Podcasts about ecumenical patriarch

The subject of Ukraine shattered the unity of Eastern Orthodoxy long before Russia's full-scale invasion began. In 2018 the Ukrainian Orthodox Church declared independence from Moscow with the approval of the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople. In response, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow broke off all relations with Constantinople, creating arguably the greatest schism in Orthodoxy for 1,000 years. There are now two main Ukrainian Orthodox Churches: one that supports independence and one still loyal to Moscow. As The Spectator's Ukraine correspondent Svitlana Morenets points out, Ukrainians who previously didn't care which church they attended now have to decide which to attend. Meanwhile, Dr Yuri Stoyanov, a fellow at SOAS, describes the alarming escalation of apocalyptic rhetoric encouraged by Kirill, whose talk of a Holy War against the forces of Antichrist is popular with soldiers but means little to the average Russian.  As we approach the third anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Svitlana and Yuri join host Damian Thompson to discuss the role of the Russian Orthodox Church in perpetuating the conflict. Has Holy War returned to Europe? And is it true that President Putin has secretly been taking part in bizarre quasi-shamanistic rituals?  Produced by Patrick Gibbons.

The subject of Ukraine shattered the unity of Eastern Orthodoxy long before Russia's full-scale invasion began. In 2018 the Ukrainian Orthodox Church declared independence from Moscow with the approval of the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople. In response, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow broke off all relations with Constantinople, creating arguably the greatest schism in Orthodoxy for 1,000 years. There are now two main Ukrainian Orthodox Churches: one that supports independence and one still loyal to Moscow. As The Spectator's Ukraine correspondent Svitlana Morenets points out, Ukrainians who previously didn't care which church they attended now have to decide which to attend. Meanwhile, Dr Yuri Stoyanov, a fellow at SOAS, describes the alarming escalation of apocalyptic rhetoric encouraged by Kirill, whose talk of a Holy War against the forces of Antichrist is popular with soldiers but means little to the average Russian.  As we approach the third anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Svitlana and Yuri join host Damian Thompson to discuss the role of the Russian Orthodox Church in perpetuating the conflict. Has Holy War returned to Europe? And is it true that President Putin has secretly been taking part in bizarre quasi-shamanistic rituals?  Produced by Patrick Gibbons.

This episode is brought to you by Telepaideia, a collection of live online courses in Latin, Ancient Greek, and the classical humanities offered by The Paideia Institute. Visit www.paideiainstitute.org/telepaideia to browse the course catalogue and register! It's my pleasure today to welcome back Father John Strickland to the podcast. Four episodes ago we talked in detail about the Divine Liturgy and its place at the heart of Byzantine life. I put out the call for listeners to ask questions. Particularly those of us not familiar with Orthodoxy or ecclesiastical issues in general. And Father Strickland has kindly returned to answer them. The questions are wide ranging and so demand thorough answers which Father John provides. So we decided to split them over two episodes. Today we tackle the Orthodox view on salvation and purgatory. As well as the role of the Ecumenical Patriarch and thoughts on the Byzantine understanding of how the divine played a role in daily life. Then we finish with the Orthodox view of Catholicism, Church Union and evangelisation. John is the pastor of an Orthodox Church in Poulsbo in Washington State. He wrote a four-volume series about the history of Christian civilization called Paradise and Utopia. He's also recorded a podcast of the same name as an accompaniment to the books which you can find wherever you get your podcasts or at www.ancientfaith.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gavin Ortlund introduces the theology of Cyril Lucaris, a significant Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople within Eastern Orthodoxy who sought to harmonize Orthodox and Protestant theology. Truth Unites exists to promote gospel assurance through theological depth. Gavin Ortlund (PhD, Fuller Theological Seminary) is President of Truth Unites and Theologian-in-Residence at Immanuel Nashville. SUPPORT: Tax Deductible Support: https://truthunites.org/donate/ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/truthunites FOLLOW: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truth.unites/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/gavinortlund Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TruthUnitesPage/ Website: https://truthunites.org/

Welcome to Maintaining Frame where we will be looking at a video by 60 minutes which explores the monastery of Mount Athos. Mount Athos is an important center of Eastern Orthodox monasticism. The mountain and most of the Athos peninsula are governed as an autonomous region in Greece by the monastic community of Mount Athos, which is ecclesiastically under the direct jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople. The remainder of the peninsula forms part of the Aristotelis municipality. Women are prohibited from entering the area governed by the monastic community by Greek law and by religious tradition.

Full Text of ReadingsThursday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 452The Saint of the day is Saint Paul VISaint Paul VI's Story Born near Brescia in northern Italy, Giovanni Battista Montini was the second of three sons. His father, Giorgio, was a lawyer, editor, and eventually a member of the Italian Chamber of Deputies. His mother, Giuditta, was very involved in Catholic Action. After ordination in 1920, Giovanni did graduate studies in literature, philosophy, and canon law in Rome before he joined the Vatican Secretariat of State in 1924, where he worked for 30 years. He was also chaplain to the Federation of Italian Catholic University Students, where he met and became a very good friend of Aldo Moro, who eventually became prime minister. Moro was kidnapped by the Red Brigade in March 1978, and murdered two months later. A devastated Pope Paul VI presided at his funeral. In 1954, Fr. Montini was named archbishop of Milan, where he sought to win disaffected workers back to the Catholic Church. He called himself the “archbishop of the workers” and visited factories regularly while overseeing the rebuilding of a local Church tremendously disrupted by World War II. In 1958, Montini was the first of 23 cardinals named by Pope John XXIII, two months after the latter's election as pope. Cardinal Montini helped in preparing Vatican II and participated enthusiastically in its first sessions. When he was elected pope in June 1963, he immediately decided to continue that Council, which had another three sessions before its conclusion on December 8, 1965. The day before Vatican II concluded, Paul VI and Patriarch Athenagoras revoked the excommunications that their predecessors had made in 1054. The pope worked very hard to ensure that bishops would approve the Council's 16 documents by overwhelming majorities. Paul VI had stunned the world by visiting the Holy Land in January 1964, and meeting Athenagoras, the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople in person. The pope made eight more international trips, including one in 1965, to visit New York City and speak on behalf of peace before the United Nations General Assembly. He also visited India (1964), Colombia (1968), Uganda (1969), and seven Asian countries during a 10-day tour in 1970. Also in 1965, he instituted the World Synod of Bishops, and the next year decreed that bishops must offer their resignations on reaching age 75. In 1970, he decided that cardinals over 80 would no longer vote in papal conclaves or head the Holy See's major offices. He had increased the number of cardinals significantly, giving many countries their first cardinal. Eventually establishing diplomatic relations between the Holy See and 40 countries, he also instituted a permanent observer mission at the United Nations in 1964. Paul VI wrote seven encyclicals; his last one in 1968 on human life—Humanae Vitae—prohibited artificial birth control. Pope Paul VI died at Castel Gandolfo on August 6, 1978, and was buried in St. Peter's Basilica. He was beatified on October 19, 2014, and canonized on October 14, 2018. Since 2019 his liturgical feast has been celebrated on May 29. Reflection Pope Saint Paul's greatest accomplishment was the completion and implementation of Vatican II. Its decisions about liturgy were the first ones noticed by most Catholics, but its other documents—especially the ones about ecumenism, interfaith relations, divine revelation, religious liberty, the Church's self-understanding and the Church's work with the entire human family—have become the Catholic Church's road map since 1965. Learn more about Pope Paul VI. Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

