Podcasts about Orthodoxy

A native of Thessalonica, he rose from secretary to Alexander, Patriarch of Constantinople (commemorated August 30), to deacon, then succeeded St Alexander as Patriarch around 337. For his virtue and his zeal for Orthodoxy he was hated by the Arians, who were still powerful in the Empire. The Arian Emperor Constantius, learning of Paul's election, exiled him and made the Arian Eusebius Patriarch in his place. St Paul went to Rome, where he joined St Athanasius the Great in exile. Furnished with letters from Pope Julius, he was able to ascend the Patriarchal throne once again upon the death of Eusebius. But once again the Arians were able to put one of their party on the Patriarchal throne: Macedonius, who even went beyond the Arian heresy and denied the divinity of the Holy Spirit. Once again the legitimate, Orthodox Patriarch found himself in exile in Rome. In succeeding years St Paul stood firm for Orthodoxy while complex political and military intrigues swirled around him, with the Orthodox Constans, Emperor of the West (and Constantius' brother) supporting him while Constantius continued to oppose him. For a time Constans was able to enforce Paul's place on the Patriarchal throne, but when he died, Constantius banished St Paul to Cucusus on the Black Sea. There, while he was celebrating the Divine Liturgy in the house where he was kept prisoner, the Arians strangled him with his own omophorion. His relics were brought back to Constantinople by the Emperor Theodosius the Great.

I think it's time to REDEEM the Ortho-Bro label! Join Ben Luigi, Cleave to Antiquity & Matt 'Kingpilled' Erickson as we discuss converting young men to Orthodoxy through debate and content creation, the dangers of trying to smuggle in previous beliefs and ideologies and share stories of balancing the demands of the Church and living a modern life. Meet the Blessed is a panel talk show featuring Orthodox Christians to discuss the intersection of Orthodoxy, politics, and culture. It's like Meet the Press...but BLESSED!Please remember to Like, Subscribe, and SUPPORT this show and channel anyway you can - God Bless! Help Cooper Brooks pay his medical bills: https://www.givesendgo.com/GKB8F?utm_source=sharelink&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_campaign=GKB8FSTOP PAYING YT! Send Tips via Stream Labs: https://streamlabs.com/mironchucknow/tipOR Send me PayPal Bucks! https://paypal.me/2BITPODCAST?country.x=AU&locale.x=en_AUFOLLOW AND WATCH ON KICK:https://kick.com/mironchucknowTales of the Shadow Empire: https://mironchucknow.gumroad.com/l/ShadowempireSupport the Show on Patreon: www.patreon.com/2BitPodcastGO BUY SOME COFFEE AT FOX AND SONS! www.foxnsons.comUse Coupon Code NOW to get 15% off all orders over $30 Follow Me:X: https://x.com/MironchuckNOWSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/46drg48IIT4W4lDyRfkHFH?si=sAE_dgo5T_G10UpPnqHb_ASubstack: https://mironchucknow.substack.comContact: Mironchucknow@gmail.com

Welcome to the Inverted Orthodoxy Podcast! We're Blake, Kyle, and Doug the pastors from Living Springs, here to take you on a weekly adventure through the twists and turns of faith. Got questions? We've got answers, and sometimes more questions! Join us as we explore, celebrate, and embrace the beautiful complexities of belief. This weeks episode covers the following questionsAER- following the forgiving question on episode 409. How do you see forgiveness playing out in committed relationships? I see, and have experienced, the idea within a marriage that the couple often fights or disagrees about the same thing over and over. How do you continue to forgive your husband/wife when they keep doing the same thing that hurts you? Not necessarily talking about big stuff here, but little things that still cause hurt - for example, a partner choosing to do chores rather than hang out with you leaving you feeling neglected, rejected, and less important than the chores?AER: on the question of the body being able to transport or duplicate. Do you think we have souls or spirits? If yes, what do you think the difference is? Are you each a dualist or phyhsicalist? If you're dualists how do you think that the soul communicates with our bodies? If you're physicalists how do you reconcile this with scripture?How does the morality of teleportation change if God is involved? Is it immoral to ask God to teleport myself? What about others? What about others even if it's against their will? [Sep 24] Do the Jewish people as a nation still fall under the categorization as God's chosen? Did this change when Christ came and they rejected him? Is what is happening today still part of god's story in wanting to build them as a nation and be the crossroads the priesthood…holy nation set apart? I know as gentiles non Jews we are grafted in but is the Jewish nation still the initial called out chosen ones and are we to pray for the peace of Israel? Is that for today? Hope these questions make sense.Do you have a question you've been wanting answered? Head on over to our website www.invertedorthodoxy.com to submit a question. You can find us on Wednesdays on Youtube, or wherever you subscribe to podcasts. To learn more about our church, you can visit www.livingspringsairdrie.com

