Podcast appearances and mentions of frederica mathewes green

In this episode, host James Newcomb engages in a deep theological discussion with Orthodox Christian scholar Frederica Mathewes-Green covering various aspects of Christian theology. They delve into the differences between orthodox and Western Christian perspectives, particularly focusing on sin, forgiveness, and sacrifice. Frederica turns the tables on the host, asking James about his personal journey from Presbyterianism to Reformed theology and ultimately to Orthodoxy. James and Frederica also explore the stories and examples of saints, the interpretation of scriptures, and the contrasting images of the cross in Eastern and Western Christianity. The discussion is anchored by Frederica's book, 'Two Views of the Cross,' which contrasts critical theological views of Orthodoxy and Western Christianity.Episode highlights:00:00 Introduction: The Irony of Theological Studies01:02 Personal Journey: From Baptocostal to Reformed to Orthodox Christian01:36 A Quest for Stability03:14 The Reformation and Its Aftermath05:07 The Refrigerator Hermeneutic: Picking and Choosing Scripture07:07 John 6: The Challenge of Literal Interpretation08:10 The Story of St. Photini (the woman at the well)09:37 The Power of Stories in Faith10:46 Two Views of the Cross: A Book Discussion14:23 Orthodox vs. Western Christianity: Forgiveness and Sacrifice18:28 The Nature of Sin: Disease vs. Infraction24:03 The Harshness of Calvinism: A Tragic Misunderstanding27:59 The Importance of Forgiveness in Orthodoxy29:03 Conclusion: Reflecting on the DiscussionBook mentioned:Two Views of the Cross: Orthodoxy and the West by Frederica Mathewes-GreenAbout the guest:"I write and speak on a wide range of topics. In recent years I've concentrated on ancient Christian spirituality and the Eastern Orthodox faith, but the hundreds of Posts and Essays on this site include movie reviews, humor, marriage and family, cultural issues, and more. Essays can be browsed by date or category, or you can use the search box at the right.I travel to Speaking Engagements all year round; you can contact Cynthia Damaskos of the Orthodox Speakers Bureau if you'd like to bring me to an event. This Calendar will let you know when I'm in your neighborhood.You've been listening to Ba Vojdaan!, with James D. Newcomb. For more information about James, and to subscribe to the podcast, visit https://jamesdnewcomb.com. There you'll find a trove of materials available for immediate download. And be sure to follow James' travels and adventures on social media. All the info can be found at https://jamesdnewcomb.com. Thank you for listening!

This is the first in a series of episodes featuring Orthodox Christian scholar Frederica Matthewes-Green.Frederica has a number of resources available that have been very helpful for me in my inquiry into, and eventual baptism into the Orthodox Church. In fact, Frederica's book, Two Views of the Cross was very influential in my own introduction to the Orthodox Church, and the Orthodox views of Christianity.The life of Jesus and his death, his atonement, very different ways of thinking between the Orthodox and say, Roman Catholic or the Protestant views of Jesus's suffering and how it translates to our joy and our joy. Eternal Salvation.I think the initial agenda was to discuss her book Two Views of the Cross. And while we did get into the book eventually, we discussed quite a bit beforehand.And to be honest, it all blended quite honestly and pleasantly.I have one more interview that I did with Frederica that I'm going to publish shortly after I published this one, and that was more Overtly Orthodox. It was on the topic of Energeia, the Greek word that refers to divine energy.To give a bit of background on this interview: I was brand new to Orthodoxy when we recorded this. I was trying to get a completely different podcast off the ground. This particular podcast wasn't even a glimmer in my eye. So you might hear references to a completely different podcast, as well as a URL mentioned that is not necessarily relevant to this particular podcast.Nothing that is a game-changer, but I want to explain why you might hear some odd references to various things throughout.So enjoy it!In this discussion with Frederica, you'll discover:-Frederica describes her spiritual journey as a young person...06:35-Contrarian thinkers and actors often come from a place of deep-seated convictions and principles...10:30-How Frederica discovered her relationship with Jesus, and in due time Orthodoxy...14:02-"All of Western Christianity seems to have adopted the idea that the purpose of church is to comfort people"...19:18-The need for strong (but not dominant) men has never been more pressing than in modern culture...27:09-A shocking imbalance between how men and women are viewed in society...32:26Resources mentioned:Two Views of the Cross: Orthodoxy and the West by Frederica Mathewes-GreenMen and Marriage by George GilderAbout the guest, and how to connect:Frederica's website"I write and speak on a wide range of topics. In recent years I've concentrated on ancient Christian spirituality and the Eastern Orthodox faith, but the hundreds of Posts and Essays on this site include movie reviews, humor, marriage and family, cultural issues, and more. Essays can be browsed by date or category, or you can use the search box at the right.The most recent posts are below. Here's where you'll find my published Books.I travel to Speaking Engagements all year round; you can contact Cynthia Damaskos of the Orthodox Speakers Bureau if you'd like to bring me to an event. This

In this episode, James and Frederica share personal accounts of miraculous events in their lives. James recounts two near-death experiences while driving, attributing his survival to divine intervention. We're joined by special guest Sana Dorry, who shares her own miraculous story in Bangkok, narrowly avoiding a deadly bus accident, and describes her involvement with the Rohingya community. The episode concludes with reflections on the nature of miracles and the importance of attracting people to the gospel through positive and uplifting stories.Episode highlights:00:17 James' Miraculous Journey from Missouri to Georgia02:10 Another Driving Miracle: Washington to Minnesota04:12 Sana's Miraculous Bus Incident in Bangkok10:29 Sana's Experiences with Rohingya Refugees13:32 Sana's Rescue of a Baby in Bangkok17:42 Conclusion and Reflections on MiraclesYou've been listening to Ba Vojdaan!, with James D. Newcomb. For more information about James, and to subscribe to the podcast, visit https://jamesdnewcomb.com. There you'll find a trove of materials available for immediate download. And be sure to follow James' travels and adventures on social media. All the info can be found at https://jamesdnewcomb.com. Thank you for listening!

Continuing our series of episodes featuring Orthodox Christian scholar Frederica Matthewes-Green, we discuss the significance of the Greek word 'Energeia' and its translation, the impact of translation decisions on Christian faith, and the contrast between Eastern Orthodoxy and Western Christianity. Frederica shares insights about divine energy, miracles, and the role of storytelling in modern faith. The conversation explores the historical and contemporary implications of biblical translation and the importance of recognizing divine presence in everyday life.Episode highlights:00:00 Introduction and Greetings00:31 Podcast Background and Topic Introduction01:51 Greek vs. Latin Translations of the Bible05:39 The Concept of Energeia07:06 Impact of Translation on Western Christianity21:34 Personal Reflections and CRAVE Acronym25:25 Miracles and Modern Faith35:00 Storytelling and Evangelism36:23 Cultural Reflections and ConclusionResources mentioned:Two Views of the Cross: Orthodoxy and the West by Frederica Mathewes-GreenAbout the guest:Frederica's website"I write and speak on a wide range of topics. In recent years I've concentrated on ancient Christian spirituality and the Eastern Orthodox faith, but the hundreds of Posts and Essays on this site include movie reviews, humor, marriage and family, cultural issues, and more. Essays can be browsed by date or category, or you can use the search box at the right.The most recent posts are below. Here's where you'll find my published Books.I travel to Speaking Engagements all year round; you can contact Cynthia Damaskos of the Orthodox Speakers Bureau if you'd like to bring me to an event. This Calendar will let you know when I'm in your neighborhood.Audio: Here's where you'll find many of my commentaries for National Public Radio (NPR), though others have been filed away under many different creative misspellings of my name. I have recorded a podcast for Ancient Faith Radio since 2007.Video: For Beliefnet.com, I recorded brief videos on my conversion to Christ, the Christ of Sinai icon, the spiritual discipline of fasting, and

