Abraham at the End of the World
Fr. Stephen looks at the story of the “Hospitality of Abraham” (Gen. 18) and his conversation with God concerning Sodom and Gomorrah, and sees in it a lesson for our time.
Jun 23, 2025
Glory to God
Thoughts and reflections on Orthodox theology and life
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Episodes
Gifts and Talents on the Road to Hell
Modern management theory has crept its way into Christian thought over the years, suggesting that parishes are best served when we are sorted into our gifts and talents slots. Fr. Stephen looks instead at the Biblical description of the Church in which our weaknesses rather than our strengths are to be valued.
May 29, 2025
Behind Every Rock and Tree - An Allegory
Fr. Stephen Freeman looks at the “allegorical” or “symbolic” reading of Scripture - and its importance for our daily life.
Jul 22, 2024
Love and Freedom
Fr. Stephen Freeman looks at the mystery of love and freedom, and the limits God places on Himself as He raises us, by love, to be His “equals."
Jun 22, 2024
A Mediated Presence - Thank God
Fr. Stephen Freeman shares about the importance of the sacraments in our lives - particularly in light of the Bible verse that says, “There is but one mediator between God and man, the man, Christ Jesus.”
Dec 01, 2023
Transformation and Forgiveness
Fr. Stephen Freeman looks at our transformation into the image of Christ and the forgiveness of our sins in terms of concrete reality - thinking through the work that God is doing in us.
Oct 13, 2023
The Singular Goodness of God
It is one thing to believe that God exists. But beyond that, it is important, even vital, that God is good. Fr. Stephen Freeman explores this importance.
Sep 11, 2023
The Peaceable Kingdom in a World at War
Fr. Stephen Freeman reflects on the nature of the Kingdom of God and its distinct reality when compared to the wars and struggles of the secularized world.
Sep 02, 2023
The Meekness of God
We rarely think of God as meek. Instead, we picture Him as mighty, powerful, and overwhelming. Fr. Stephen Freeman looks at a number of clear indications in Scripture concerning what we know of God through the revelation of Christ. God is meek.
May 11, 2023
Providence and the Music of All Creation
Ever wonder what the phrase, “the Divine Energies,” means? Fr. Stephen looks at its inner depths and its constant place in our lives. Give thanks to the Lord for He is good! His mercy endures forever!
Dec 15, 2022
Marriage Is a Lifetime of Suffering
Fr. Stephen Freeman offers some honest thoughts on the sacrament of marriage and its importance in our culture.
Oct 03, 2022
Will there be Faith on the Earth?
Fr. Stephen speaks of the difficulties and trials of those coming to faith in God and the challenges facing our children.
Sep 16, 2022
The One-Storey Universe and Icons: Music from Another Room
Fr. Stephen Freeman speaks on icons as doors that open onto other rooms. He also speaks about how we view evil in this understanding of God's world.
Sep 07, 2022
Nothing But the Whole Truth
Fr. Stephen looks at Orthodoxy and our lives as a matter of the "whole" truth, rather than a "one-sidedness." He urges us to press forward into the whole truth of Christ.
Aug 26, 2022
All the Fullness of God
In this podcast, Fr. Stephen speaks about the Orthodox use of the word "fullness," both as a description of the Church but also, and especially, as a description of what we long for in the Christian life.
Aug 25, 2022
Walking in a Lost World
Fr. Stephen Freeman describes a reading project, comparing the writings of Richard Leigh Fermor (1933), to those of Nick Hunt (2011) as they made walks across Europe. Fermor's descriptions belong to a world that has disappeared, while those of Hunt seem thin and attenuated. They point towards much deeper realities of our modern world.
Aug 24, 2022
The Goal of a Lesser Life
Fr. Stephen Freeman offers thoughts on the virtue of contentment and its place in the spiritual life.
Aug 01, 2022
Drag My Soul to Paradise
Fr. Stephen Freeman offers some thoughts on one of the more common Morning Prayers for the Orthodox, in which we pray, “O Lord, Save me whether I want it or not.” It is a hopeful meditation.
Jul 15, 2022
Second Thoughts on Success
Fr. Stephen Freeman examines in some depth why success and progress are not the right measures of the spiritual life.
Dec 25, 2021
The Community We All Need
Community is rooted in a mutual need, and so depends on our weakness. Fr. Stephen Freeman tells us that this is God's intention for the Church.
Dec 25, 2021
Christianity in a One-Storey Universe - Part 3; God in the Ordinary
"It's not until we cease to divide the world into ordinary and extraordinary, into usual and unusual, into sacred and secular, that we will have either the possibility of knowing God, much less living the Christian life." — Fr. Stephen Freeman
Dec 25, 2021
Literalism and the Other Word
Fr. Stephen Freeman looks at the notion of "allegory" as it is used in the New Testament and in the Orthodox worldview. He also considers the true nature of "literalism" and how we should understand it.
Dec 22, 2021
Scarcity and Abundance in a One-Storey Universe
In this talk Fr. Stephen continues with the imagery of the One-Storey Universe, but uses it to challenge our sense of finitude and scarcity and instead boldly proclaims that the risen Christ has raised us to a kingdom where we are not bound by limits, but by the endless abundance of His love.
Nov 03, 2021
Christianity in a One-Storey Universe - Part 5; Windows to Heaven
Fr. Stephen looks at the way icons help us to see the world as it truly is rather than as a window to a "second story."
Nov 03, 2021
Christianity in a One-Storey Universe - Part 4; Christian Atheism
Continuing with his illuminating series, in part four Fr. Stephen Freeman discusses those (both non-Orthodox and Orthodox) for whom knowledge of God is but a relationship with a book (albeit a sacred book) or with ideas about God. These people are what Fr. Freeman calls "practical atheists." "Although a person may espouse a belief in God, it's quite possible for that belief to be so removed from everyday life that God's non-existence would make little difference."
Nov 03, 2021
Christianity in a One-Storey Universe - Part 2
Fr. Stephen continues his look at the world from an Orthodox perspective.
Nov 03, 2021
Christianity in a One-Storey Universe - Part 1
In his inaugural podcast, Fr. Stephen describes the Orthodox view of the world in terms we can all understand.
Nov 03, 2021
Is Relationship with God What We Want?
Fr. Stephen looks at the words "relationship" and "fellowship" and notes that they are very "weak" translations of the Greek word koinonia in Scripture. He suggests how we should understand this word in its true, Orthodox sense.
Nov 03, 2021
Grace and the Inverted Pyramid
Father Stephen comments on some of the thoughts found in a recent work by Archimandrite Zacharias of England. He looks at the "inverted pyramid," the humility of Christ in which authority is to be found not at the top but at the bottom of things, in Christ's bearing the sins of the whole of humanity.
Nov 03, 2021
The Silent Sentinels Among Us
Fr. Stephen looks at the quiet role played by grace-filled persons in our world. In many ways, God preserves us through the presence of such saints.
Nov 03, 2021
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