Cats and Cosby Crew: Ecumenical Patriarch criticizes controversial Olympics opening ceremony Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Earlier this month, the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew - along with many other countries and organizations - attended the Ukraine Peace Summit. Nearly 80 countries issued a statement calling for the “territorial integrity” of Ukraine to be the basis for any peace agreement to end Russia's two-year war. The Ecumenical Patriarch's signature was originally on that document. Then an outraged Turkey intervened, getting the Ecumenical Patriarchate's signature removed. Bruce Clark, who writes on European affairs and religion for The Economist, has played an active role in the Ecumenical Patriarchate's environmental initiatives, and is the author of Twice A Stranger: How Mass Expulsion Forged Modern Greece and Turkey, joins Thanos Davelis to look into what this story says about the continued pressure the Ecumenical Patriarch is under.You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:Patriarchate removed from Ukraine summit statement following Turkish protestsSYRIZA on the brink of civil warVon der Leyen, Costa and Kallas bag EU top jobsEuropean Leaders Name Top E.U. Officials, Opting for Stability

As reported in the Byzantine Texas blogsite, the Ecumenical Patriarch is calling for a unified observance of Easter by next year, 2025, to coincide with the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicea. In a sermon he said, “We beseech the Lord of Glory that the forthcoming Easter celebration next year will not merely be a fortuitous occurrence, but rather the beginning of a unified date for its observance by both Eastern and Western Christianity.” Patriarch Bartholomew went on to declare that it was “a scandal to celebrate separately the unique event of the one Resurrection of the One Lord”.

As reported in the Byzantine Texas blogsite, the Ecumenical Patriarch is calling for a unified observance of Easter by next year, 2025, to coincide with the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicea. In a sermon he said, “We beseech the Lord of Glory that the forthcoming Easter celebration next year will not merely be a fortuitous occurrence, but rather the beginning of a unified date for its observance by both Eastern and Western Christianity.” Patriarch Bartholomew went on to declare that it was “a scandal to celebrate separately the unique event of the one Resurrection of the One Lord”.

CONTENTS OF EPISODE: Foreword by the Ecumenical Patriarch to the Greek Edition Preface by the Author to the Greek Edition Introduction Part 1 ‘Spiritual Autobiography' 1. The Charismatic Elder Sophrony 1. The Theology of Elder Sophrony a) The Theological Formation of Elder Sophrony Sakharov b) A Presentation of the Theology of Archimandrite Sophrony 2. ‘Spiritual Autobiography' 1. The Teaching of the Church as the Fruit of Experience 2. Marvellous Works a) Early Experience b) ‘Struggling with God - Mindfulness of Death' c) ‘Fall' d) ‘Returning to Christ' – “I AM THAT I AM” e) ‘Mourning' f) ‘Reaching up to God' g) ‘Visions of the Uncreated Light' h) The Coming of the Uncreated Light and Its Concealment i) Sermon on the Uncreated Light j) ‘Living Confirmation' – Saint Silouan 3. Conclusion 3. Struggle to Know God 1. Meeting and Conversation with David Balfour 2. Reflections on the Book Struggle to Know God a) The Basis of the Book Saint Silouan the Athonite b) Two Levels of the Spiritual Life c) Self-emptying Love d) The Experienced Spiritual Guide e) Hesychastic and Liturgical Life f) ‘Triple Alliance' g) Conversion of Non-Orthodox to Orthodoxy h) The Orthodox Church and other Organisations and Confessions i) Self-emptying Love after the ‘Rift' and the Fall j) Miraculous Intervention and Repentance k) General Impression l) Testimony 3. Autobiographical Elements a) Reason for the Letters b) The Orthodox Church c) Theophany – Divine Grace d) Godforsakenness e) Spiritual Struggle f) Temptations g) Orthodox Monasticism h) Spiritual Guidance i) Saint Silouan --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/athonite-audio/support

Who is the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople? Who is His Most Divine All-Holiness the Archbishop of Constantinople, New Rome and Ecumenical Patriarch?

Topics discussed in this conversation include: Overview of Eastern Orthodox Christianity, including its history, different churches/denominations, leadership structure with various patriarchs. They discuss the Great Schism between Eastern Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism in 1054. Persecution of Orthodox Christians, especially under communist regimes in 20th century. The situation with Orthodoxy in Ukraine, including the split between the Ukrainian Orthodox Church under Patriarch of Moscow and the new Orthodox Church of Ukraine backed by the Ecumenical Patriarch. How decisions are made in Orthodoxy, which is more decentralized than the centralized Roman Catholic church under the Pope. The role and authority of the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople. Challenges of reaching consensus among the different Orthodox churches and patriarchs. Support this podcast via Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/crossingfaiths). Special Guest: Father John Anderson.