This episode, Part 2 in our series with Orthodox Christian scholar Frederica Mathewes-Green, discusses Augustine's concept of a 'god-shaped hole' in our hearts and explores the idea of 'energy' (energeia) in the New Testament. Our conversation delves into the challenges of translating biblical texts from Greek to Latin and Hebrew, the historical context of these translations, and how different translations can impact theological understanding. It also touches on the use of hyperbole and imagery in ancient Hebrew scripture and discusses why seminary students are required to learn Hebrew and Greek to gain a deeper understanding of the biblical worldview.Episode highlights:00:15 The God-Shaped Hole: Exploring Our Innate Desire for Worship00:45 The Concept of 'Energia' in the New Testament01:50 Translation Challenges: From Greek to Latin and Beyond04:15 The Impact of Language on Biblical Interpretation05:30 The Septuagint and the Evolution of the Hebrew Bible07:50 Controversies in Biblical Translations12:10 The Importance of Learning Biblical LanguagesResources mentioned:Two Views of the Cross: Orthodoxy and the West by Frederica Mathewes-GreenMen and Marriage by George GilderAbout the guest:Frederica's website"I write and speak on a wide range of topics. In recent years I've concentrated on ancient Christian spirituality and the Eastern Orthodox faith, but the hundreds of Posts and Essays on this site include movie reviews, humor, marriage and family, cultural issues, and more. Essays can be browsed by date or category, or you can use the search box at the right.The most recent posts are below. Here's where you'll find my published Books.I travel to Speaking Engagements all year round; you can contact Cynthia Damaskos of the Orthodox Speakers Bureau if you'd like to bring me to an event. This Calendar will let you know when I'm in your neighborhood.Audio: Here's where you'll find many of my commentaries for National Public Radio (NPR), though others have been filed away under many different creative misspellings of my name. I have recorded a podcast for Ancient Faith Radio since 2007.Video: For Beliefnet.com, I recorded brief videos on my conversion to Christ, the Christ of Sinai icon, the spiritual discipline of fasting,...

A conglomeration of Advent people: Drew Collins on how the Magi were pushed willingly to the edge of their knowledge, open to the giving spirit of God. Frederica Mathewes-Green with an illustration of Mary, living in prayer, which proves just enough to know to say "yes" when met with her call. Jeff Reimer on W.H. Auden's common Joseph, asked only and profoundly to believe. And Matt Croasmun on St. Paul, offering an invitation to Christian joy that, well, differs from Santa's offer just a little.Show NotesEPISODE 44: The Reason We Follow the Star: Learning from the Magi How to Give, How to Receive, and How to Be Human / Drew CollinsEPISODE 98: Frederica Mathewes-Green / Mary Theotokos: Her Bright Sorrow, Her Suffering Faith, and Her CompassionEPISODE 97: Jeff Reimer / W.H. Auden's For the Time Being: Post-Christmas Blues, the Darkness of Modernity, and the Human Response to IncarnationEPISODE 43: Matt Croasmun / Santa, God, and the Obligation to RejoiceProduction NotesThis podcast featured art historian Matthew MillinerEdited and Produced by Evan RosaHosted by Evan RosaA Production of the Yale Center for Faith & Culture at Yale Divinity School https://faith.yale.edu/aboutSupport For the Life of the World podcast by giving to the Yale Center for Faith & Culture: https://faith.yale.edu/give

 In this episode:Frederica Mathewes-Green joins the podcast to discuss the basics of Eastern Orthodox spiritual practicesthe life and work of Metropolitan Kallistos Ware, one of the most important Orthodox theologians in the Westthe major differences in approach, focus, and emphasis between Eastern and Western prayer, doctrine, and political theologyTexts Mentioned:The Orthodox Church by Timothy WareThe Orthodox Way by Bishop Kallistos WareThe Jesus Prayer: The Ancient Prayer That Tunes the Heart to Godby Frederica Mathewes-GreenFr. Arseny: Priest, Prisoner, Spiritual Father by Vera and Peter BouteneffThe DidacheTwo Views of the Cross by Frederica Mathewes-GreenBecome a part of ISI:Become a MemberSupport ISIUpcoming ISI Events

The U.S. Supreme Court has voted to overturn Roe v. Wade in a 5-4 decision. In light of the Supreme Court ruling, we would like to present an encore presentation of Hank Hanegraaff's conversation with Frederica Mathewes-Green on how she went from being a fierce advocate for abortion to becoming a pro-life advocate. When Roe v. Wade was decided almost half a century ago, Frederica Mathewes-Green believed that the landmark decision didn't go far enough to ensure adequate abortion access for women. However, everything changed after she read an article titled “What I Saw at the Abortion” in a 1976 edition of the magazine Esquire that detailed the violent act against both woman and child that takes place when an abortion is performed. Simply put, there was no way that a peace-loving feminist could support this violence against both woman and child, and just like that she became a pro-life advocate. Frederica Mathewes-Green went on to become a pre-eminent voice for the lives of the unborn and—importantly—the mothers who carried these children. Almost everyone on both sides of the debate can agree on one thing—abortion is a miserable choice, as Frederica emphasized in Real Choices: Listening to Women, Looking for Alternatives to Abortion, “No woman wants an abortion as she wants an ice cream cone or a Porsche. She wants an abortion as an animal caught in a trap wants to gnaw off its own leg.” Frederica joins Hank Hanegraaff to discuss the state of abortion in America as well as what she has learned during the decades of her distinguished career encouraging dialogue between pro-choice and pro-life advocates. For more information, visit www.equip.org. Topics discussed include: What changed your mind about abortion? (5:00); is abortion a violent act against women? (8:30); abortion fatigue—people just don't want to talk about abortion (9:30); Roe v. Wade (11:00); snowflake children—when does life begin? (12:15); the importance of listening to the stories of women when discussing abortion (18:50); defending unborn children without making mothers the enemy (23:45); finding common ground—how can pro-choice and pro-life people better understand one another? (26:30); is public opinion changing on abortion? (30:25); most countries in the world have banned abortion after 12 weeks—making U.S. abortion policy one of the most liberal globally (33:20); “in the land where women kill their unborn children, every lesser love grows frail” (34:30); the extreme individualism of our culture (38:35); what would America look like without abortion? (40:30); what about adoption instead of abortion? (45:15); misconceptions about contraception (48:25); cheap sex—the devaluation of sex in a culture of free love (50:00); the difficulties of being a single parent and the benefits of a two-parent home (59:00); the war on adoption—why is adoption disparaged by abortion advocates? (1:02:40); what actually happens during an abortion procedure? (1:05:45); victims of unisex sexuality (1:12:10); the paradoxical aims of feminism (1:13:30); the problem with government welfare programs (1:18:15); the importance of a support system for mothers and children (1:20:00); the importance of listening to women's stories about abortion (1:21:30); the issue of abortion in the early church (1:27:15); how should we talk about abortion? (1:30:00); responding to common pro-choice claims about abortion (1:34:00); the impact of Frederica Mathewes-Green's book Real Choices: Listening to Women, Looking for Alternatives to Abortion (1:42:25).