Truth That Burns, Love That Heals (Cat on a Hot Tin Roof)What if the most loving thing you can do is tell the ugliest truth? We gather the crew: Jeremy Jeremiah, Bri, James St. Simon, and Mario Andrew, to sit with Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and pull apart the mendacity that keeps a family polished on the outside and starved on the inside. With literature professor James St. Simon and the team, we unpack Maggie's raw persistence, Brick's calculated indifference, and Big Daddy's denial, tracing how confrontation becomes care when someone finally says what everyone already knows.A family built on mendacity tries to hold shape while money, memory, and desire pull it apart. We trace how hard truth cuts open the wound, why Maggie stays on the roof, and how Brick's numbness begins to thaw when lies finally fail.• Maggie's persistence as a test of love• Brick's addiction as avoidance of grief and desire• Big Daddy's denial and the cost of false reassurance• The hot tin roof as a metaphor for truth and marriage• Succession, status, and how families buy distraction• Confession as an act of care, not cruelty• Surgical model of reconciliation and slow healing• Rain, sobriety, and the fragile hope of renewalWe start in that charged bedroom where Maggie claws for connection and Brick drowns in bourbon, then widen to the loud halls where inheritance schemes and polite lies pass for affection. Along the way, we explore the hot tin roof as a living metaphor: love that burns but purifies, truth that hurts but heals. We talk addiction beyond the bottle—shopping, status, busyness—and why families so often choose props over presence. The turning point comes as Brick forces Big Daddy to face mortality and Big Daddy forces Brick to face desire, betrayal, and grief. No flashbacks, no easy answers—just voices, pressure, and the slow relief that only honesty can bring.From there, we map a practical path through reconciliation. Think surgery: you cut, remove the rot, and accept the scar. The rain-soaked confrontation reads like a baptism; Brick's first dry minute hints that sober love is possible when denial finally breaks. The film's ending resists fantasy, leaving stitches instead of smooth skin, and that's the point. Healing is real, but it's slow. If you've ever chosen distraction over intimacy or kept peace by keeping quiet, this conversation offers language, courage, and a way back to the table.If this resonated, subscribe, share it with a friend who loves classic cinema and honest talk, and leave a review with the truth you're choosing to face next.Questions about Orthodoxy? Please check out our friends at Ghost of Byzantium Discord server: https://discord.gg/JDJDQw6tdhPlease prayerfully consider supporting Cloud of Witnesses Radio: https://www.patreon.com/c/CloudofWitnessesFind Cloud of Witnesses Radio on Instagram, X.com, Facebook, and TikTokPlease leave a comment with your thoughts!

A religious programme for the Christian Orthodox community and all those interested in Orthodoxy. The programme covers spiritual discussions, readings, hymns and notices.

Answering your questions on our Discord and discussing everything on your mind. Send Superchats at any time here: https://streamlabs.com/jaydyer/tip Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnt7Iy8GlmdPwy_Tzyx93bA/join PRE-Order New Book Available in Sept here: https://jaysanalysis.com/product/esoteric-hollywood-3-sex-cults-apocalypse-in-films/ Get started with Bitcoin here: https://www.swanbitcoin.com/jaydyer/ The New Philosophy Course is here: https://marketplace.autonomyagora.com/philosophy101 Set up recurring Choq subscription with the discount code JAY44LIFE for 44% off now https://choq.com Subscribe to my site here: https://jaysanalysis.com/membership-account/membership-levels/ Follow me on R0kfin here: https://rokfin.com/jaydyer Music by Amid the Ruins 1453 https://www.youtube.com/@amidtheruinsOVERHAUL Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnt7Iy8GlmdPwy_Tzyx93bA/join Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnt7Iy8GlmdPwy_Tzyx93bA/join #comedy #podcast #entertainmentBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/jay-sanalysis--1423846/support.