Full Text of ReadingsTuesday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 450The Saint of the day is Saint Paul VISaint Paul VI's Story Born near Brescia in northern Italy, Giovanni Battista Montini was the second of three sons. His father, Giorgio, was a lawyer, editor, and eventually a member of the Italian Chamber of Deputies. His mother, Giuditta, was very involved in Catholic Action. After ordination in 1920, Giovanni did graduate studies in literature, philosophy, and canon law in Rome before he joined the Vatican Secretariat of State in 1924, where he worked for 30 years. He was also chaplain to the Federation of Italian Catholic University Students, where he met and became a very good friend of Aldo Moro, who eventually became prime minister. Moro was kidnapped by the Red Brigade in March 1978, and murdered two months later. A devastated Pope Paul VI presided at his funeral. In 1954, Fr. Montini was named archbishop of Milan, where he sought to win disaffected workers back to the Catholic Church. He called himself the “archbishop of the workers” and visited factories regularly while overseeing the rebuilding of a local Church tremendously disrupted by World War II. In 1958, Montini was the first of 23 cardinals named by Pope John XXIII, two months after the latter's election as pope. Cardinal Montini helped in preparing Vatican II and participated enthusiastically in its first sessions. When he was elected pope in June 1963, he immediately decided to continue that Council, which had another three sessions before its conclusion on December 8, 1965. The day before Vatican II concluded, Paul VI and Patriarch Athenagoras revoked the excommunications that their predecessors had made in 1054. The pope worked very hard to ensure that bishops would approve the Council's 16 documents by overwhelming majorities. Paul VI had stunned the world by visiting the Holy Land in January 1964, and meeting Athenagoras, the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople in person. The pope made eight more international trips, including one in 1965, to visit New York City and speak on behalf of peace before the United Nations General Assembly. He also visited India, Columbia, Uganda, and seven Asian countries during a 10-day tour in 1970. Also in 1965, he instituted the World Synod of Bishops, and the next year decreed that bishops must offer their resignations on reaching age 75. In 1970, he decided that cardinals over 80 would no longer vote in papal conclaves or head the Holy See's major offices. He had increased the number of cardinals significantly, giving many countries their first cardinal. Eventually establishing diplomatic relations between the Holy See and 40 countries, he also instituted a permanent observer mission at the United Nations in 1964. Paul VI wrote seven encyclicals; his last one in 1968 on human life—Humanae Vitae—prohibited artificial birth control. Pope Paul VI died at Castel Gandolfo on August 6, 1978, and was buried in St. Peter's Basilica. He was beatified on October 19, 2014, and canonized on October 14, 2018. Since 2019 his liturgical feast has been celebrated on May 29. Reflection Pope Saint Paul's greatest accomplishment was the completion and implementation of Vatican II. Its decisions about liturgy were the first ones noticed by most Catholics, but its other documents—especially the ones about ecumenism, interfaith relations, divine revelation, religious liberty, the Church's self-understanding and the Church's work with the entire human family—have become the Catholic Church's road map since 1965. Learn more about Pope Paul VI. Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

In this video I draw three lessons for ecumenical theology from an important but often overlooked dialogue in the 1570s and 1580s between Lutheran theologians and Jeremiah II, Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople. In particular, I suggest that the dialogue clarifies two different approaches to catholicity. Read the letter exchange here: https://www.amazon.com/Augsburg-Constantinople-Correspondence-Theologians-Confession/dp/0916586820/ My video on the Essence-Energies Distinction: https://youtu.be/gvfPICJGcHo Truth Unites exists to promote gospel assurance through theological depth. Gavin Ortlund (PhD, Fuller Theological Seminary) serves as senior pastor of First Baptist Church of Ojai. SUPPORT: Become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/truthunites One time donation: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/truthunites FOLLOW: Twitter: https://twitter.com/gavinortlund Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TruthUnitesPage/ Website: https://gavinortlund.com/

Full Text of ReadingsMonday of the Twenty-sixth Week in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 455All podcast readings are produced by the USCCB and are from the Catholic Lectionary, based on the New American Bible and approved for use in the United States _______________________________________The Saint of the day is Saint Paul VIBorn near Brescia in northern Italy, Giovanni Battista Montini was the second of three sons. His father, Giorgio, was a lawyer, editor, and eventually a member of the Italian Chamber of Deputies. His mother, Giuditta, was very involved in Catholic Action. After ordination in 1920, Giovanni did graduate studies in literature, philosophy, and canon law in Rome before he joined the Vatican Secretariat of State in 1924, where he worked for 30 years. He was also chaplain to the Federation of Italian Catholic University Students, where he met and became a very good friend of Aldo Moro, who eventually became prime minister. Moro was kidnapped by the Red Brigade in March 1978, and murdered two months later. A devastated Pope Paul VI presided at his funeral. In 1954, Fr. Montini was named archbishop of Milan, where he sought to win disaffected workers back to the Catholic Church. He called himself the “archbishop of the workers” and visited factories regularly while overseeing the rebuilding of a local Church tremendously disrupted by World War II. In 1958, Montini was the first of 23 cardinals named by Pope John XXIII, two months after the latter's election as pope. Cardinal Montini helped in preparing Vatican II and participated enthusiastically in its first sessions. When he was elected pope in June 1963, he immediately decided to continue that Council, which had another three sessions before its conclusion on December 8, 1965. The day before Vatican II concluded, Paul VI and Patriarch Athenagoras revoked the excommunications that their predecessors had made in 1054. The pope worked very hard to ensure that bishops would approve the Council's 16 documents by overwhelming majorities. Paul VI had stunned the world by visiting the Holy Land in January 1964, and meeting Athenagoras, the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople in person. The pope made eight more international trips, including one in 1965, to visit New York City and speak on behalf of peace before the United Nations General Assembly. He also visited India, Columbia, Uganda, and seven Asian countries during a 10-day tour in 1970. Also in 1965, he instituted the World Synod of Bishops, and the next year decreed that bishops must offer their resignations on reaching age 75. In 1970, he decided that cardinals over 80 would no longer vote in papal conclaves or head the Holy See's major offices. He had increased the number of cardinals significantly, giving many countries their first cardinal. Eventually establishing diplomatic relations between the Holy See and 40 countries, he also instituted a permanent observer mission at the United Nations in 1964. Paul VI wrote seven encyclicals; his last one in 1968 on human life—Humanae Vitae—prohibited artificial birth control. Pope Paul VI died at Castel Gandolfo on August 6, 1978, and was buried in St. Peter's Basilica. He was beatified on October 19, 2014, and canonized on October 14, 2018. Reflection Pope Saint Paul's greatest accomplishment was the completion and implementation of Vatican II. Its decisions about liturgy were the first ones noticed by most Catholics, but its other documents—especially the ones about ecumenism, interfaith relations, divine revelation, religious liberty, the Church's self-understanding and the Church's work with the entire human family—have become the Catholic Church's road map since 1965. Click here for more on Pope Paul VI! Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