Watch Part 1 Here: https://youtu.be/VcSkm3LDVw4COOL STUFF I MENTIONED IN THE SHOW:Erwin Schrödinger's "What is Life?" — https://amzn.to/3vyRi1yJ. Mark & Elizabeth J. Barna's "A Christian Ending: A Handbook for Burial in the Ancient Christian Tradition" — https://amzn.to/3MJtuOAAs the Boomer population of America ages, questions about death & dying have come to the forefront of our cultural experience. From books like Atul Gawande's "Being Mortal" to L.S. Dugdale's "The Lost Art of Dying" to Mark & Elizabeth Barna's "A Christian Ending: A Handbook for Burial in the Ancient Christian Tradition," people are trying to reclaim the sacred and die peacefully and beautifully, often in the safety of their own homes. Join Dr. James Mohebali, a doctor of Acupuncture and Chinese medicine, and an Orthodox Christian, as he speaks at the newly formed Holy Cross Orthodox Church Burial Society, the former parish of Fr. Gregory Mathewes-Green and Frederica Mathewes-Green, in Baltimore, MD. He guides them through asking the deeper questions about death, dying, and end-of-life medical care, using the paradigm of Chinese Medicine, yin yang, the five elements, so that they can make their medical decisions with autonomy, and with rooting in their deep faith. On the way, Dr. James talks about the foundations of biomedicine in Charles Darwin, the survival of the fittest, evolution, and an alternative possibility in Erwin Schrodinger, the famous quantum physicist responsible for Schrodinger's cat, Other speakers include Fr. John Behr, former dean of St. Vladimir's Seminary, and John Heers, founder of First Things Foundation and host of "Why are We Talking About Rabbits?" podcast.

Watch Part 2 Here Next Week: https://youtu.be/dxz1fesg5MACOOL STUFF I MENTIONED IN THE SHOW:Schrödinger's "What is Life?" — https://amzn.to/3vyRi1yJ. Mark & Elizabeth J. Barna's "A Christian Ending: A Handbook for Burial in the Ancient Christian Tradition" — https://amzn.to/3MJtuOAAs the Boomer population of America ages, questions about death and dying have come to the forefront of our cultural experience. From books like Atul Gawande's "Being Mortal" to L.S. Dugdale's "The Lost Art of Dying" to Mark & Elizabeth Barna's "A Christian Ending: A Handbook for Burial in the Ancient Christian Tradition," people are trying to reclaim the sacred and die peacefully and beautifully, often in the safety of their own homes. Join Dr. James Mohebali, a doctor of Acupuncture and Chinese medicine, and an Orthodox Christian, as he speaks at the newly formed Holy Cross Orthodox Church Burial Society, the former parish of Fr. Gregory Mathewes-Green and Frederica Mathewes-Green, in Baltimore, MD. He guides them through asking the deeper questions about death, dying, and end-of-life medical care, using the paradigm of Chinese Medicine, yin yang, the five elements, so that they can make their medical decisions with autonomy, and with rooting in their deep faith. Other speakers include Fr. John Behr, former dean of St. Vladimir's Seminary, and John Heers, founder of First Things Foundation and host of "Why are We Talking About Rabbits?" podcast.

Frederica Mathewes-Green shares reflections about the Annunciation on the weekend of the Feast of the Holy Cross.

Frederica Mathewes-Green shares reflections about the Annunciation on the weekend of the Feast of the Holy Cross.

Frederica Mathewes-Green shares a few words about the meaning of love.

On today's Bible Answer Man broadcast, we present an episode of the Hank Unplugged podcast. Hank's guest is Frederica Mathewes-Green, author of Real Choices: Listening to Women, Looking for Alternatives to Abortion. Hank and Frederica discuss how Frederica became a pro-life advocate, how abortion is not only violence against the unborn child but also the woman, overcoming abortion fatigue, Frederica's view on Roe v. Wade in the '70s, the story of Elise, the debate around when a fertilized egg becomes human, and how Frederica put together her book Real Choices.

On today's Bible Answer Man broadcast (01/21/22), we pick up where we ended on our previous broadcast and present more of an episode of the Hank Unplugged podcast. Hank is talking with Frederica Mathewes-Green, author of Real Choices: Listening to Women, Looking for Alternatives to Abortion. Hank and Frederica discuss the importance of a support system for mothers and children, the importance of listening to women's stories about abortion, the issue of abortion in the early church, how we should talk about abortion, and responding to common pro-choice claims about abortion.

When Roe v. Wade was decided almost half a century ago, Frederica Mathewes-Green believed that the landmark decision didn't go far enough to ensure adequate abortion access for women. However, everything changed after she read an article titled “What I Saw at the Abortion” in a 1976 edition of the magazine Esquire that detailed the violent act against both woman and child that takes place when an abortion is performed. Simply put, there was no way that a peace-loving feminist could support this violence against both woman and child and just like that she became a pro-life advocate. Frederica Mathewes-Green went on to become a pre-eminent voice for the lives of the unborn and—importantly—the mothers who carried these children. Almost everyone on both sides of the debate can agree on one thing—abortion is a miserable choice, as Frederica emphasized in Real Choices: Listening to Women, Looking for Alternatives to Abortion, “No woman wants an abortion as she wants an ice cream cone or a Porsche. She wants an abortion as an animal caught in a trap wants to gnaw off its own leg.” Frederica joins Hank Hanegraaff to discuss the state of abortion in America as well as what she has learned during the decades of her distinguished career encouraging dialogue between pro-choice and pro-life advocates. For further study, see Frederica Mathewes-Green, Real Choices: Listening to Women, Looking for Alternatives to Abortion. https://www.equip.org/product/cri-resource-real-choices-listening-to-women-looking-for-alternatives-to-abortion/ Topics discussed include: What changed your mind about abortion? (5:00); is abortion a violent act against women? (8:30); abortion fatigue—people just don't want to talk about abortion (9:30); Roe v. Wade (11:00); snowflake children—when does life begin? (12:15); the importance of listening to the stories of women when discussing abortion (18:50); defending unborn children without making mothers the enemy (23:45); finding common ground—how can pro-choice and pro-life people better understand one another? (26:30); is public opinion changing on abortion? (30:25); most countries in the world have banned abortion after 12 weeks—making US abortion policy one of the most liberal globally (33:20); “in the land where women kill their unborn children, every lesser love grows frail” (34:30); the extreme individualism of our culture (38:35); what would America look like without abortion? (40:30); what about adoption instead of abortion? (45:15); misconceptions about contraception (48:25); cheap sex—the devaluation of sex in a culture of free love (50:00); the difficulties of being a single parent and the benefits of a two-parent home (59:00); the war on adoption—why is adoption disparaged by abortion advocates? (1:02:40); what actually happens during an abortion procedure? (1:05:45); victims of unisex sexuality (1:12:10); the paradoxical aims of feminism (1:13:30); the problem with government welfare programs (1:18:15); the importance of a support system for mothers and children (1:20:00); the importance of listening to women's stories about abortion (1:21:30); the issue of abortion in the early church (1:27:15); how should we talk about abortion? (1:30:00); responding to common pro-choice claims about abortion (1:34:00); the impact of Frederica Mathewes-Green's book Real Choices: Listening to Women, Looking for Alternatives to Abortion (1:42:25). https://www.equip.org/product/cri-resource-real-choices-listening-to-women-looking-for-alternatives-to-abortion/Listen to Hank's podcast and follow Hank off the grid where he is joined by some of the brightest minds discussing topics you care about. Get equipped to be a cultural change agent.Archived episodes are on our Website and available at the additional channels listed below.You can help spread the word about Hank Unplugged by giving us a rating and review from the other channels we are listed on.

