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Podcast Episode's:
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On Political Power and the Kingdom of God
Fr. Philip LeMasters reads an essay he wrote for Jacob's Well, the official magazine of the Diocese of New York and New Jersey (OCA).
"What is the border between Christ’s Kingdom and the kingdoms of the world? The Savior said clearly that His Kingdom “is not of this world,” but the world is where we have to live out our lives as His followers. Throughout the Divine Liturgy, we pray for the salvation of all, peace for the world, and the wellbeing of our civil authorities and armed forces. To do this with integrity, we must discern how to deal with political and social matters in ways that not only convey the transcendence of the Kingdom, but also show how God’s will can be done, albeit imperfectly and partially, here on earth. The border between these realms is real, but not impermeable."
Read the essay at https://issuu.com/jacobswell/docs/jacob_s_well_spring_2021_final/s/12860328.
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Lent and the Pandemic Fallout - Part 4
Fr. Barnabas Powell - Part 4 of a 4 part series
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Lent and the Pandemic Fallout - Part 3
Fr. Barnabas Powell - Part 3 of 4.
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Lent and the Pandemic Fallout - Part 2
Fr. Barnabas Powell - Part 2 of 4.
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Lent and the Pandemic Fallout - Part 1
Fr. Barnabas Powell - Part 1 of
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Spoons - One or Many?
On line discussions about using the common spoon or multiple spoons for the Eucharist during the pandemic has prompted this commentary by Dr. Jeannie Constantinou.
Dr. Constantinou has been teaching Biblical Studies and Early Christianity at the University of San Diego since 2002. Previously she taught New Testament at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology from 1998-1999. She has led bible studies, taught and lectured on the Bible and Orthodoxy at parishes, conferences, retreats and seminars for over thirty years. Her Search the Scriptures Live podcast is a popular feature on Ancient Faith Radio.
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Just Sit On Your Couch?
Fr. Andrew Damick says stay home but don't stay idle.
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Our Global Great Lent
In her March 14, 2020 blog post, Elissa Bjeletich reflects on this year's Great Lent in light of the COVID-19 virus. Did this virus make for a bad Lent or "a tangible opportunity to curtail our own will in service to others and to learn to rely on God rather than on the material comforts we take for granted"?
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Why Veneration is Obviously Not Worship
Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick posts a picture of the incorrupt hand of St. Katherine of Alexandria every year on Facebook. And every year, people freak out. But why?
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Lay Life Is a Calling
Nic Hartmann, a parishioner at St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church In Cedar Rapids, Iowa, reminds us that God sometimes wills that we lead a life seeking our salvation through the world.
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On the Ukrainian Church Controversy
Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick shares his thoughts on the controversial situation of the Orthodox Church in Ukraine. Are we looking at the situation through worldly eyes or through spiritual eyes?
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Altar Girls
Fr. Lawrence Farley examines the question of whether or not the youthful function of liturgical assistance in the altar should be extended to girls as well as boys.
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Should It Matter to Christians When Churches Burn?
The world watched in disbelief as the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris burned. But why should it matter? Fr. Andrew Damick has an answer.
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Coptic Christian Massacre
Dan Bein, the most recent Media Student Leader of Orthodox Christian Fellowship and a Coptic Christian, comments on the recent bus shooting of the Coptic Christians in Egypt who refused to renounce their faith at gunpoint.
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Rolling Back the Darkness
In light of the tragic and senseless attack at a concert in Manchester, Fr. Gregory Hallam offers this commentary. Fr. Gregory is priest at St. Aidan's Antiochian Orthodox Church in Manchester, UK.
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Staying Christian in a Culture of Growing Hate
Dn. Michael Hyatt is the chair of the Ancient Faith Ministries board and a Deacon at St. Ignatius Antiochian Orthodox Church in Franklin, TN. Most people know him as one of the top leadership mentors in the country and the Founder and CEO of Michael Hyatt & Company, an online leadership development company dedicated to helping high achievers win at work and succeed at life. In this commentary (which is actually a sermon given at St. Ignatius), Dn. Michael assesses the impact of social media on people in general and Christians in particular.
Be looking for the return of his Ancient Faith Radio podcast At the Intersection of East and West in September!
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Often Disappointed but Seldom Surprised
Fr. Philip LeMasters discusses the sexualized culture of Hollywood.
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Contemporary Challenges in Marriage, Family, and Sexuality.