A major thank you goes out to the Eschaton Vigil for his second edition release of The Eschatological Visions of the Blessed. This book is the ULTIMATE compendium of prophecies made available for the first time in English. In this stream I read through some of these prophecies. Make sure to check it out and let me know what you think. God bless Buy Here: https://eschatonvigil.org/product/the-eschatological-visions-of-the-blessed-second-edition/

President Javier Milei's party stormed to victory in midterm elections, helping to secure $20 bln or more of US support. In this Viewsroom podcast, Breakingviews columnists discuss how the iconoclast's somewhat conventional economic plan might nonetheless struggle from here. Visit the Thomson Reuters Privacy Statement for information on our privacy and data protection practices. You may also visit megaphone.fm/adchoices to opt-out of targeted advertising.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to the Inverted Orthodoxy Podcast! We're Blake, Kyle, and Doug the pastors from Living Springs, here to take you on a weekly adventure through the twists and turns of faith. Got questions? We've got answers, and sometimes more questions! Join us as we explore, celebrate, and embrace the beautiful complexities of belief. Today tackled the following questions: (1:20 into episode) AER: Doug has feelings about Chick-Fil-A(4:22 into episode) 1. 9Question 2: - Recommendation Request:I know you reference all sorts of podcasts, books, media, etc...and you reference them under each podcast… but do you have a simple list of resources/books for the following categories? For the new Christian... or the intrigued outsider For the cynical Christian for the Christian who wants to go very deep… or the intellectual Christianyour favourites of all time... or your must reads(21:04 into episode)  [Sep 3] What are your thoughts, comments, criticisms on the Alpha Course? Wondering if it is worthwhile.(oct 25) Is the alpha course still a valid way to teach newcomers to the faith? The more I study and learn who Jesus is, and what the gospel is, the more uncomfortable With some teachings like substitutionary atonement and other concepts that I learned that I find hard to unlearn was I go through deconstruction. I know one component of the course is discussion so maybe that's an opportunity, but what are your thoughts on that?(30:35 into episode) [Sep 9] Did Jesus know that he was God from the beginning? Would it have been revealed to him as he grew older (perhaps during his fasting) or would he have known as a kid?(40:10 into episode) [Sep 25] Is Jesus still part human now? Is that not His permanent state now, or can you shake something like that off? And what does this mean?(48:27 into episode) [Oct. 1] I thought I should direct my teleportation question to the experts, so I'm asking you guys; I know how close teleportation is to your hearts :)...if we had the star trek technology to teleport people, would it be ethical? if you're taking apart someone's matter, isn't that murder even if you're going to rebuild that person somewhere else? You have to kill that person every time to duplicates, don't you?Do you have a question you've been wanting answered? Head on over to our website www.invertedorthodoxy.com to submit a question. You can find us on Wednesdays on Youtube, or wherever you subscribe to podcasts. To learn more about our church, you can visit www.livingspringsairdrie.com

Send Superchats at any time here: https://streamlabs.com/jaydyer/tip Scream queens event: https://tampabayscreams.com Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnt7Iy8GlmdPwy_Tzyx93bA/join PRE-Order New Book Available in Sept here: https://jaysanalysis.com/product/esoteric-hollywood-3-sex-cults-apocalypse-in-films/ Get started with Bitcoin here: https://www.swanbitcoin.com/jaydyer/ The New Philosophy Course is here: https://marketplace.autonomyagora.com/philosophy101 Set up recurring Choq subscription with the discount code JAY44LIFE for 44% off now https://choq.com Subscribe to my site here: https://jaysanalysis.com/membership-account/membership-levels/ Follow me on R0kfin here: https://rokfin.com/jaydyer Music by Amid the Ruins 1453 https://www.youtube.com/@amidtheruinsOVERHAUL Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnt7Iy8GlmdPwy_Tzyx93bA/join Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnt7Iy8GlmdPwy_Tzyx93bA/join #comedy #podcast #entertainmentBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/jay-sanalysis--1423846/support.