https://youtu.be/P2gpAjBXjnk For western observers of the conflict in Ukraine, Orthodox Christianity is almost as foreign of a concept as the world of Islam was in the early 2000s. No understanding of the conflict in Ukraine is complete without a firm grasp of the underlying religious rivalry between Ukraine and Russia, which goes back 800 years. In 2018, this rivalry reached a boiling point when the Orthodox Church of Ukraine split from the Russian Orthodox Church. This split has been described as the biggest fissure in Orthodox Christianity in centuries. Did this split precipitate Russia's 2022 attack? Is Putin waging a holy war for the soul of Russia? We explore in this week's episode. Episode 205 of the Liberty Weekly Podcast is Brought to you by: Join Liberty Weekly and tons of your favorite creators on Rokfin for one low subscription fee! Liberty Weekly Subscribestar Rakuten Cash Back Referral Link Liberty Weekly Substack The Liberty Weekly Patreon Page: help support the show and gain access to tons of bonus content! Become a patron today! Liberty Weekly on Flote. Patreon Bonuses for Crypto! Show Notes: Next Year in Kyiv? - by Diana Butler Bass - The Cottage (substack.com) Vladimir I of Kiev - New World Encyclopedia North Korea Conducts Missile Test After Declaring ‘New Situation' With China | The Libertarian Institute Disclose.tv on Twitter: "JUST IN - Head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, calls Putin's opponents in Ukraine "evil forces," and believes "we must not allow dark and hostile external forces to laugh at us." (Interfax) https://t.co/GrXIW2Asbq" / Twitter Патриарх Кирилл призвал молиться о мире на "русской земле" - Москва || Интерфакс Россия (interfax-russia.ru) What is the Eastern Orthodox Church? Its History & Beliefs - (christianity.com) What is Pentecost? Meaning of Pentecost Sunday 2022 (christianity.com) Putin and the Patriarchs: how geopolitics tore apart the Orthodox church | Financial Times (ft.com) Putin Awards Patriarch Kirill With the Highest Russian Decoration - FSSPX.Actualités / FSSPX.News No, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow is Not Calling for Peace — In Fact, He's Putin's Accomplice | Religion Dispatches Patriarch Kirill and Vladimir Putin's Two Wars - Public Orthodoxy Antiwar.com Plans of Moscow Patriarchate against Ecumenical Patriarch's visit to Ukraine | Orthodox Times (en) Putin is after more than land — he wants the religious soul of Ukraine (religionnews.com) COI #239: NATO Aggression and Putin's War | The Libertarian Institute

For western observers of the conflict in Ukraine, Orthodox Christianity is almost as foreign of a concept as the world of Islam was in the early 2000s. No understanding of the conflict in Ukraine is complete without a firm grasp of the underlying religious rivalry between Ukraine and Russia, which goes back 800 years. In 2018, this rivalry reached a boiling point when the Orthodox Church of Ukraine split from the Russian Orthodox Church. This split has been described as the biggest fissure in Orthodox Christianity in centuries. Did this split precipitate Russia's 2022 attack? Is Putin waging a holy war for the soul of Russia? We explore in this week's episode. Episode 205 of the Liberty Weekly Podcast is Brought to you by: Join Liberty Weekly and tons of your favorite creators on Rokfin for one low subscription fee! Liberty Weekly Subscribestar Rakuten Cash Back Referral Link Liberty Weekly Substack The Liberty Weekly Patreon Page: help support the show and gain access to tons of bonus content! Become a patron today! Liberty Weekly on Flote. Patreon Bonuses for Crypto! Show Notes: Next Year in Kyiv? - by Diana Butler Bass - The Cottage (substack.com) Vladimir I of Kiev - New World Encyclopedia North Korea Conducts Missile Test After Declaring ‘New Situation' With China | The Libertarian Institute Disclose.tv on Twitter: "JUST IN - Head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, calls Putin's opponents in Ukraine "evil forces," and believes "we must not allow dark and hostile external forces to laugh at us." (Interfax) https://t.co/GrXIW2Asbq" / Twitter Патриарх Кирилл призвал молиться о мире на "русской земле" - Москва || Интерфакс Россия (interfax-russia.ru) What is the Eastern Orthodox Church? Its History & Beliefs - (christianity.com) What is Pentecost? Meaning of Pentecost Sunday 2022 (christianity.com) Putin and the Patriarchs: how geopolitics tore apart the Orthodox church | Financial Times (ft.com) Putin Awards Patriarch Kirill With the Highest Russian Decoration - FSSPX.Actualités / FSSPX.News No, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow is Not Calling for Peace — In Fact, He's Putin's Accomplice | Religion Dispatches Patriarch Kirill and Vladimir Putin's Two Wars - Public Orthodoxy Antiwar.com Plans of Moscow Patriarchate against Ecumenical Patriarch's visit to Ukraine | Orthodox Times (en) Putin is after more than land — he wants the religious soul of Ukraine (religionnews.com) COI #239: NATO Aggression and Putin's War | The Libertarian Institute

The Ecumenical Patriarch and the Greek state both sent complaints to Turkey in the wake of footage showing a DJ playing electronic music at the historic UNESCO-listed Monastery of Panagia Sumela. Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew described the incident as an insult, and said that holding the event was “incompatible” with the monastery's “religious character and its history.” Greece added that the move adds to “a series of actions by Turkish authorities against World Heritage Sites.” Dr. Elizabeth Prodromou joins our host Thanos Davelis to discuss why this latest incident at Sumela monastery is significant and how it fits into a broader pattern of disrespect, destruction, and appropriation of minority cultural heritage by Turkey.Dr. Elizabeth Prodromou is an internationally recognized leader on issues of religion and human rights, and a previous Vice Chair and Commissioner on the US Commission on International Religious Freedom. Dr. Prodromou is also a faculty member at The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, where she directs the Initiative on Religion, Law, and Diplomacy. You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:Greece protests to Turkey over disco band at Sumela monasteryPatriarch protests to Ankara over DJ performance at Sumela monasteryFinal measures to be lifted in March Cyprus: Migrant repatriations are key to easing overcrowding

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew wrapped up an almost two week visit to the United States late last week. His trip included meetings with President Biden, Secretary of State Blinken, and key members of Congress. Religious freedom in Turkey and the reopening of the Halki Theological Seminary featured heavily in discussions with US political leaders, but the trip also highlighted the important role of the Ecumenical Patriarchate on a number of issues, including the environment and climate change. During his trip, Patriarch Bartholomew also spoke about tensions with the Russian Orthodox Church and Moscow, which has engaged in a campaign of disinformation against the Patriarchate. Dr. Elizabeth Prodromou joins us to discuss the main takeaways from Patriarch Bartholomew's trip to the US, the tensions between the Ecumenical Patriarchate and Russia, and look at how the US can support the Ecumenical Patriarchate. Dr. Elizabeth Prodromou is an internationally recognized leader on issues of religion and human rights, and a previous Vice Chair and Commissioner on the US Commission on International Religious Freedom. Dr. Prodromou is also a faculty member at The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, where she directs the Initiative on Religion, Law, and Diplomacy. You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:Readout of President Biden's Meeting with His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch BartholomewBiden, orthodox patriarch discuss climate, religious freedomVartholomaios: Russian Church ungratefulThe U.S. allows vaccinated international travelers inAn emotional journey: Families reunite in U.S. with tears, balloons as COVID travel ban endsVaccination bookings shoot up as Greece sees new case recordCovid-19: Greece smashes daily record with 7,335 new infections