Fr. Philip reflects on the Eucharistic context of the pastoral response to contemporary challenges in marriage, family, and sexuality.
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The Anaphora of St. Basil
Fr. Philip LeMasters, Dean of the School of Social Sciences and Religion at McMurry University, explains that St. Basil's Anaphora calls us to live out practically what we enact liturgically in response to the needs of the human beings whom we encounter every day.
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Election 2016
Fr. Steven Ritter, the host of the AFR podcast, The Life of the Church Today, offers his perspective on the upcoming United States election.
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Orthodoxy and Politics
Fr. Philip LeMasters, a professor of religion at McMurry University and the host of the AFR podcast Eastern Christian Insights, discusses how Orthodox Christians should approach politics.
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St. John the Wonderworker
Wesley J. Smith, the host of Human Exceptionalism, details the life and miracles of St. John Maximovitch, his patron saint.
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Orthodox Witness in a Post-Christian Culture
Fr. Philip LeMasters argues that it is time for Orthodox Christians to be realistic and not panic about life in an increasingly post-Christian culture.
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Why Sola Scriptura Doesn't Work
A blogger on Orthodox Christianity and subdeacon at St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Church in Bellingham, Washington, explains why the Scriptures must be read in the context of tradition.
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Embodied Persons: Male and Female
Fr. Philip LeMasters contends that the biological complementarity of males and females provides an important clue to the personal identity of human beings.
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Paschal Trumpet
Fr. Lawrence Farley explains that Christ is the jubilee of the whole world and his Resurrection is the trumpet which announces it.
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Who Was That Woman?
Fr. Lawrence Farley investigates the identity of the woman who anointed Christ's feet before his trial and crucifixion.
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Elmer the Safety Elephant
Fr. Lawrence Farley identifies three rules that children should follow to avoid being harmed by the pornography pandemic.
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The Elephant in the Room
Fr. Lawrence Farley addresses how the reigning theological liberalism of many Protestant traditions is the elephant in the room when it comes to ecumenical discussions regarding re-Baptism into the Orthodox Church.
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Defending the Synodikon
Fr. Lawrence Farley addresses the unpopularity of the concept of Church dogma.
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Teaching Protestants About Saints and Icons
Fr. Philip LeMasters shares what he has learned over the last 25 years of teaching Protestants about saints and icons.
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Fixed Date for Pascha
What should Orthodox Christians think about a fixed date for Pascha? Fr. Lawrence Farley shares his opinion.
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Gentile Dogs?
Did Jesus really call a Gentile woman a dog? Fr. Lawrence Farley sets the story straight.
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What God Has Prepared
Fr. Lawrence Farley uses the Scriptures to describe what awaits us in the world to come.
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Christian Universalism
Will everyone be saved in the end? Fr. Lawrence Farley argues that the Scriptures, the Fathers, and even Christ Himself all say no.
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Fire in the Desert
To fully appreciate St. John the Forerunner, says Fr. Lawrence Farley, we need to place him in his historical context and to realize that he came to Israel as a thunderstorm at the end of a long drought.
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The Real St. Nicholas
Fr. Lawrence Farley contends that a comparison between Santa Claus and St. Nicholas illustrates well the difference between worldly and Christian cultures, and we are called to live in the latter for all twelve months of the year.
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Destination Weddings
Fr. Lawrence Farley argues that the popularity of destination weddings is symptomatic of a more profound cultural dysfunction—namely, the modern preoccupation with self.
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That Was Then, This Is Now
Our culture continues along its escalating trajectory of militant anti-Christian sentiment. Life in such an unwelcoming environment will be good for us, says Fr. Lawrence Farley, for persection has always had a purifying effect upon the Church.
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Apologize and Keep Quiet Forever
Fr. Lawrence Farley argues that the traditional Christian Church should not heed impassioned demands that it shut up and say nothing when its central teachings are trampled, denied, and distorted.
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Moving the Boundary Marker
Every age has its own errors, says Fr. Lawrence Farley, and in every age, therefore, the Church faces a different set of challenges, distortions, and lies. Today voices are raised calling for the landmarks regarding the nature of gender and sexuality to be moved.
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Physician-Assisted Suicide
Fr. Philip LeMasters presents an Orthodox Christian argument against physician-assisted suicide.
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Niqab or Icon?
