Toll Houses: After Death Reality or Heresy?
Fr. Thomas Hopko, Dean Emeritus of St. Vladimir's Orthodox seminary, addresses the controversial subject of "toll houses" in this highly animated half-hour discussion with our co-hosts.
May 26, 2014
The Illumined Heart
Orthodox dialogue to illumine the heart
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Episodes
86: Chalcedon Revisted
In today's program Kevin and his guest, St Vladimir's Theological Seminary professor, historian, and author Fr John Erickson, discuss the near 1500-year rift between the Oriental Orthodox (Armenian, Coptic, Ethiopian, Indian) and Eastern Orthodox churches. They will discuss the theology, history, politics, attempts at reunion and the current state of affairs between these two ancient eastern Christian churches.
May 17, 2014
157: The Spiritual Guide in Eastern Orthodoxy
Host Kevin Allen speaks with Father Steven Tschlis about the role of the spiritual guide - father or mother - in the Eastern Orthodox tradition, and how such a guide may differ from one's parish priest or sacramental confessor. Should we look for a "spiritual father or mother" in a monastery? What role does the parish priest play? These and other questions will be addressed in this conversation.
Apr 24, 2014
My Journey From Witchcraft To Orthodoxy - Part 1
Meet Sara Hillis, musician and English literature scholar who became a witch priestess before encountering Christ and finding the Orthodox Church!
Mar 21, 2014
Ask Fr. Thomas Hopko
In this monthly segment, Dean Emeritus of St Vladimir's Orthodox Seminary Fr. Tom Hopko answers listener questions ranging from theories of the Atonement, to Biblical higher-critical theory.
Mar 19, 2014
160: Catechizing New Age and Eastern Religion Seekers
In this episode, the microphone is turned as AFR General Manager and founder John Maddex interviews host Kevin Allen on the catechism module he developed (with his priest's blessing) specifically for inquirers coming from New Age and Eastern spiritual backgrounds. Is the entrance of New Age and Eastern seekers perhaps a trend the Church needs to prepare for? Are the issues, concerns, and paradigms of these seekers the same as those inquiring from Evangelical backgrounds? Must the catechist know ...
Jan 27, 2014
170 - A Byzantine Catholic's journey to, from and back again to the Orthodox Church
Jeremy (Basil) Dannnebohm was an ardent young Catholic. What made him journey from his cradle Church to the Eastern Orthodox Church, only to return to Rome and then revert to Orthodoxy? His story is on this episode of the Illumined Heart.
Jan 23, 2013
Fr. Josiah Trenham: St. John Chrysostom on Marriage and Monasticism
Steve McMeans talks to Fr. Josiah about St. John Chrysostom and his views on the relationship between marriage and monasticism. This show will suprise you...!
Sep 14, 2012
The Passions: How we get into this mess and how we get out
Mother Melania, stavrophor (little schema) nun at St. Barbara Monastery, Santa Paula, California and author of the series, "The Twelve Great Feasts for Children", and the series, "The 3-Day Pascha" (for Great and Holy Friday, Great and Holy Saturday, and Pascha) discusses purity (and impurity) of heart and overcoming the passions.
Sep 05, 2012
Orthodox Christian Psychological Therapy
Wouldn't it be wonderful to combine the "best" of classic Orthodox Christian spiritual "therapies" (praxis) with modern psychological modalities in therapy? In the first of the new fall line-up, Kevin speaks with Orthodox professor and therapist, Dr. Philip Mamalakis about the ground-breaking work in this area he is pioneering. The web site for Dr. Philip that was mentioned in the interview can be found HERE.
Aug 31, 2012
169 - What Does Forgiveness Really Mean?
We ask God to forgive our sins and God tells us that His forgiveness is conditional on our forgiveness of others. But what does forgiveness really mean? Does it mean forgetting the offense entirely, or is it the intention to forgive that matters? What if we forgive, but the bitterness or the memory of the sin or offense comes back - have we not truly forgiven? Are we to repent of our sin once, or is it a continual process? These and other questions are the topic of the next Illumined Heart with ...
Mar 12, 2012
168 - Eastern Catholics - Are They “Orthodox”?
There are over 20 ancient Eastern Christian churches in communion with the Pope of Rome whose liturgies and "ethos" are more "Orthodox" than their Latin-Rite brothers. Some of them claim to be "Orthodox in communion with Rome". Some Orthodox disagree, calling them (pejoratively) "Uniates" or Eastern Rite Catholics, who have made significant compromises to come into such communion. In this episode host Kevin Allen speaks with Melkite (Eastern Catholic) priest Father James Babcock about the simila...
Apr 01, 2011
166 - Food and Faith
As Great Lent begins, Illumined Heart host Kevin Allen and nutrition expert Rita Madden (MPH and RD) discuss the role of food in our Orthodox spiritual life, what the Church Fathers say about food and food quantity, and practical nutritional issues related to fasting. Can we get the protein we need from a plant-based diet? Do we need supplements? Should children fast? These and many other questions - from an Orthodox patristic perspective and Rita's expertise -are the focus of this important con...
Mar 17, 2011
165: Metropolitan Kallistos Ware On the Record
In a very special edition of The Illumined Heart, we have an extensive conversation with His Eminence Metropolitan Kallistos Ware, Professor Emeritus in Eastern Orthodox Studies at Oxford University, and Bishop of Diokleia. Metropolitan Ka!istos is widely regarded as perhaps the world’s leading theologian of the Eastern Orthodox Church today. We present the entire interview here but also offer it in bite size pieces below. Kevin Allen's guest host is John Maddex.