On today's Bible Answer Man broadcast (01/20/22), we pick up where we ended on our previous broadcast and present more of an episode of the Hank Unplugged podcast. Hank is talking with Frederica Mathewes-Green, author of Real Choices: Listening to Women, Looking for Alternatives to Abortion. Hank and Frederica discuss the benefits of a two-parent home, why adoption is disparaged by abortion advocates, what actually happens during an abortion procedure, victims of unisex sexuality, the paradoxical aims of feminism, the problem with government welfare programs, and the importance of a support system for mothers and children.

On today's Bible Answer Man broadcast (01/19/22), we pick up where we ended on our previous broadcast and present more of an episode of the Hank Unplugged podcast. Hank is talking with Frederica Mathewes-Green, author of Real Choices: Listening to Women, Looking for Alternatives to Abortion. Hank and Frederica discuss what America would look like without abortion, adoption instead of abortion, misconceptions about contraception, the devaluation of sex in a culture of free love, and the benefits of a two-parent home.

On today's Bible Answer Man broadcast (01/18/22), we pick up where we ended on our previous broadcast and present more of an episode of the Hank Unplugged podcast. Hank is talking with Frederica Mathewes-Green, author of Real Choices: Listening to Women, Looking for Alternatives to Abortion. Hank and Frederica discuss the importance of listening to the stories of women when discussing abortion, defending unborn children without making mothers the enemy, how pro-choice and pro-life people can better understand one another, if public opinion on abortion is changing, how U.S. abortion policy is one of the most liberal globally, and the extreme individualism of our culture.

On today's Bible Answer Man broadcast (01/17/22), we present an episode of the Hank Unplugged podcast. Hank's guest is Frederica Mathewes-Green, author of Real Choices: Listening to Women, Looking for Alternatives to Abortion. Hank and Frederica discuss how Frederica became a pro-life advocate, how abortion is not only violence against the unborn child but also the woman, overcoming abortion fatigue, Frederica's view on Roe v. Wade in the '70s, the story of Elise, the debate around when a fertilized egg becomes human, and how Frederica put together her book Real Choices.

Hank Hanegraaff, president of the Christian Research Institute and host of the Bible Answer Man broadcast, reflects on the tragic legacy of Sarah Weddington, the lawyer who argued the infamous abortion rights case Roe v. Wade before the United States Supreme Court in 1973—essentially legalizing abortion in the United States. Raised as a minister's daughter, Weddington passionately advanced abortion in America. The ends justifying the means, abortion leaders at the time encouraged the telling of the fabricated story of the rape of Norma McCorvey—a.k.a. Jane Roe. This kind of deception is often justified by a “larger truth”—and that larger truth, from the standpoint of Weddington, is that the painful killing of innocent human beings is a human right. The legalization of abortion has caused the deaths of untold numbers of unborn babies.For further study, see Frederica Mathewes-Green, Real Choices: Listening to Women, Looking for Alternatives to Abortion https://amzn.to/3HOnb9M

Frederica Mathewes-Green explores, in three parts, her experience as a beekeeper. She mispronounces “propolis” every time!

Frederica Mathewes-Green defends pro-lifers' right to wear that name, and choose for themselves what causes to support.

Frederica Mathewes-Green explores the ways the 22nd/23rd Psalm reflects a year of shepherding a sheep.

Frederica Mathewes-Green offers an analogy for the way prayer sometimes “clicks” and becomes a genuine connection with God.

Frederica Mathewes-Green recounts an unusual and somber dream.

Frederica Mathewes-Green reads the life of St. Mary of Egypt as found in her book First Fruits of Prayer.

Frederica Mathewes-Green explores, in three parts, her experience as a beekeeper. She mispronounces “propolis” every time!

Frederica Mathewes-Green explains that traditions can be beneficial for a family or community, and that all churches have their own “tradition.”

Frederica Mathewes-Green explores, in three parts, her experience as a beekeeper. She mispronounces “propolis” every time!

The Mother of our Lord is often a stumbling block for Protestants who are exploring Orthodoxy. Frederica Mathewes-Green discusses how to disregard medieval excesses, and see how the early Christians saw her.

Frederica Mathewes-Green ponders the tremendous amount of work it took to weave fabric by hand, and how it felt to be clothed in someone's labor; what we miss, by living entirely amid machine-made things.

Frederica Mathewes-Green reads the first essay she ever published, a secular, feminist presentation of the pro-life cause.

Frederica Mathewes-Green presents a Romanian elder's take on the simple faith that is held by many Americans, and how God responds to it, and she also reports a prayer experience that conveyed the same idea.

In this episode, Michael and Bryce begin to go through an article by Frederica Mathewes-Green titled “Why Orthodox Men Love Church.” They explore the theme of Orthodoxy being “challenging” to men, and discuss how it is “active and not passive.”

Listen to a chapter from the classic audiobook At the Corner of East and Now, written and read by Frederica Mathewes-Green. Find links to the print, ebook, and audiobook versions of At the Corner of East and Now at store.ancientfaith.com/search.php?Search=&search;_query=corner.

Frederica Mathewes-Green shares the prayer titled St. Patrick's Breastplate.

Frederica Mathewes-Green reads her essay, "Why They Hate Us."

Don't miss this rich and inspiring reading by Frederica Mathewes-Green of the entire Nativity Kontakion written by St. Romanos the Melodist and translated by Fr. Ephrem Lash. It was taken from the book On the Life of Christ: Kontakia, published in 1994.