Fr. Lawrence Farley shares his concern that if the cultural values express by the wearing of the Muslim niqab take root in Canadian society, something important will be lost—namely, the greater importance of individuality and personhood over gender.
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Bye, Felicia
Fr. Philip LeMasters responds to a review on National Public Radio of the new film Straight Outta Compton. "If we will cheat, abuse, or simply use others sexually, we will take a long step down a path toward forms of corruption that we do not control well at all."
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Marriage and Sexuality
Fr. Philip LeMasters argues that it has always been a component of Orthodox teaching that the uniquely life-giving union of man and woman is unspeakably holy and a sign of the relationship between Christ and the Church.
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Do Muslims and Christians Worship the Same God?
According to Fr. Lawrence Farley, if the Muslim has no real exposure to or understanding of the Christian message, he might still be spared on the last day if his heart was in ignorance seeking the true God.
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Demonizing Dichotomies or a Rainbow Flag
Fr. Lawrence Farley warns us that we can neither demonize the world nor accept all that it offers.
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Charleston
Fr. Philip LeMasters reminds us that just as God enables martyrs to remain steadfast and even rejoice in their sufferings, he strengthened those grieving family members in Charleston to respond with grace, peace, and reconciliation that are simply not of this world.
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Is Perversion Possible?
Fr. Lawrence Farley argues that we are increasingly living in a world which is eroding the concept of a transcendent standard and normalcy.
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All Kinds of Everything
Fr. Lawrence Farley comments on the hymn that the three youths ostensibly sang in the fiery furnace.
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Ascension
Fr. Philip LeMasters argues that when it comes to the Ascension, we should recognize that what we have to offer the world is our witness that the crucified, risen, and ascended Lord has brought us into the eternal life that he shares with his Father and the Holy Spirit.
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Sunday of All Saints
Our contemporary culture forms many people who cannot imagine any purpose higher in life than the pursuit of self-centered pleasure on their own terms. Fr. Philip LeMasters explains that on the Sunday of All Saints, the Church reminds us that we are called to follow a very different and much better path.
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Boring Work: Good for the Soul
Dr. Brad Nassif, Professor of Biblical and Theological Studies at North Park University in Chicago, reminds us that no matter how monotonous, unseen, or ordinary, our jobs can powerfully transform us into Christlikeness. This is an audio version of an article that first appeared at christianitytoday.com.
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Death of Dialogue
Given the importance of true dialogue to our civilization's health, argues Fr. Lawrence Farley, it is only more distressing to find that the willingness to dialogue is dying—especially when it comes to the topic of homosexuality.
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Fifty Shades of Grey
Fr. John Parker, Chair of the Department of Evangelization of the Orthodox Church in America, encourages us to replace any impulse we might have to either see Fifty Shades of Grey or read the book with charitable acts done in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
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The Christmas Truce of 1914
Fr. Philip LeMasters: "One would hope that nations influenced by even mildly historic forms of Christianity would see the folly of secular salvation by warfare, but the crusading spirit apparently does not die easily."
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Newsweek Scholarship: So Sloppy It's a Sin
Fr. Lawrence Farley, priest at Saint Herman of Alaska Orthodox Church in Langley, B.C., and the host of Coffee Cup Commentaries, thoroughly dismantles the recent Newsweek article by Kurt Eichenwald titled "The Bible: So Misunderstood It's a Sin."
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Evil and the Christian
Fr. Lawrence Farley reminds us that while looking at the nature of evil under a philosophic microscope is okay, far more important is the knowledge of how to avoid being involved in it.
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Magical Thinking in the Orthodox Church
Is Orthodoxy really somehow immune to the liberalism and worldiness that afflicts everyone else in North America? Fr. Lawrence Farley argues, "No!"
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Is the LGBT a New Reality?
On a new "Ancient Faith Commentaries," Fr. Lawrence Farley explains that the LGBT reality is not really new; it is the same old darkness that St. Paul encountered in his time. And Paul's word to the Church then still stands for us today.
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Choices of Joni and Brittany
Fr. Lawrence Farley argues that Brittany Maynard took only this life—and not the life to come—into consideration when deciding to commit suicide.
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The Jesus Seminar and Gospel Accuracy
Fr. Lawrence Farley critically examines the hermeneutic of suspicion that marks modern liberal biblical scholarship.
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St. Timon and Assisting the World
On the occasion of the Sunday of St. Timon and his congregation's ongoing support of its sister parish in Bosra-Hauran, Syria, Fr. Philip LeMasters encourages us to avoid despair and work to alleviate the suffering of our neighbors wherever they are in the world.