Feb 24, 2011
Metropolitan Kallistos Ware on the State of the Orthodox Church
In the first section of our extensive interview with Metropolitan Kallistos, we talk about the state of the Orthodox Church both here and abroad.
Feb 24, 2011
Metropolitan Kallistos Ware on What Evangelicals and Orthodox Can Learn From Each Other
What can Evangelicals and Orthodox learn from each other is the subject of the 2nd section of our interview with His Eminence.
Feb 24, 2011
Metropolitan Kallistos Ware on Gender Issues in the Church
The Metropolitan is asked about women's ordination and same sex attraction in this section of the interview.
Feb 24, 2011
Metropolitan Kallistos Ware on Music and Hymnology in the Church
In this section, Metropolitan Kallistos addresses the question of music adaptation to the culture and modern ears.
Feb 24, 2011
Metropolitan Kallistos Ware on Ethnicity and Nationalism in Orthodoxy
We ask His Eminence about the role of nationalism and ethnicity in the Orthodox Church.
Feb 24, 2011
Metropolitan Kallistos Ware on the future of Orthodoxy
In part 6 of our interview with the Metropolitan, we ask him to address the future of Orthodoxy and whether he is pessimistic or optimistic.
Feb 24, 2011
159: The Occult: Shining Light on Satan's Shadow - Part 2
Listen to Part 2 of this fascinating concluding conversation between host Kevin Allen and Orthodox priest and occult-specialist, Father George Aquaro.
Feb 20, 2011
158: The Occult: Shining Light on Satan's Shadow
In this two-part series, Illumined Heart host Kevin Allen speaks with Eastern Orthodox priest and occult-specialist Father George Aquaro about the attractions and dangers of the metaphysics and practices of what is called the occult. From seemingly benign astrology to ghost-chasing, and Father George speaks extensively about these practices and what is behind them from the Orthodox Christian perspective. Do ghosts and apparitions exist, or are they necessarily demonic? This and other questions w...
Feb 19, 2011
164: Suffering - An Orthodox Perspective
Why do we suffer after becoming Christian? How do we reconcile the suffering of innocent children with a loving God? These and other perplexing and challenging questions are the subject of this episode of The Illumined Heart with guest, poet and writer of The End of Suffering, Scott Cairns.
Feb 17, 2011
163: Yoga and Orthodox Christianity: Are They Compatible?
Dr. Christine Mangala was raised in India and brought up a devout Hindu. Her family was close to one of India's leading Hindu gurus and teachers. Now an Orthodox Christian writer and teacher, she and Illumined Heart host Kevin Allen speak about whether various aspects of Hindu Yoga are compatible with Christian faith and practice, or whether Yoga should be shunned entirely.
Feb 15, 2011
162: The Quiet Cradle
Are converts to Orthodox Christianity dominating the media with their "journey stories" and "fast-paced, high-energy" perspectives, while the more quiet, perhaps lumbering, but deeply-rooted faith of cradle-born Orthodox is obscured in the process? Are traditions and customs being introduced by some convert clergy and laity that feel new and even strange to those with deep Orthodox roots? Is there a growing "cradle - convert gap" in the Orthodox Church in North America? Cradle Orthodox blogger, ...
Jan 20, 2011
161: Interfaith Dialogue: Co-Exist or Convert?
Fr. Alexander Goussetis, priest, comparative religion professor, and interfaith dialogue participant and advocate, speaks with host Kevin Allen about his views on the purpose of interfaith dialogue with Jews, Muslims, and other non-Christians. Kevin asks: Does the Gospel call us to merely understand the faiths of non-Christians, to enter into dialogue with them with no agenda, or is the goal always to try to win those we dialogue with to Christ? Is it "Orthodox" to proselytize, or simply to be a...
Jan 14, 2011
94: Meet Metropolitan Jonah!
On November 12, 2008, a remarkable thing happened in Pittsburgh, PA. Just 11 days after his consecration as Bishop of Fort Worth and Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of the South, Bishop Jonah was elected Archbishop of Washington and New York and Metropolitan of All American and Canada for the Orthodox Church in America. Kevin Allen was able to spend well over an hour on the phone with His Beatitude Jonah in a candid and fascinating interview that we are bringing you in 2 parts. In this first par...
Jan 06, 2011
95: Meet Metropolitan Jonah - Part 2
Here is part 2 of this historic interview with Metropolitan Jonah who was just enthroned as Archbishop of Washington and New York and Metropolitan of All America for the Orthodox Church in America. In this half of the interview, His Beatitude Jonah addresses matters such as Administrative Unity among Orthodox jurisdictions, evangelism, and the events that led up to his election at the All American Council in November.
Jan 06, 2011
135: Baptist Missionary Confronts Long-held Evangelical Tenets - Part 1
In this two-part interview, ex-Baptist seminary graduate and missionary to Bosnia, now Orthodox priest, Fr James Early, recounts with Illumined Heart host Kevin Allen the circumstances under which he had to face and eventually reject core Baptist-Evangelical tenets and come to accept the faith handed down once and for all to the Saints. His book is called From Baptist to Byzantium.
Jan 05, 2011
136: Baptist Missionary Confronts Long-held Evangelical Tenets - Part 2
Listen to part 2 of Kevin's interview with Fr. James Early
Jan 05, 2011
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