FamilyLife Today® Radio Transcript  References to conferences, resources, or other special promotions may be obsolete. A Call to Manhood Guest:                        Dennis Rainey          From the series:       Stepping Up (day 5 of 5) Bob:  As a husband and as a dad, Dennis Rainey has not always done it right.  He remembers times when he embraced his role to lead courageously. Dennis:  I remember one time when our daughters came downstairs ready for church, and one of our daughters was wearing a dress that was immodest.  Instead of telling her to go change I was wimpy.  I didn't engage her because I didn't want to experience the pain of the conflict, and so I was a good man who did nothing.   All of us make mistakes that we can look back on and have some regrets about, but the key is, as we look forward, how are you going to protect your family today?  How are you as a man going to take responsibility and not give evil a chance to triumph in your family? Bob:  This is FamilyLifeToday for Friday, March 11th.  Our host is the President of FamilyLife, Dennis Rainey, and I'm Bob Lepine.  We'll talk today about what it means for a man to be on the alert, to stand firm in the faith, to act like a man and to be strong, to let all that he does be done in love.   And welcome to FamilyLife Today.  Thanks for joining us.  You think those who have been with us all this week have been kind of feeling the – smelling the testosterone as we've been talking about what authentic manhood ought to look like? Dennis:  Calling men to step up.  In fact, a call to courageous manhood is what we have been talking about.  You know, here's the thing, Bob:  We watch TV.  We watch a sporting event.  We watch the golfers, the football players, the baseball players, basketball, doesn't matter what season it is, and you hear somebody say, “He stepped up his game.” Bob:  Yes. Dennis:  We're used to using this phrase, stepping up.  It is used all the time.  Now I know I am sensitive to those two words because that's the name of a book that I just finished, that I've been working on for more than 10 years.  But I do feel like men today need someone in their lives calling them to step up and out of boyhood and adolescence and step fully into manhood and to be the man God made them to be. Bob:  Well, and we've already acknowledged this week that this is a theme that God seems to be stirring in our culture today.  We talked about the movie that's coming out in the fall that the folks at Sherwood Baptist have put together called Courageous.  It's around the same theme. Dennis:  It is.  In fact it's interesting that so many different Christian organizations, groups, and churches are all raising the same issue.  The guys at Sherwood seem to have their fingers on a pulse that I believe is something God wants to do in the church.  I think this movie is going to stir individual Christians, and I hope men to step up and be courageous in their most fundamental callings in life. Bob:  Give me a definition of courage.  Can you do that?  I mean, how do I understand what courage looks like biblically? Dennis:  Well, courage is doing your duty in the face of fear.  Doesn't mean you don't have fear.  In fact, one of my favorite questions to ask at a dinner table – I think you've probably been at a few meals – Bob:  I've been the victim of this question before, yes. Dennis:  You get at a table that's a round table and has four or five couples at it, or ten people at your table.  You hate to bore one another with yourselves, you know.  Life is too short.  Let's cut to the chase; let's talk about some stuff of meaning, you know?  So I like to ask the question, “What is the most courageous thing you've ever done in all your life?”  It's been interesting to look at how people have answered it.   People have talked about a decision at work to push back against deceptive business practices where it could have cost them their jobs, maybe stepping away from their existing job and pursuing a dream.  Others have protected an unborn life.  I've heard young men answer this question talking about stepping up and away from pornography.   But the most frequent answer to the question, “What's the most courageous thing you've ever done?” usually involves the person's father, where they stepped up and either took another job and didn't go to work for the family company – recently I was at a dinner table and a man said “It was my decision to not go to work for my father but go to college.  I was the first person in our family to go to college.”   There's something about our parents, standing up to our parents and taking a stand for what we believe God wants us to do that calls upon a bedrock of courage from a man's life. Bob:  And not to do that disrespectfully; to do it in the context of honor, but there is something about declaring, “I can navigate life apart from your guiding me.” Dennis:  I actually think it is a form of a rite of passage, as you've said, to adulthood, where we take a stand and we go, “You know what?  I'm my own person.  God has a plan for me.  I'm fulfilling that plan, and I will honor you, but I am going to be obedient to the God who has called me to do this thing.” Bob:  What you've done in the book is kind of chart the trajectory a man follows from boyhood, which dads can help make more intentional for their sons by pointing them in the right direction and calling them onto the right path, and then adolescence, which is full of all kinds of traps that a young man needs to be navigated through so that he can get to mature manhood. Dennis:  And one that every man needs to understand that his son desperately needs him to engage him during this period of time and not just kind of wipe his hands and say, “It's done.  He's a teenager now; he's 16, 17, 18 years old.  My influence is over.”  No it's not.   There will come a time when your influence will be lessened substantially, but until that time we're charging men to reach down to those young men in adolescence and call them fully up to the manhood step.  Step on up to what it means to be a man, and step away from, well, the lure of childishness and acting like a boy and prolonging youthfulness too long. Bob:  Well, if a guy is going to call younger man to step fully up onto the platform of manhood, he's got to be there himself, and to be there he's got to know what it looks like.  And as we've already said, a lot of guys just don't know what it looks like.   You've said it looks like taking initiative rather than just drifting into passivity, and one of the places where that initiative starts is in the area of spiritual initiative:  being a spiritual leader in a marriage relationship and in a home, in a community.  A single man can still be a spiritual leader in his community, whether he's exercising that in a home setting or not.  But it goes beyond spiritual initiative, doesn't it? Dennis:  It does.  It goes to the area of protecting, protecting your own life, your own heart; protecting your wife; and protecting your children and your family.  I believe, for a number of men today, Bob, I believe they are being called to protect their community.  They are being called to make a difference where they live, in their church, in their neighborhood, perhaps in a larger span of control in their community or state.  But I believe men are called to protect others who could be preyed upon by evil.   One quick quote here:  it's a familiar quote by Edmund Burke.  He said, “All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.”  I actually spent a good bit of time in one of the chapters of the book talking about how good men, really good men, can easily do nothing.  In fact, from my own life I wrote about some of the things that I wish I had pushed back against.   As a single man, I didn't push back against peer pressure, and I went with the flow.  I'm ashamed of the evil that I encouraged and participated in.  As a married man, early in our marriage I didn't protect my wife when we had six kids in ten years, for example -- all the demands and expectations of others who had no idea of the load she was carrying.  I should have protected her.   I remember one time when our daughters came downstairs ready for church, and one of our daughters was wearing a dress that was immodest.  Instead of telling her to go change I was wimpy.  I didn't engage her because I didn't want to experience the pain of the conflict, and so I was a good man who did nothing.  And then there was a time when a teacher at school really wasn't being very fair or kind to one of our children, and I allowed it to go on too long.  I finally did step up, but I should have stepped up sooner.   All of us make mistakes that we can look back on and have some regrets about, but the key is, as we look forward, how are you going to protect your family today?  How are you as a man going to take responsibility and not give evil a chance to triumph in your family? Bob:  You know, I'll never forget hearing an essay on the radio.  This was more than a decade ago.  The essayist is a woman named Frederica Mathewes-Green.  She was talking about her daughter working at a pizza restaurant, and her daughter was a delivery driver for the pizza restaurant.  And she said, “My daughter told me that one night at work an order came in and they read it out.  She was the next one to take out pizzas, and they read out, ‘Okay, here's your order.  It does to –‘and they read out the address.”  She said, “The guy standing next to me grabbed it out of my arms and he said, ‘I'll take that.  You're not going to that part of town.' “  And Frederica Mathewes-Green said, “You know, we live in a culture that talks about gender equality and gender neutrality, but,” she said, “everybody can resonate with the idea that there are parts of town that you don't let young women go to by themselves.  They go accompanied by someone who will protect them.”  This idea of men being the protectors, I think goes bone-deep.  I think it resonates in the hearts of men and in the hearts of women.  Dennis:  It does, and I'll give you an illustration from our own marriage and family recently.  We just had our 17th grandbaby born, a little girl, Alice Pearl, six pounds, four ounces.  We're excited to welcome Alice Pearl to the family.  The question was, was Barbara going to go visit our daughter and son-in-law and celebrate the birth of the baby, and was she going to do it alone, or was she going to do it with me?   My schedule was such that I had a good excuse not to go, and yet, as I stepped back, I was actually thinking along the lines of the story you just told, about the wrong part of town.  I just don't like the idea of my wife traveling by herself, and if I can travel with her and get the car and get the bags and get the hotel room and get there safely, that just seems more prudent, rather than allowing my wife to go by herself.   She's gone by herself on occasion.  This particular occasion I could have stayed home.  But I chose to go with her because I wanted to see my granddaughter for one thing, and my daughter, but I also wanted to protect my wife.   