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“Congratulations, You've Given Birth to a Baby Girl—Maybe”
Fr. Lawrence Farley argues that we must show love for all people—male or female, straight or gay or transgendered—but as we articulate and transmit our Christian culture to our young and to our catechumens, we must also take care to include a traditional understanding of gender.
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Rape on College Campuses
Fr. Philip LeMasters, a professor of religion at McMurry University, argues that the shocking statistics on the number of female college students who are victims of rape provide a window on the moral and spiritual corruption of our society.
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Pacify the Ragings of the . . . Who?
Fr. Lawrence Farley reminds us that when the fourth-century Christians prayed in their liturgy that God would "pacify the ragings of the pagans," they were taking a public stand against the majority of the world around them. The same is true of us today, only in our case the pagans are better known as secularists.
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Light from Antioch
Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick shares his hopes for the future of the Antiochian Archdiocese and Orthodoxy in America. The text version of this commentary can be found here.
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God is Our King Before the Ages
Fr. Lawrence Farley points out that the Church associates the destruction of the Temple with the Cross to demonstrate how prophecy becomes history.
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Is Orthodoxy the Same Everywhere?: Understanding Theological Controversy Within the Church
There is variety in Orthodox theology, but there is no plurality in dogma—and that is where the unity of the Orthodox faith lies. Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick explains.
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Lenten Homily
Fr. John Parker is the Chair of the Dept. of Evangelization for the Orthodox Church in America. He wrote this homily to begin Lent based on the Paschal Homily of St. John Chrysostom.
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The Church in Bethlehem
On a new episode of Ancient Faith Commentaries, Fr. Lawrence Farley, priest at Saint Herman of Alaska Orthodox Church in Langley, B.C., describes and recounts the history of the Church of the Nativity in the now embattled and besieged town of Bethlehem.
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The Repentance of the Prodigal Son
Fr. Lawrence Farley reminds us that repentance is not simply feeling bad for having broken God's rules; rather, it is a return to yourself and a return to your home.
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Male Converts and Female Saints: Strong Women in Orthodoxy and in My Family
Fr. Philip LeMasters marvels at how central the balance of the masculine and the feminine is to our Orthodox faith and spiritual life.
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Honesty
Fr. Philip LeMasters reflects on the parable of the Publican and the Pharisee.
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Russia, Christianity, and the Olympics
Fr. John Parker, Chair of the Dept of Evangelization of the Orthodox Church in America, comments on an Op Ed piece in the New York Times about Russia and the Olympics. An edited version of Fr. John's comments can be found in the The Post and Courier.
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Food, Sex, and Sports: Idols or Pathways to Salvation?
Fr. Philip LeMasters reminds us that our Orthodox faith does not require us to abandon or condemn any dimension of life, but instead to offer all that we are and do for fulfillment and blessing and healing.
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Zacchaeus
Fr. Lawrence Farley explains how the running and climbing of Zacchaeus should challenge us during Great Lent. Zaccheus left behind his pride for Lent; what will we leave behind?
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Stiff Backs and Firm Handshakes
Fr. Lawrence Farley explains why Orthodox Christians prostrate in front of icons of saints.
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John the Scandalous Baptist
Fr. Lawrence Farley discusses what it was that made the Child of the Desert so controversial—namely, baptizing Jews.
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In Fairness to Herod
Fr. Lawrence Farley argues that Herod had more insight into the significance of Jesus than do most moderns.
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Re-evangelizing the Nation
With the Church of England just one generation from extinction, the call has gone out for re-evangelization. Fr. Lawrence Farley asks whether this particular church still possesses the evangel of Saints Cuthbert and Aidan.
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Bread and Peanut Butter and the Forgiveness of Sins
Fr. Lawrence Farley reminds us that the man who trusts God and does what is pleasing to him, such as giving alms to the poor, will experience His favor when his own time of need comes.
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That's Not Logical
Fr. Lawrence Farley reminds us that our God is the God who rises above logic and nature and frustrates laws which mere creation finds inflexible.
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You Don't Know Which Way the Wind Blows
Fr. Lawrence Farley reminds us that the resolution to our fearful inability to know and plan for the future lies in trusting Jesus.
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Who Am I to Judge?
