Dostoevsky.

Fr. Stephen offers thoughts on how it is we are saved in our weakness rather than our strength.

Fr. Stephen looks at the timeless and eternal aspects of the feast of Pascha and how it effects our daily lives.

Numerous elders of the Orthodox Church speak about the common responsibility for sin that we share through our humility and love for one another. Fr. Stephen examines how this can be so.

A meditation on the words of Elder Sophrony, "Our lives are an endless martyrdom," gives rise to thoughts on the true character of the liturgy.

Fr. Stephen reflects on a few quotes from Fr. Alexander Schmemann's For the Life of the World - and the crisis of secularism in which we live.

Fr. Stephen looks at telling the truth as a matter that goes to the heart of our true existence.

What does it mean to be good? Fr. Stephen speaks about the mystery of goodness and how it is only known in Christ.

Reflecting on a sermon of St. Gregory Palamas, Fr. Stephen looks at the significance of the Cross as reflected in the writings of the fathers.

The use of allegory within the Scriptures and the hymns of the Church provides this meditation on how, in Christ, nothing is wasted.

What is it that we hope for? Fr. Stephen suggests that there is a true life that can only be had in Christ - which is far more than mere existence.

Fr. Stephen looks at the implications for the "end of the world" found in Christ's preaching and incarnation, and what they mean for us.

Fr. Stephen looks at particular points within the gospel teaching that are sometimes "scandalous," that is a "rock of stumbling" for believers. He examines how important these points are and how essential for our salvation.

Fr. Stephen examines what it means that the Church is the nexus of the crucified Christ's love.

Fr. Stephen speaks about the difference between feast days as mere events of the calendar and the reality of the Kingdom of God that awaits us in the Feasts.

Fr. Stephen looks at the teaching of Christ on love for enemies and sets it in its proper spiritual context.

Fr. Stephen speaks about the concept of anadoche - the spiritual communion and responsibility we have in one another's lives.

Fr. Stephen focuses on what we mean when we say, "I know God," and what we do not mean. We must know God - it is our salvation - but what does it mean?

Fr. Stephen looks at what it means to live in a relationship of love and freedom, and the problems it creates for our ideas of what is and is not necessary.

Fr. Stephen, having experienced a time of grief in the loss of his father, writes about the faith of Pascha and what it is to which we should look as we await our reunion with those we love.

Fr. Stephen looks at the meaning of the "Great Cloud of Witnesses" whom St. Paul describes as surrounding us as we go about the struggle of the Christian life.

St. Gregory of Nyssa speaks of man both as singer and song. Fr. Stephen explores how we are the "song of God."

God engages our world in concrete, practical ways. These "sacraments" are a means of sharing in the Divine Life. Fr. Stephen speaks about the "sacrament" of mercy.

Fr. Stephen speaks about the crisis of a "Churchless" Christianity

What is the soul? Fr. Stephen speaks about the "secret life" and the mystery of our selves.

Our feelings and desires are trained by our culture to seek satisfaction. In our spiritual life, we often need to learn how to be disappointed. Fr. Stephen looks at the "disappointment of religion."

One of the temptations of our secular age is the public drive to make religious faith a "private" matter. Fr. Stephen looks at this tension within our culture and the importance of the Christian public response.

The true self is "hid with Christ in God," St. Paul tells us. What then is the "self" that we live with every day? Fr. Stephen looks at how we create our own identity and how we should seek our true self in Christ.

Fr. Stephen continues with the topic of the battle between the true self and the false self, looking this week at what it means to be "moral."

In his recent series on the true and false self, Fr. Stephen looks at evangelism of the heart.

Fr. Stephen completes his series on the true and false self, with thoughts on how we can go about "speaking to the heart."

When the Church's hymns describe us as "rational sheep," what does it mean? Fr. Stephen offers this meditation on language and humanity. Language is part of our deepest nature - and it is a reflection of God.

"The whole world is a sacrament," according to Patriarch Bartholomew. Fr. Stephen explores what this means as he examines the Eucharist in the Scriptures.

Fr. Stephen looks at several of Christ's difficult sayings and what they mean. Why is it permissible to call a priest "Father"?

People, regardless of their background, sometimes fall into arguments about the Scripture. Fr. Stephen looks at why the Orthodox need to avoid such arguments and explains how the Orthodox should rightly read the Word of God.

Christ is the fire of God that comes among us. May He burn brightly in our hearts!

Fr. Stephen uses the language of Baptism to describe the "mystical reality" of the Christian life.

With this podcast, Fr. Stephen begins a small series of reflections on the character of the modern world and the particular difficulties it presents to the Orthodox faith.

The frightful pressure felt by the young as they struggle to find their vocation is deeply enmeshed in the Modern Project. Fr. Stephen looks at those expectations as well as the true vocation of Christians.

Fr. Stephen reflects on the hidden nature of God's work.

St. Paul describes the mystery of the faith as: Christ within us, the hope of glory. Fr. Stephen looks at the meaning of God in us and the life of grace.

Does God have feelings? Can we influence how he feels? Fr. Stephen looks carefully at the theology of grace and the idea of the psychology of God.

This podcast is part one of three where Fr. Stephen explores the topic of Orthodoxy and our sexual/gendered existence.

Fr. Stephen looks at the human soul and what it means that it is a mystery—known to God—but not fully known to us.

In this podcast, Fr. Stephen contrasts the “literal” reading of Scripture with the practice of the Orthodox Church, in which we seek to discern the “mystery hidden from all the ages.”

Fr. Stephen offers thoughts on the providence of God—His will working good for us all despite what we may see or think.

Fr. Stephen looks at one of the most treasured notions of the modern world.

Fr. Stephen reflects on the complexity of the human heart through the work of Dostoevsky.

Fr. Stephen offers thoughts on the daily consequences of the "Word made flesh" and suggests ways that we might live Christmas every day of our lives.

When we give thanks to God, particularly in difficult times, Fr. Stephen Freeman tells us we unite ourselves with the Cross of Christ.