There are a number of principles that I write about in the book Stepping Up: A Call to Courageous Manhood that I just want to list here, Bob, just in terms of coaching men on how to protect their wives and their families.   The first one is protecting your marriage.  I don't meet with women alone for lunch.  I don't have lunch with any other woman other than my wife.  I don't travel alone in a car with a woman other than my wife.  I don't meet with women in my office unless the door is open, or there's a window there, clearly evident, where everybody can see what's taking place in there.   As a man, you have ways that you communicate to your wife that you're protecting and preserving your marriage and your relationship.  Some of these things might seem like small matters, but to our wives it builds thirty-foot thick walls that are a hundred feet high around your marriage relationship, and it lets her know that you're the man, you're taking responsibility for her, and you're going to protect your relationship. Bob:  So as men we need to take initiative to establish concrete ways that we protect our marriage.  What else does protecting look like for a man? Dennis:  Well, there's one more way, too, that I forgot about, Bob.  We have date nights, a standing date night on Sunday night during the child-bearing and child-rearing years of our marriage.  Now we're empty nesters, so we can have a date any night.  But we took the time to preserve and protect our marriage in the midst of raising kids.  A lot of our listeners are in the midst of some of the most challenging days they'll ever experience as couples.   I just encourage the dads listening; find a way to discover a babysitter.  If you want to give your wife a great gift some of your wives would – they'll go crazy.  They'll say, “You found a babysitter so we could get away, so we could talk, so we could have some time together?”  That's really important in terms of protecting your marriage.   When it comes to protecting your family and your children, one of the most exciting ways that we've come up with here at FamilyLife is Passport to Purity.  There are a number of families that are taking their 11-, 12-, 13-year-olds through a weekend getaway called Passport to Purity.   There's nothing better than a dad getting away with his son and listening to those CDs and talking about issues of peer pressure, of self-esteem, of who God is in the young man's life, of moral boundaries, and also talking about sex and how far you're going to go with a girl prior to marriage, and helping that young man establish spiritual and moral boundaries in his life.  A boy at the age of 10, 11, 12, 13 really needs a daddy to talk with him honestly and frankly about this, and doesn't need him to back out of his life and allow the world to educate him. Bob:  Well, and you're up against some pretty stiff competition as a dad, because – Dennis:  Tell me about it. Bob:  -- the peer group, the culture, the impulses of your child's heart and life. Dennis:  The media that has access to your child's life.  If there has ever, ever been a time for men, and I'm going to use an old, agricultural term here – I know that, but the imagery is good – Jesus used it.  If there's ever been a time for a man to have both hands on the plow, looking straight ahead, knowing where he's going and how he's doing, it's today, especially with his marriage and with his children.  Helping your sons grow up to be young men who understand the sex drive and what's about to happen to their bodies before it happens, so they're not caught off guard. Bob:  Right.  You've got to be alert, you've got to be in the game, you have to know what's coming, and you have to be involved.  And that's not just during the pre-adolescent years.  That's all through adolescence. Dennis:  Yes.  And Passport to Purity will give you a great weekend with your son.  It also is a great weekend for a mother-daughter.  But what it does, is it will establish a foundation of knowledge and experience with your son so that, from that point, as you go through 13, 14, 15 years of age, all the way through adolescence, you'll be able to revisit those themes with your son.  And you'll be able talk with them about a simple illustration of how close to the edge of the cliff are you going to go with the opposite sex, son? Bob:  Right.  Right. Dennis:  So when you say that, instantly he knows exactly what you're talking about, and you can re-engage with him.  Our sons need us to engage with them, and especially around issues like pornography, not asking if they've seen anything, but what have they seen?   If you have a child who is 13, I'm sorry to report to you, but more than likely they have been exposed to some kind of pornography.  I would much rather my son, at the age of 13, 14, or 15 share that he had seen it and what he had seen and talk with me about it, than bury it and screw the lid down tight and hide it and be confused by it, and never talk to me as a father or his mom about it.   I would much rather that he talk with me and have the conversation and get it out in the open so we can talk about it.  And we can talk about the enticement, and we can have a discussion like you find in Proverbs chapters 4, 5, 6, and 7, where the older father is advising and admonishing the young man about the harlot, the prostitute, the one who entices with her dress, her look, and her invitations. Bob:  What does it look like for a dad to be protecting his daughter through the adolescent years and beyond?   Dennis:  Well, I think I mentioned this earlier, but I think a Dad needs to interview his daughter's dates.  I said plural, didn't I?  They will have multiple dates, more than likely. Many of our listeners have heard me talk about this, how I interviewed, I don't know, somewhere around 30, 35 young men.  I actually wished I'd had a t-shirt made that said, “I survived Mr. Rainey's interview.”   (laughter) But, you know, Bob, young men today really need dads to engage them and expect them to treat their daughters with dignity and nobility.   I got an email from a dad who had ready my book, Interviewing Your Daughter's Date, and he had interviewed a young man, and he talked about what he wanted to be when he finished growing up and was in adulthood.  The young man said, “I might like to be a fireman.”  And the father said, “That's good.  That's good.”   They finished their conversation, and evidently the young man passed muster because he allowed his daughter to go on a date with this young man.  And when the young man arrived at the door to pick up the father's daughter, the father stepped forward with the daughter, and also with something unusual in his hands; he had a fire extinguisher.   (laughter) He sent the fire extinguisher with his daughter and the young man -- Bob:  You want to be a firefighter, here's a tool, son. Dennis:  -- on the date!  That's a true story.  Happened to one of our listeners and they wrote us to tell us about it.  Here's the point:  As dads, we need to engage life where it's happening with our kids.  One of the big areas is a relationship with the opposite sex.   I haven't written this book, because I haven't finished interviewing all the guys yet that I have to interview, but I also think that dads need to have some heart-to-heart conversations with the young men who come to ask for their daughter's hand in marriage.   I've told the young men who have come to me asking for my daughters' hands in marriage that they could ask for the hand, but they couldn't have it until they meet with me and have four conversations around issues I know they're going to face after they get married.   Now here's the point, Bob:  After they get married, these conversations are off limits unless the young man invites you in to have these conversations.  But until he gets the prize, as a father – Bob:  The door is wide open. Dennis:  -- I'm telling you, it's not only open, it is our responsibility as daddies to protect our daughters before these young men get the prize, because after they get the prize, they may not be quite as teachable from you as a father as they currently are. Bob:  Well, and of course we've got copies of your book, Interviewing Your Daughter's Date in our FamilyLife Today Resource Center.  And then Voddie Baucham wrote a book that's like the one you're talking about writing; he wrote a book called What He Must Be. . . If He Wants to Marry My Daughter, and we've got that in our FamilyLife Today Resource Center as well, so if our listeners are interested they can go online and get copies of those books.   But I think the big point you're making here is that there's a role that men play as protectors, and it's a part of what authentic, courageous, mature masculinity looks like.  And you cover that in the book that you've written called Stepping Up—A Call to Courageous Manhood, and I want to encourage our listeners to get a copy of that book this week.   In fact, if they can help us with a donation this week to support the ministry of FamilyLife Today, we'll send the book to them as a thank you gift.  All you have to do is go online at FamilyLifeToday.com and made a donation.   When you do, type the words “STEP UP” into the key code box on the online donation form, and we'll send a copy of Dennis' brand new book, Stepping Up—A Call to Courageous Manhood.  We'll send that out to you as a thank you gift for your donation.  Or, call 1-800-FLTODAY, make a donation over the phone, and again, ask for a copy of the book, Stepping Up, and we'll send it to you.   If you'd like to order multiple copies, those are available for sale.  You can find out more online or when you call us, but we want to make the book available this week to any of you who will help support the ministry.  We appreciate your financial support.  We are listener supported; without your donations we could not continue on this station and on our network of stations all across the country.  So thanks in advance for whatever you are able to do in supporting FamilyLife Today. And with that, we're going to wrap things up.  Hope you have a great weekend.  Hope you and your family are able to worship together this weekend.  And I hope you can join us on Monday.  Kay Arthur is going to be here, and we're going to talk about the problem of pain and about what the Bible has to say about it.  She has just written a new book called When the Hurt Runs Deep, and we'll visit with her on Monday.  Hope you can be here as well. I want to thank our engineer today, Keith Lynch, and our entire broadcast production team.  On behalf of our host, Dennis Rainey, I'm Bob Lepine.  We will see you back next time for another edition of FamilyLife Today.   FamilyLife Today is a production of FamilyLife of Little Rock, Arkansas.  Help for today.  Hope for tomorrow. We are so happy to provide these transcripts to you.  However, there is a cost to produce them for our website.  If you've benefited from the broadcast transcripts, would you consider donating today to help defray the costs?  2011 Copyright © FamilyLife.  All rights reserved.www.FamilyLife.com    