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew is set to visit the United States between October 23 and November 3, where he will hold a number of important meetings, including a meeting with US President Joe Biden at the White House. In a recent piece for the Middle East Institute, expert Tuğba Tanyeri-Erdemir argued that this in-person meeting provides the Biden administration a unique opportunity not only to raise human rights and religious freedom issues in Turkey, but also to push back against Russian attempts to undermine the Ecumenical Patriarchate. Tuğba Tanyeri-Erdemir joins The Greek Current today to discuss the upcoming visit by Ecumenical Patriarch to the United States, and the significance of his meeting with President Biden. Dr. Tuğba Tanyeri-Erdemir is a research associate at the University of Pittsburgh's Anthropology Department, the coordinator of the Anti-Defamation League's Task Force on Middle East Minorities, and a non-resident scholar with the Middle East Institute's Turkey Program. She serves as the co-chair of the Middle East Working Group of the International Religious Freedom Roundtable. Read Tuğba Tanyeri-Erdemir's latest piece for the Middle East Institute here: Biden's White House meeting with the Ecumenical Patriarch offers a unique opportunityYou can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here: Turkish cenbank shocks again by slashing rates 200 pointsTurkish lira tumbles as central bank slashes interest rateTurkey Added to Global Money Laundering Watchdog's ‘Gray List'Greece: Striking hospital staff hold protest in Athens

Full Text of ReadingsTwenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 137All podcast readings are produced by the USCCB and are from the Catholic Lectionary, based on the New American Bible and approved for use in the United States _______________________________________The Saint of the day is Saint Paul VIBorn near Brescia in northern Italy, Giovanni Battista Montini was the second of three sons. His father, Giorgio, was a lawyer, editor, and eventually a member of the Italian Chamber of Deputies. His mother, Giuditta, was very involved in Catholic Action. After ordination in 1920, Giovanni did graduate studies in literature, philosophy, and canon law in Rome before he joined the Vatican Secretariat of State in 1924, where he worked for 30 years. He was also chaplain to the Federation of Italian Catholic University Students, where he met and became a very good friend of Aldo Moro, who eventually became prime minister. Moro was kidnapped by the Red Brigade in March 1978, and murdered two months later. A devastated Pope Paul VI presided at his funeral. In 1954, Fr. Montini was named archbishop of Milan, where he sought to win disaffected workers back to the Catholic Church. He called himself the “archbishop of the workers” and visited factories regularly while overseeing the rebuilding of a local Church tremendously disrupted by World War II. In 1958, Montini was the first of 23 cardinals named by Pope John XXIII, two months after the latter's election as pope. Cardinal Montini helped in preparing Vatican II and participated enthusiastically in its first sessions. When he was elected pope in June 1963, he immediately decided to continue that Council, which had another three sessions before its conclusion on December 8, 1965. The day before Vatican II concluded, Paul VI and Patriarch Athenagoras revoked the excommunications that their predecessors had made in 1054. The pope worked very hard to ensure that bishops would approve the Council's 16 documents by overwhelming majorities. Paul VI had stunned the world by visiting the Holy Land in January 1964, and meeting Athenagoras, the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople in person. The pope made eight more international trips, including one in 1965, to visit New York City and speak on behalf of peace before the United Nations General Assembly. He also visited India, Columbia, Uganda, and seven Asian countries during a 10-day tour in 1970. Also in 1965, he instituted the World Synod of Bishops, and the next year decreed that bishops must offer their resignations on reaching age 75. In 1970, he decided that cardinals over 80 would no longer vote in papal conclaves or head the Holy See's major offices. He had increased the number of cardinals significantly, giving many countries their first cardinal. Eventually establishing diplomatic relations between the Holy See and 40 countries, he also instituted a permanent observer mission at the United Nations in 1964. Paul VI wrote seven encyclicals; his last one in 1968 on human life—Humanae Vitae—prohibited artificial birth control. Pope Paul VI died at Castel Gandolfo on August 6, 1978, and was buried in St. Peter's Basilica. He was beatified on October 19, 2014, and canonized on October 14, 2018. Reflection Pope Saint Paul's greatest accomplishment was the completion and implementation of Vatican II. Its decisions about liturgy were the first ones noticed by most Catholics, but its other documents—especially the ones about ecumenism, interfaith relations, divine revelation, religious liberty, the Church's self-understanding and the Church's work with the entire human family—have become the Catholic Church's road map since 1965. Click here for more on Pope Paul VI! Saint of the Day Copyright Franciscan Media

Join Fr. Nick and Dr. Roxanne Tuesday evening for a new episode of Healthy Minds Healthy Souls. This week, they're talking with Spyridoula Fotinis about stewardship of God's creation, both at the individual and parish level, and reflecting on history and initiatives from the Ecumenical Patriarch.

Join Fr. Nick and Dr. Roxanne Tuesday evening for a new episode of Healthy Minds Healthy Souls. This week, they're talking with Spyridoula Fotinis about stewardship of God's creation, both at the individual and parish level, and reflecting on history and initiatives from the Ecumenical Patriarch.

This week, the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarch announced it has suspended the current Charter of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, calling for a new Charter. It also decided to transfer the Metropolitan of New Jersey and suspend the Metropolitan of Boston. Professor Alexander Kitroeff joins us to discuss his take on these latest developments.Alexander Kitroeff is a Professor of History at Haverford College and the author of a number of books, including The Greek Orthodox Church in America: A Modern History. You can read the articles we discuss on The Daily Roundup here:TNH Exclusive: The Ecumenical Patriarchate Transfers Evangelos, Suspends MethodiosEcumenical Patriarchate CommuniquéProfessor Kitroeff's tweet following the Patriarchal communiqueElpidophoros considers “blessing” the suspension by the Patriarchate of the Charter of the ArchdioceseArmenia and Azerbaijan agree on cease-fireArmenia and Azerbaijan shaky ceasefire in forceArmenia and Azerbaijan accuse each other of violating Nagorno-Karabakh ceasefireUN calls for Turkish Cypriots to close beach in Varosha

He was born and raised in Constantinople. When he came of age he worked as a goldsmith and an engraver at the mint; but, renouncing worldly things, he was ordained a deacon and given charge of the distribution of alms in Constantinople. He gave freely to all with no consideration of their worthiness. The Synaxarion says 'the more he distributed the more God filled his purse, so that it seemed inexhaustible.'   Upon the death of Patriarch Eutyches in 582, John became Patriarch and reigned for thirteen years, reposing in peace in 595. (It was during his reign that the term "Ecumenical Patriarch" began to be used to refer to the Patriarch of Constantinople.) St John was known for his great asceticism and fasting, and as a powerful intercessor and wonderworker. So generous was he to the poor that he used up all his funds in almsgiving and had to ask the Emperor for a loan, which he used to give more alms. After his repose, his only possessions were found to be an old cassock, a linen shirt and a wooden spoon.