Dr. Sean Morris of Covenant PCA in Oak Ridge, TN preaches on the Christology of Philippians 2:5-11 at a special Nicene Creed-centered joint evening service of several NAPARC churches at First Presbyterian (PCA) in Crossville, TN on 10/26/2025. Watch: https://youtu.be/djY9YMa8g6c?t=2339 

The title may be a bit confusing, but the two authors tackle an important issue--what was early Christianity like?  Was it pluralistic? Were there multiple Christianities? In chapter 5 they consider how early a list of accepted books (canon) was created. purchase book here I'm Gary Zacharias, a professor of English, avid reader, and passionate follower of Jesus Christ. This podcast is for anyone curious about the intellectual foundation of the Christian faith. Each episode, I feature a key book on topics like the existence of God, the historical evidence for Jesus, science and Christianity, or the reliability of the Bible. These are the books that have earned a permanent place on my apologetics bookshelf—and I want to share them with you. contact me: theapologistsbookshelf@gmail.com

This talk was given at St. Nicholas Orthodox Church (UOC-USA) in Charlottesville, VA. In it, Fr. Anthony presents Orthodoxy's sacramental view of creation and uses music as an example of how the royal priesthood, in Christ, fulfills its commission to pattern the cosmos according to that of Eden. My notes from the talk: I'm grateful to be back in Charlottesville, a place stitched into my story by Providence. Years ago, the Army Reserves sent me here after 9/11. I arrived with a job in Ohio on pause, a tidy life temporarily dismantled, and a heart that didn't care for the way soldiers are sometimes told to behave. So I went looking for an Orthodox church. I found a small mission and—more importantly—people who took me in as family. A patient priest and his matushka mentored me for six years. If anything in my priesthood bears fruit, it is because love first took root here. Bishops have a sense of humor; mine sent a Georgian convert with no Slavic roots to a Ukrainian parish in Rhode Island. It fit better than anyone could have planned. The Lord braided my history, discovering even ancestral ties in New England soil. Later, when a young man named Michael arrived—a reader who became a subdeacon, a deacon, and in time a priest—our trajectories crossed again. Father Robert trained me; by grace I was allowed to help train Father Michael; and now he serves here. This is how God sings His providence—melodies introduced, developed, and returned, until love's theme is recognizable to everyone listening. Why focus on music and beauty? Because they are not ornamental to the Gospel; they are its native tongue. Beauty tutors us in a sacramental world, not a "God of the gaps" world—where faith retreats to whatever science has not yet explained—but a world in which God is everywhere present and filling all things. Beauty is one of the surest ways to share the Gospel, not as salesmanship or propaganda, but as participation in what the world was made to be. The Church bears a particular charism for beauty; secular beauty can reflect it, but often only dimly—and sometimes in ways that distort the pattern it imitates. Beauty meets the whole human person: the senses and gut, the reasoning mind, and the deep heart—the nous—where awe, reverence, and peace bloom. Music is a wonderfully concrete instance of all of this: an example, a symbol, and—when offered rightly—a sacrament of sanctifying grace. Saint John begins his Gospel with the Logos—not a mere "word" but the Word whose meaning includes order, reason, and intelligibility: "All things were made through Him." Creation, then, bears the Logos' stamp in every fiber; Genesis repeats the refrain, "and God saw that it was good"—agathos, not just kalos. Agathos is goodness that is beautiful and beneficial, fitted to bless what it touches. Creation is not simply well-shaped; it is ordered toward communion, toward glory, toward gift. The Creed confesses the Father as Creator, the Son as the One through whom all things were made, and the Spirit as the Giver of Life. Creation is, at root, Trinitarian music—harmonies of love that invite participation. If you like, imagine the first chapter of Genesis sung. We might say: in the beginning, there was undifferentiated sound; the Spirit hovered; the Logos spoke tone, time, harmony, and melody into being. He set boundaries and appointed seasons so that music could unfold in an ordered way. Then He shaped us to be liturgists—stewards who can turn noise into praise, dissonance into resolution. The point of the story is not that