Frederica Mathewes-Green interviews author and AFR podcaster Michael Haldas about the life and impact of J.R.R. Tolkien.

Bobby Maddex talks with Frederica Mathewes-Green, the keynote speaker at the upcoming Ancient Faith Writing and Podcasting Conference..

Here's a prediction: Thousands of years from now when archaeologists excavate American churches, they'll identify the 1990s era by “What Would Jesus Do?” bracelets, DC Talk CDs, and purity rings. Today, 20 years later, that last artifact is even more controversial than when DC Talk evolved from rap music to a kind-of grunge. Purity rings are part of something now derogatorily called “purity culture.”          Here's some background. What most people mean by “purity culture” is the emphasis from pulpits, youth groups, conferences, and Christian authors, since the nineties especially, on maintaining sexual integrity. It started as an evangelical reaction within a culture in which sexual freedom had become the highest good. Remember, television in the ‘80s was dominated by family dramas: Full House, Family Ties, the Cosby Show. The ‘90s was the decade of Friends and Seinfeld. That's quite a shift. Add in more risqué teen movies, music that would make even Madonna blush, and the emergence of Internet pornography, and suddenly teenagers were being catechized in casual sex on a whole new level.          In reaction, many Christian efforts to counter this indoctrination and teach the biblical view of sex were well-intentioned but weren't always consistent or even helpful. I often identify three “wrong-but-well-intentioned” approaches: First, the fear approach.  Some, especially at the height of the AIDS crisis, responded to the sexual revolution with a scare tactic: “If you have sex before you're married, you'll get pregnant, maybe get an STD, and die.”          The problem with the fear approach is that it's utilitarian, as if something is wrong only because of its negative consequences. The problem with that, of course, is that our culture is bent on removing the consequences of risky sexual behavior, and at least when it comes to removing the physical consequences (like unborn lives and STDs), it's been largely successful. 1990s “purity culture” developed a more positive attitude about sex. I call this the “Rally Approach” stage. Christian musicians wrote songs with lyrics like, “Wait for me, darling.” Youth pastors urged students to take “virginity pledges,” and often tens of thousands of Christian teenagers would do so at large, stadium events.          Of course, there's a lot of positives about letting students know they aren't alone in their commitment to be pure. But, motivation to start a commitment is a lot easier to manufacture than motivation to keep a commitment. And, the statistics on that era bear that truth. More recently, well-meaning parents and mentors have been tempted by what a friend of mine calls “the princess theology” approach. Christian young people are offered sexual purity as a kind of bargain: “If I save myself for marriage, God will send me my dream husband or dream wife.” That also led some to the impression that if they messed up, they're now “damaged goods,” and no one would want to marry them. There's no shortage of articles and books today from Christian and secular writers blaming “purity culture” for false expectations, dashed hopes, and ongoing trauma.          Some of this blame is deserved, in my view. The promise of Prince Charming or Princess Charming is one the Bible never makes, and a promise human nature could never accommodate. Still, for all of the teachers and organizations that took “purity culture” to an extreme, creating rules not found in the Bible, especially for young women, I think many of its harshest critics are running to throw the baby out with the bath water. Too often, the backlash against “purity culture” is a backlash against purity—and against Christian sexual morality.          So, what should we make of all of this? We asked a wide range of Christian thinkers to comment on “purity culture,” to discuss whether criticisms of this movement are legitimate, and if they are, how Christians should change the way we advance a biblical sexual ethic in today's culture.          Jim Daly, Karen Swallow Prior, Sean McDowell, Frederica Mathewes-Green, and many others offer thoughtful responses that get to the heart of what “purity culture” was all about, what went wrong, and what went right. Most importantly, they offer ways the church can keep from compromising its millennia-old witness on God's design for sex. It's a witness we must make today more than ever—even if we do decide to toss out the purity rings.          Check out this online symposium at BreakPoint.org.  

The year 2019 is the ten-year anniversary of a statement that drew the line for Christians on three central issues: life, marriage, and religious liberty. There were many prophetic lines in the Manhattan Declaration, which was co-authored by Chuck Colson, Dr. Timothy George of Beeson Divinity School, and Dr. Robert George of Princeton University, but none were more important than the last line:  that “we will fully and ungrudgingly render to Caesar what belongs to Caesar," but under “no circumstances” could we “render to Caesar what belongs to God.” Half-a-million Christians signed on. In the ten years since those words were written, Caesar (in other words, the state) has claimed more and more of what belongs to God, especially in the areas of life, marriage, and religious liberty. Just think of New York lawmakers high-fiving each other after they ensured unrestricted abortion up to the point of birth, or the governor of Virginia advocating infanticide. Or consider that doctor-assisted suicide is now legal in seven states and the District of Columbia. And what about marriage? Recall the White House lit up in rainbow colors after the Obergefell decision mandated same-sex “marriage” on all fifty states. And think of all the stories we've now heard of believers forced to choose between their faith and their livelihood, or adoption agencies forced to choose between their existence and their convictions. Or business owners like Jack Phillips and Barronelle Stutzman having to go to court to fend off Caesar's demands. Still, let's be clear. Far more important than what Caesar demands is what Christians are willing to concede. Just this week, a new Barna survey revealed that the number of Protestant pastors who are “very concerned” about religious freedom has dropped significantly in just three years—from 55 percent to only 34 percent. This is why Christians must decide where they stand, not based on the pressure of the cultural moment, but on the rock-solid, unchanging truth revealed to us in the Story of Scripture. We cannot render to Caesar what belongs to God. I don't think I can say it any better than Dr. Robert George did in his entry to our BreakPoint.org symposium about the Manhattan Declaration: “In the gospels, our Lord says . . .'be not afraid.' As we stand boldly for life, marriage, and religious liberty, let us heed His admonition. It is not for us to know when or even precisely how the victories will be won. Our task and duty is simply to be faithful and obedient—to bear witness and do what is right . . . When things look bleak, we must not give up hope, for to yield to despair is to fail to trust in Jesus.” To that I say Amen. If you've signed the Manhattan Declaration, I urge you to read it again. Consider again what we must do to honor God in this culture. If you've not read it or signed it, I urge you to consider doing so. You can find a link to the full text of the Manhattan Declaration, as well as to our online symposium, featuring Dr. George's comments along with those of 15 other thought leaders, at BreakPoint.org. And finally, I was pleased to work with the brilliant Dr. David Dockery on a new book, which is now available, that reflects on Christian conviction. It's called “Life, Marriage, and Religious Liberty: What Belongs to God, and What Belongs to Caesar.” An absolutely stunning group contributed to the book, including Dr. George, Joni Eareckson Tada, Randy Alcorn, Ryan Anderson, Frederica Mathewes-Green, Michael Farris, Kristen Waggoner, Mary Eberstadt and more. It's available for purchase here at the Colson Center Bookstore.  This is worth repeating: We will ungrudgingly render to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, but we can never render to Caesar what belongs to God.

Frederica Mathewes-Green interviews Nicholas Kosar about Colonel Philip Ludwell III, the first known American convert to Orthodoxy.