He was born and raised in Constantinople. When he came of age he worked as a goldsmith and an engraver at the mint; but, renouncing worldly things, he was ordained a deacon and given charge of the distribution of alms in Constantinople. He gave freely to all with no consideration of their worthiness. The Synaxarion says 'the more he distributed the more God filled his purse, so that it seemed inexhaustible.'   Upon the death of Patriarch Eutyches in 582, John became Patriarch and reigned for thirteen years, reposing in peace in 595. (It was during his reign that the term "Ecumenical Patriarch" began to be used to refer to the Patriarch of Constantinople.) St John was known for his great asceticism and fasting, and as a powerful intercessor and wonderworker. So generous was he to the poor that he used up all his funds in almsgiving and had to ask the Emperor for a loan, which he used to give more alms. After his repose, his only possessions were found to be an old cassock, a linen shirt and a wooden spoon.

Pope Boniface shone where his predecessor failed. He was a successful apocrisiary, an influential pope, and was able to achieve something that several previous popes could not. In his episode, we'll revisit the Ecumenical Patriarch controversy, re-reform papal election protocol, and call out 'Roman extraction'.   (And thank you to Chris Cree for the Popeslap!)

The papacy of Pope Pelagius II is fortunately blessed with more sources than poor Pope Benedict I, although the sources exist almost exclusively to pay attention to his future successor. But it is a busy time with Lombards, Franks, and the first confirmed outbreak of smallpox in Rome. In his episode, we say a sad goodbye, start the Ecumenical Patriarch feud, and come back to dicks out for celibacy!

This week we talk about the Patriarch of Constantinople and origin of Eastern Orthodoxy. In the news we have Embassy flags, Make America Straight Again, New York vaccine law, satanic fake meat, and more! Email us at contact@atheistnomads.com or leave us a voice message using atheistnomads.com/speakpipeSupport the show at atheistnomads.com/donateSubscribe at atheistnomads.com/subscribe Dustin' off the Degree - Eastern Orthodoxy I jumped into the Great Schism and then Russian Orthodox church way too fast, so let's talk about Eastern Orthodoxy, which Russia is not presently a part of. NEWS Franklin Graham Says Gay Pride Rainbow Flags ‘Offensive' to Christians, Applauds US Embassy Ban NIFB pastors are hosting a “Make America Straight Again” rally in Orlando for the anniversary of the Pulse Nightclub mass shooting Knox County detective calls for execution of LGBTQ people Botswana decriminalizes homosexuality in landmark ruling NY Passes Bill Ending Religious Exemptions for Vaccinations Quebec adopts secularism bill that bans religious symbols for state workers Rick Wiles: Plant-Based Meat Alternatives Are a Satanic Plot to ‘Create a Race of Soulless Creatures' SUPPORT This episode is brought to you by: Jimmy NinetoesDaniel MRebecca PPat Acks from the Humanists of IdahoDarryl GRachel BGeorge GKim BSoJoJenErik from WyomingThe Flying Skeptic And by our $1 patrons and those who want no reward. You can find us online at www.atheistnomads.com, follow us on Twitter @AtheistNomads, like us on Facebook, email us at contact@atheistnomads.com, and leave us a voice message using SpeakPipe. Theme music is provided by Sturdy Fred. DOWNLOAD EPISODE

This week we talk about the Patriarch of Constantinople and origin of Eastern Orthodoxy. In the news we have Embassy flags, Make America Straight Again, New York vaccine law, satanic fake meat, and more! Email us at contact@atheistnomads.com or leave us a voice message using atheistnomads.com/speakpipe Support the show at atheistnomads.com/donate Subscribe at atheistnomads.com/subscribe Dustin’ off the Degree - Eastern Orthodoxy I jumped into the Great Schism and then Russian Orthodox church way too fast, so let’s talk about Eastern Orthodoxy, which Russia is not presently a part of. NEWS Franklin Graham Says Gay Pride Rainbow Flags ‘Offensive’ to Christians, Applauds US Embassy Ban NIFB pastors are hosting a “Make America Straight Again” rally in Orlando for the anniversary of the Pulse Nightclub mass shooting Knox County detective calls for execution of LGBTQ people Botswana decriminalizes homosexuality in landmark ruling NY Passes Bill Ending Religious Exemptions for Vaccinations Quebec adopts secularism bill that bans religious symbols for state workers Rick Wiles: Plant-Based Meat Alternatives Are a Satanic Plot to ‘Create a Race of Soulless Creatures’ SUPPORT This episode is brought to you by: Jimmy Ninetoes Daniel M Rebecca P Pat Acks from the Humanists of Idaho Darryl G Rachel B George G Kim B SoJo Jen Erik from Wyoming The Flying Skeptic And by our $1 patrons and those who want no reward. You can find us online at www.atheistnomads.com, follow us on Twitter @AtheistNomads, like us on Facebook, email us at contact@atheistnomads.com, and leave us a voice message using SpeakPipe. Theme music is provided by Sturdy Fred.

Fr. Evan and Fr. John answer questions regarding the Ecumenical Patriarch and the Russian Orthodox Church, Greeks and the English language, and the Orthodox teaching on praying for the dead.

Fr. Evan and Fr. John answer questions regarding the Ecumenical Patriarch and the Russian Orthodox Church, Greeks and the English language, and the Orthodox teaching on praying for the dead.