Fr. Philip LeMasters, Dean of the School of Social Sciences and Religion at McMurry University, examines Pope Francis's controversial response to homosexuality and gay marriage.
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Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth
Fr. Lawrence Farley reviews Reza Aslan’s book Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth, calling it "a tired rewriting of the same nonsense that pseudo-scholars have been churning out for some time now."
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Satisfied
Ancient Faith Ministries CEO John Maddex comments on a controversy involving the lyrics of a new hymn widely used in the Evangelical world.
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India
Fr. Philip LeMasters, Dean of the School of Social Sciences and Religion at McMurry University, reflects on a recent trip to India and the many different faith communities and configurations that he encountered there.
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On the Pope, Twitter, and Maximalism
Fr. Lawrence Farley argues that the real story behind the Pope and his Twitter followers is the death of maximalism in the Roman Catholic Church and the modern rush to lower the bar for pretty much everything.
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In Praise of Old Women
Fr. Lawrence Farley comments on a strange wedding ceremony and the role of elderly women in guarding the faith.
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Sex and Political Action
Fr. Philip LeMasters, Dean of the School of Social Sciences and Religion at McMurry University, tries to account for why homosexuality has become the defining issue of our time, arguing that it was the civil rights movement and the sexual revolution that has turned us all into political hedonists.
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Impressions of the Holy Sepulcher
Following his visit to the Holy Land, Fr. Lawrence Farley offers some of his impressions of the Holy Sepulchre.
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The Friendly Giant
How did normal American kids become the Boston bombers? How did the friendly giant become the terrorist? Fr. Lawrence Farley, priest at Saint Herman of Alaska Orthodox Church in Langley, British Columbia, reminds us that this sort of thing always happens one poor decision at a time—and that we should guard against doing the same.
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The Arrow That Flies
Fr. Lawrence Farley reflects on the twin bombings at yesterday's Boston Marathon in light of the promises of God.
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Two Chairs of Peter: Reform, Orthodoxy and the Papacy
Following yesterday's pontifical election, Fr. Andrew Damick comments on this most recent event as well as the recent election of Patriarch John X of the Holy Synod of Antioch.
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Christmas in Connecticut
Christmas in Newtown, Connecticut, will not be the same this year. Fr. Lawrence Farley comments on the tragic events of December 14 and reminds us of the senseless nature of sin.
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Finding Comfort in Time of Sorrow
There are no words to express the depth of our sorrow when we think of the tragedy in Newtown Connecticut. Fr. Tom Soroka provides a Christian perspective on sorrow as he reminds us of our utter dependance on God.
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After the Election
Fr. Philip LeMasters, Dean of the School of Social Sciences and Religion at McMurry University, argues that the primary political action of Orthodox Christians is not found in voting, carrying signs, spouting slogans, or putting bumper stickers on cars. Rather, our most fundamental political witness is to participate in the Divine Liturgy.
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Asceticism
Fr. Philip LeMasters points out that our society more readily accepts discipline and sacrifice for sports than it does for religion.
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Women in the Altar
Fr. Lawrence Farley addresses some misconceptions about allowing women to go behind the altar in the Orthodox Church. You can read more about his views on the role of women in the Church in his new book published by St. Vladimir's Seminary Press: Feminism and Tradition: Quiet Reflections on Ordination and Communion.
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Character
Fr. Philip LeMasters argues that if raising everyone's self-esteem by watering down substantive visions of the good life is our preferred mode of operation, then heaven help us if we want our kids to worship anything other than their own self-centered desires.
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Not in Praise of Single Motherhood
Fr. Philip LeMasters maintains that it is no insult to successful single parents to point out the misguided nature of arguments that praise single motherhood as the new norm.
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Food and Fasting
Fr. Philip LeMasters explains that our diet and eating habits have a profound spiritual and moral significance as they shape who we become as people and how we relate to others and to the Lord.
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Reproductive Technology
Fr. Philip LeMasters argues that today’s reproductive technologies raise serious concerns about the relationship between conceiving children and actually parenting them.
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Aren't You Supposed to Hate Me?
The recent vote in North Carolina outlawing same-sex marriage prompted this commentary from Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick about Calvinism and the politics of the damned.
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Islamophobia
In order to understand our Muslim neighbors and make sense of the world today, says Fr. Lawrence Farley, we need to distinguish between Mohammed's practice, the history of Islamic expansion, the practice of Muslims throughout the Islamic empire, liberal Muslims today, and Islamists.
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