In early May, HHS announced new rules to ensure that “healthcare professionals will not feel compelled to leave the practice of medicine because they decline to participate in actions that violate their conscience such as abortion, sterilization, or assisted suicide.” Not surprisingly, the new rule was immediately challenged in federal court by groups alleging, among other things, that the new rule “advances specific religious beliefs in violation of the First Amendment; violates patients' rights to privacy, liberty and equal dignity as guaranteed by the Fifth Amendment; and chills patients' speech and expression in violation of the First Amendment, all to the detriment of patients' health and well-being.” Other left-wing websites such as Salon also joined the chorus of outrage. “Progressives fight back against Religious Right's grotesque ‘religious freedom' power play'” one of the headlines proclaimed. In addition to the strange us of the word “grotesque,” the headline put religious freedom in scare quotes, and the article went on to claim that the new rule has “nothing to do with the genuine freedom to adhere to one's religious beliefs.” No, instead, religious freedom is a “power play” to invent what they call “an imaginary right to discriminate.” I think a better use of the word “imaginary” would be repeated references to the Handmaid's Tale we've all been forced to endure over the last two years. Salon's rhetoric is nothing new. But I was surprised by Salon's claim that our nation's new “theocratic direction,” as they put it, has its origin in, of all things, the Manhattan Declaration! Theocratic? To paraphrase “The Princess Bride,” people keep using that word, but it does not mean what they think it means. A theocracy is “a form of government in which God or a deity is recognized as the supreme civil ruler,” and “His laws [are] interpreted by the ecclesiastical authorities.” A theocracy was the last thing that Manhattan Declaration authors Chuck Colson, Robert George, and Timothy George had in mind. As Chuck Colson wrote, the Manhattan Declaration was “a clarion call to conscience, a wake-up call to the church.” Then, and even more so now, Christians were in no position to “impose” their views on anyone. In fact, we've barely been able to impose them on ourselves, which was why the Manhattan Declaration was created in the first place. In the ten years since the Declaration was issued, progressives have labeled any assertion of conscience, any refusal to conform one's conduct to the prevailing cultural orthodoxy as an attempt at “theocracy.” Cue those protestors dressed as handmaids. The issues raised by the Manhattan Declaration—life, marriage, and religious liberty—are more important now than ever. Even more important, however, is that we are able to articulate and explain why these issues are so important and non-negotiable for Christians in the first place—and why the authors and a half a million signers of the Manhattan Declaration solemnly declared that “We will fully and ungrudgingly render to Caesar what belongs to Caesar,” but under “no circumstances” can we “render to Caesar what belongs to God.” That's why in this 10th anniversary year of the Manhattan Declaration, I was pleased to work with the brilliant Dr. David Dockery on a new book, “Life, Marriage, and Religious Liberty: What Belongs to God, What Belongs to Caesar.” We assembled a stunning group of contributors, including both Dr. Georges, Joni Eareckson Tada, Randy Alcorn, Ryan Anderson, Frederica Mathewes-Green, Michael Farris, Kristen Waggoner, Mary Eberstadt and more. The book is available at BreakPoint.org with your next donation to BreakPoint and the Colson Center. I hope you'll get a copy for yourself, or for your small group. Christians do not want a theocracy. We simply want the freedom to live out our faith in the way that has proven to be good for the world. But make no mistake, what opponents of religious liberty want is nothing less than secular tyranny.   Resources The Manhattan Declaration The First Freedom: The Primacy of Religious Freedom in the Quest for Liberty of Conscience Timothy D. Padgett, BreakPoint, May 31, 2019   Life, Marriage, and Religious Liberty: What Belongs to God, What Belongs to Caesar (Essays for the Tenth Anniversary of the Manhattan Declaration). John Stonestreet and David Dockery, editors, 2019

Identity in Christ - Dr Carl Trueman is a professor of humanities at Grove City College. Is a rote prayer and the singing of a hymn or worship the same thing? - Frederica Mathewes-Green, a wide-ranging author, whose work has appeared in such diverse publications as the Wash Post, Christianity Today, Smithsonian, the LA Times, First Things, Books & Culture, Sojourners, & the Wall St Journal ... She writes regularly for the multifaith web magazine Beliefnet.com, & writes movie reviews for Nat'l Review Online & Christianity Today ... she's the author of "The Jesus Prayer: The Ancient Desert Prayer that Tunes the Heart to God," and the new book, "Welcome to the Orthodox Church: an Introduction to Eastern Christianity" Patriotism: How Christians should love and honor their own countries. - Dr. Richard Mouw is former president of Fuller Theological Seminary and author of "Adventures in Evangelical Civility: A Lifelong Quest for Common Ground"See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

To celebrate the fiftieth episode of the Hank Unplugged podcast, Hank is re-joined by his first guest, close friend and best-selling author Frederica Mathewes-Green. This wide-ranging conversation explores many of the most common misconceptions of Eastern Orthodox theology, how Orthodox theology actually works, and the true purpose of theology itself — experiencing God. Topics discussed include: why Frederica calls abortion the most important justice issue of our time (2:40); comparing the shifting arguments of pro-choice advocates surrounding the concept of personhood to the perception of personhood found in the Three-Fifths Compromise and slavery (5:05); sex-selective abortion (7:45); how Orthodox theology works — how the concept of theology in the Christian East differs from that of the Christian West (11:00); the Atonement — Christus Victor (16:50); how the fall of Rome affected the separation between the Christian East and the Christian West (18:00); the role of tradition in biblical interpretation (22:35); finding comfort in submitting oneself to the continuation of the teachings and traditions of the historic Christian faith (26:15); truth is necessary, but it's hardly sufficient when it comes to the authentic Christian life, because truly knowing God is more important than knowing about God (35:30); are we allowed to call anyone father? Apophatic theology and the fragile, futility of words (38:45); addressing the fragmentation and tribalism of the church and embracing the concept of mere Christianity while not compromising on the essentials of the historic Christian faith (41:15); addressing the theological unity amidst the ethnic distinctions within Orthodoxy (46:55); separation of church and state (49:40); the transformative power of The Jesus Prayer (53:00); discussing negative attitudes toward Mary and how Jesus would want us to feel about His mother (1:00:40); explaining the practice of venerating icons (1:07:00); exploring the biblical roots of liturgical practices of worship (1:10:50); why viewing the congregation as customers and marketing the consumeristic corruption of church is a tragedy (1:14:00); Nous and the false dichotomy between reason and emotion in theology (1:16:30); the danger in reducing theology to intellectual combat as opposed to a way to encounter and experience God (1:20:00); Romans 6:23 and contesting the common protestation that Orthodoxy is a crass system of works righteousness (1:23:00); and closing remarks (1:30:00).

On 1.28.18, Frederica Mathewes-Green introduced our community to the Eastern Orthodox practice, the Rite of Forgiveness.

Hank Hanegraaff, host of the Bible Answer Man broadcast and president of the Christian Research Institute, makes his debut into podcasting with the first episode of Hank Unplugged by inviting his close friend and best-selling author Frederica Mathewes-Green onto the podcast to discuss Hank's transition into Eastern Orthodoxy, being diagnosed with cancer, and the way that those two situations have impacted one another. Topics discussed include the difference Orthodoxy has made for Hank after being diagnosed with cancer and reordering his life around the divine (11:00); the history of the church, schisms, and the high priestly prayer that we all must be as one (14:00); community memory as a source of Church authority and the perpetuation of Holy tradition in addition to “being biblical” (22:30); the “spiritual gymnasium” found in the Orthodox Church (37:30); the tension Hank feels between wanting the Lord to heal him and wanting the Lord to prune him for His glory as a witness (40:30); the idea of intercession of the community of the saints through prayer and the idea that there are no dead Christians (46:30); and how Hank has staked his whole career and ministry on his belief in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist (52:30).