This week we're joined by Jason Ward. We wrap up with the Russian Orthodox Church. In the news Russia is fueling the antivax movement, SCOTUS gets one wrong and one right, Theocrats in Alabama are destroying marriage, and more! Email us at contact@atheistnomads.com or leave us a voice message using atheistnomads.com/speakpipeSupport the show at atheistnomads.com/donateSubscribe at atheistnomads.com/subscribe Dustin' off the Degree - Russian Orthodox Churches in the US This week we're resuming the Dustin off the Degree series on Orthodox Christianity. That started in Episode 297 and continued in episodes 298 and 299. The Russian Orthodox Church's history in Russia is long and it's history in the United States is convoluted. Why? Empire, revolution, and immigration. The end result is the various Russian churches within the US. Orthodox Church in America The oldest is the Orthodox Church in America which got its start when a priest was sent to Kodiak Island where a Russian colony was being established in what was then Russian Alaska in 1794. Part of why the priest was sent was because there were already Russian Orthodox Christians among the Alaskan Natives in the Aleutian islands, having been converted during trade contact with Siberian fur traders. By 1796 one of the priests was consecrated a Bishop and just two years later he returned to Russia to report to the Imperial authorities about how the natives were being treated in the colony. He died during his return and he was not replaced. In 1811 the episcopal see in Alaska was officially closed. In 1824 another priest was sent to Alaska and in 1840 he was made Bishop of Kamchatka, the Kurile and Aleutian Islands, taking the name Innocent. In 1867 the United States purchased Alaska from the Russian Empire, which prompted the Diocese to be reorganized as the Aleutian Islands and Alaska and after a church was established in San Francisco and the episcopal see moved to San Francisco the diocese was renamed Aleutian Islands and America. Once they were in the continental United States the church quickly became multiethnic as other Orthodox and Eastern Rite Catholic immigrants joined with them. This all continued until the Bolsheviks took over in Russia. Many of the non-Russian churches joined with their own national churches, such as Greek churches moving to the Greek Orthodox Church of America and the Antiochian Orthodox churches that has been founded by a Syrian priest and under the support and funding of the Russian Orthodox Church. Patriarch Tikhon, who had previously been the Archbishop in the US, resisted the communist government. Before he was sent to prison he directed churches outside of Russia to become self governing until normal communication and relations could be restored. However, when communication was restored this group in the US refused to give up their self governance calling themselves the American Metropolia. Finally in 1970 they were able to patch things up with the Moscow Patriarchate which agreed to grant them Autocephaly, making them an independent Orthodox Church taking the name Orthodox Church in America. They are recognized by the Russian church and a few other Slavic churches, but not by the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople who objects under the claim that the Russian Patriarch did not have the right because he under Soviet control. The Orthodox Church in America continues to this day and considering a possible merger with the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Diocese in the United States and they are part of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America, which churches under the Russian Patriarchate have left as a result of the schism between Moscow and Constantinople over Ukraine. Most of the members of the OCA today are not ethnically Russian. They have a proportionately large number of members from Alaskan Native and non-Russian Slavic populations within the US and a decent n...

Earlier this month Archbishop of America Demetrios submitted his resignation to the Ecumenical Patriarch. The Holy Synod quickly announced his successor - Metropolitan Elpidophoros. Discussing the changes, what they mean, and the challenges that face the incoming Archbishop is Professor George Demacopoulos, the Fr. John Meyendorff & Patterson Family Chair of Orthodox Christian Studies and Co-Director of the Orthodox Christian Studies Center at Fordham University.

This week we are joined by KC Hunt and talk about the origins and early history of the Russian Orthodox Church, cults, thanking God for floods, anti-vax because of the Bible, burning Harry Potter, and more! Email us at contact@atheistnomads.com or leave us a voice message at (541) 203-0666 or atheistnomads.com/speakpipeSupport the show at atheistnomads.com/donateSubscribe at atheistnomads.com/subscribe Dustin' off the Degree - Vladimir's Church Part 1: Vikings to Mongols For this week's Dustin' off the Degree we're going to talk about the Russian Orthodox Church's history and origin. This organization is not to be confused with the Orthodox Church in America or the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia, both of which have headquarters in New York. It is also worth noting that the Russian Orthodox Church has not been in communion with the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople since October 15, 2018. We'll talk about all of this modern stuff next week. By the 750s CE Vikings began to settle in the Volga river region of Eastern Europe. They were known as the Varangian, a term of Greek origin, and also as the Rus'. Over the next century they helped facilitate access to trade with the Byzantine Empire, served as mercenaries for the Empire, and began to rule more and more territory around their settlements. According to legend the native Slavs and Finns rebelled against them in 862 forcing them to return to Scandinavia, but the Slavic and Finnish tribes then began to fight against each other so they invited the Rus' to return and rule over them establishing the Novgorod Rus'. Once they were back in control the Rus' continued to expand their power and control across Eastern Europe. After conquering the Khazar Empire they moved their capital to Kiev, giving them the name they are best known for the Kievan Rus'. At the same time as all of this was happening the Orthodox Church was sending missionaries north and in the 860s two Byzantine monks translated the Bible into what would become Old Church Slavonic and that same decade a bishop was sent to Novgorod. Christianity spread quickly enough through the Rus' that Princess Olga, who was regent for her son from 945 to 960 was the first Christian ruler of the Rus'. Olga's grandson, Vladimir the Great had to fight his way to the throne with the help of some Norwegian relatives, he then tried to undo some of the Christianiatization of the Rus' that had been going on, but his reforms turned out not to be popular so he decided he needed a new religion. There are three stories of how he chose which one: The first is that he invited the surrounding religions to make their cases for why he should pick them. He rejected Islam because of circumcision and the prohibition of alcohol and pork, saying “Drinking is the Joy of the Rus”. He then rejected Judaism because the loss of Jerusalem was evidence that they had lost God's favor. The second story is that he sent envoys out to study the religions and report back. The first went to the Muslim Bulgarians and found them to be joyless. The second went to Germany and found no beauty. The third went to Constantinople and during a religious festival and couldn't tell if he was in heaven or on earth. The third is that in 988 the Byzantine Emperor was losing a Civil War and needed help, so he reached out to his enemy to the north, the Rus'. Vladimir offered to help and convert to Christianity in exchange for being able to marry the Emperor's sister, Anna. After they secured victory he was baptized and then married Anna. Upon his return he invited all the people to come down to the river to be baptized and warned them that failing to do so might make them his enemies. The first two stories are almost definitely apocryphal and the third makes perfect sense. He had to get help from Norway to secure the throne because he couldn't get any support locally since his was the weakest claim.

Fr. Evan and Fr. John answer questions regarding the Ecumenical Patriarch and the Russian Orthodox Church, Greeks and the English language, and the Orthodox teaching on praying for the dead.

In today's podcast, we discuss reports that suggest US HUMINT collection in Russia has dried up. Russian intelligence services are showing an interest in disrupting a grant of autonomy to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church by the Ecumenical Patriarch. Turkish hacktivism shows up in the US, as journalists' social media accounts are hijacked. A look at Iranian information operations. ISIS limps back into cyberspace. A new point-of-sale malware family is discovered. David Dufour from Webroot on the role of engineers in securing an organization.  For links to all of today's stories check our our CyberWire daily news brief: https://thecyberwire.com/issues/issues2018/August/CyberWire_2018_08_27.html

What do the words economy, ecumenism and ecology all have in common? We will find out with the help of a Byzantine theologian and the words of the Ecumenical Patriarch as he comments on the Pope's encyclical.

Our quote for today is from G.K. Chesterton. He said, "The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting. It has been found difficult; and left untried." In this podcast, we are making our way through Garry R. Morgan's book, "Understanding World Religions in 15 Minutes a Day." Garry Morgan is a Professor of Intercultural Studies at Northwestern College. He served with World Venture for 20 years in Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, and Tanzania.  Our topic for today is, "Eastern Orthodox Christianity"  Eastern Orthodoxy, the smallest of Christianity’s three major branches and perhaps the least-known by other Christians, has its geographic roots in the Middle East, where the faith began. As it spread, Orthodox Christianity developed regional variations, although most share similar beliefs and practices. Today, it remains dominant in Greece, Russia, and Romania (among other countries) and is the most common form of Christianity in Muslim-majority countries like Egypt and Turkey.  Due to cultural and political differences, the Eastern Orthodox Church quickly developed differences with the Western form that became the Roman Catholic Church. It tended to be more contemplative; the Western church was more pragmatic. Although very much integrated into political life, especially during the Byzantine period, Eastern Christianity did not develop the Roman Church’s secular power. In fact, emperors tended to have influence over the running of the church, whereas the reverse was true in Rome. Furthermore, after the seventh century, much of the Eastern Orthodox Church came under the political domination of Muslim rulers as Islam spread westward, and this influenced its theology and practice. Although the Western church lost territory to Islam in North Africa and Spain, Charles Martel’s decisive victory at the Battle of Tours in 732 kept most of Europe in Christian hands.  In our last episode, we discussed other key historical and political factors that led to schism between the Western (Roman Catholic) and Eastern (Orthodox) branches; there were theological elements, too. Because it produced some of the early church’s most influential theologians and writers, the East resented the insistence that Rome have the final say in all matters. This unwillingness to bow to the pope’s authority was at the heart of this growing divide.  One early theological controversy had to do with understanding relationships within the Trinity. Both branches agreed that God is one being who has existed eternally as three persons, Father, Son, and Spirit. Both rejected poly-theism and mo-dal-ism, the heretical idea that God originally manifested himself as the Father, then became the Son, and now is the Holy Spirit. But the Western church held that the Spirit “proceeded from both the Father and the Son,” while the Eastern branch took Jesus’ words in John’s gospel about the Father sending the Spirit to mean that he “proceeded [only] from the Father.”  More widely familiar was what has come to be called the “Icon-o-clas-tic Controversy.” The Western church used statues of Jesus, Mary, and many saints in their worship. To the Eastern church, this was idolatrous, in violation of the second commandment (to have no graven image). They developed a two-dimensional art form called the icon, a picture for use in worship and prayer.  Before the final split in 1054, the Western church insisted on celibacy for priests, while marriage was permitted in the East. The West baptized infants by sprinkling; the East baptized infants by immersion. The West began giving laypeople only bread during Communion, whereas the laity in the East continued to receive both bread and wine.  Language was important in how the two branches spread and developed. The West used Latin for worship and resisted further translation of the Bible into other tongues. The East used Greek and promoted translation of God’s Word into the vernacular. The Orthodox monk Cyril developed an alphabet for the Slavic languages that bears his name; Cy-rill-ic or-thog-ra-phy is used today for Russian, Polish, Czech, and Bulgarian, among other languages.  Through the missionary work of dedicated monks, Eastern Christianity spread from the Middle East into Eastern Europe and northward into Russia, as well as into what is now Iraq and Iran. By the close of the first millennium, geographic expansion slowed and eventually halted. Leading up to and into the twentieth century, Eastern European and Russian immigrants brought the Orthodox faith to Australia and North America. Today, 270 million Eastern Orthodox members are organized into fellowships of independent churches, usually by country, including Greek Orthodox, Russian Orthodox, and the Orthodox Church in America, each with its own synod of bishops. The Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople is given the honor of "first among equals" and holds significant influence but does not have the power or authority that the pope has over the Roman Catholic Church.  The Eastern Orthodox Church is also officially known as the Orthodox Catholic Church. Similar to but separate from the Eastern Orthodox Church is the Oriental Orthodox Church (though oriental means "eastern"), which includes the Egyptian Coptic Church, the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, and several smaller groups. These differ from Eastern Orthodoxy in that they accept only the first three of seven ecumenical councils that Eastern Orthodoxy considers to be the definitive interpretation of Scripture for belief and practice.  The Oriental Orthodox churches are of ancient origin. The Coptic Church traces its beginnings to Mark the Evangelist, while the Ethiopian Orthodox Church traces its beginning to the return of the eunuch who encountered Philip, in Acts 8. These churches refused the conclusions of the Council of Chal-ce-don (in 451) and broke away prior to the East-West split (in 1054). Note: The Orthodox Church of Alexandria, in Egypt, is part of Eastern (not Oriental) Orthodoxy.  Now, for An Extra Minute  How does the name Orthodox differ from the term orthodox? The term comes from two Greek words literally rendered "right belief." So the term orthodox means believing in line with accepted Christian teaching (as opposed to heresy, wrong belief). Any right-believing Christian is orthodox. The Eastern Church adopted the word into their name in the conviction that their belief was correct. 

Most Christians are not aware that in the latter part of the 16th century, early Lutheran Reformers - close colleagues and followers of Martin Luther - set in motion an eight year contact and correspondence with the (then) Ecumenical Patriarch, Jeremias II of Constantinople. The outcome might have changed the course of Christian history. Kevin Allen speaks with scholar Dr Paraskeve (Eve) Tibbs about this fascinating and largely unknown chapter in post-Reformation history.

In light of all of the discussion about the Ecumenical Patriarch meeting with the Pope, Fr. Tom offers some of his experiences with the World Council of Churches.

Fr. Alberto Ambrosio is a Dominican friar and scholar of Sufism. Metropolitan Elpidophoros Lambriniadis is the Metropolitan of Bursa in the Ecumenical Patriarchate of the Eastern Orthodox Church.

The second show from our recent trip to Istanbul. We meet a Dominican friar whose Christianity is inspired by the mystical tradition of Islam. And, an Eastern Orthodox bishop is creating what he calls a “dialogue of life” as a religious minority in this crucible of the ancient church.

Originally, the title Czar (derived from Caesar) meant Emperor in the European medieval sense of the term, that is, a ruler who claims the same rank as a Roman emperor, with the approval of another emperor or a supreme ecclesiastical official (the Pope or the Ecumenical Patriarch). Occasionally, the word could be used to designate other, non-Christian, supreme rulers. In Russia and Bulgaria the imperial connotations of the term were blurred with time and, by the 19th century, it had come to be viewed as an equivalent of King.[3][4]

Originally, the title Czar (derived from Caesar) meant Emperor in the European medieval sense of the term, that is, a ruler who claims the same rank as a Roman emperor, with the approval of another emperor or a supreme ecclesiastical official (the Pope or the Ecumenical Patriarch). Occasionally, the word could be used to designate other, non-Christian, supreme rulers. In Russia and Bulgaria the imperial connotations of the term were blurred with time and, by the 19th century, it had come to be viewed as an equivalent of King.[3][4]

Kevin speaks with the ecological advisor to the Ecumenical Patriarch (the "'Green' Patriarch"!) Dn.John Chryssavgis PhD, about the connection between the ancient faith of Orthodox Christianity and contemporary ecology.