God needed a soundtrack; it is that the world bears a pattern and purpose that we can either receive with thanksgiving or twist into something self-serving and cacophonous. We know what happened. In Adam and Eve's fall, thorns and thistles accompanied our work. Pain entered motherhood, and tyranny stalked marriage. We still command tools of culture—city-building, metallurgy, and yes, even music—but in Cain's line we see creativity conscripted to self-exaltation and violence. The Tower of Babel is the choir of human pride singing perfectly in tune against God. That is how sin turns technique into idolatry. Saint Paul describes the creation groaning in agony, longing for the revealing of the sons and daughters of God. This is not mere poetic flourish; it is metaphysical realism. The world aches for sanctified stewardship, for human beings restored to their priestly vocation. It longs for its music to be tuned again to the Logos. Christ enters precisely there—as the New Adam. Consider His Theophany. The Jordan "turns back," the waters are sanctified, because nothing impure remains in the presence of God. He does not merely touch creation; He heals it—beginning sacramentally with water, the primal element of both life and chaos. In our services for the Blessing of Water we sing, "Today the nature of the waters is sanctified… The Jordan is parted in two… How shall a servant lay his hand on the Master?" In prayer we cry, "Great are You, O Lord, and marvelous are Your works… Wherefore, O King and Lover of mankind, be present now by the descent of Your Holy Spirit and sanctify this water." This is not magic; it is synergy. We offer bread, wine, water, oil; we make the sign of the cross; we chant what the Church gives—and God perfects our offering with His grace. The more we give Him to work with, the more He transfigures. And then Holy Friday: the terrible beauty of the Passion. Sin's dissonance swells to cacophony as the Source of Beauty is slandered, pierced, and laid in the tomb. Icons and hymns do not hide the scandal—they name it. Joseph and Nicodemus take down a body that clothes itself with light as with a garment. Creation shudders; the sun withdraws; the veil is rent. Liturgically, we let the discomfort stand; sometimes the chant itself presses the dissonance upon us so that we feel the fracture. But the dissonance does not have the last word; it resolves—not trivially, not cheaply—into the transcendent harmony of Pascha. On the night of the Resurrection, the church is dark, then a single candle is lit, and the light spills outward. We sing, "Come receive the Light from the unwaning Light," and then the troparion bursts forth: "Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death…" The structure of salvation is musical: tension, longing, silence, and a resolution that is fuller than our peace had been before the conflict. Here is the pastoral heart of it: Christ restores our seal. Saint Paul says we are "sealed with the promised Holy Spirit." Think of a prosphora seal pressed into unbaked dough; the impression remains when the loaf is finished. Sin cracked our seal; everything we touched bore our corruptions. In Christ, the seal is made whole. In Baptism and Chrismation, that seal is pressed upon us—not only on the brow but on the whole person—so that our very engaging with the world can take on the pattern of the Logos again. We do not stop struggling—Paul's "what I would, I do not"—but we now struggle inside a music that resolves. Even our failures can become passing tones on the way to love, if we repent and return to the key. This is why the Church's common life matters so much. When we gather for Vespers and Liturgy, we enact the world's purpose. The Psalms give us perfect words; the Church's hymnody gives us perfected poetry. Music, rightly offered, is Logos-bearing—it is rational in the deepest sense—and love is the same. Music requires skill and repetition; so does love. Music benefits from different voices and timbres; love, too, is perfected when distinct persons yield to a single charity. Music engages and transfigures dissonance; love confronts conflict and heals it. Music honors silence; love rests and listens. These are not analogies we force upon the faith—they are the way creation is built. The world says, "sing louder," but the will to power always collapses into noise. The Church says, "sing together." In the Eucharistic assembly, the royal priesthood becomes itself—men, women, and children listening to one another, matching pitch and phrase, trusting the hand that gives the downbeat, and pouring our assent into refrains of "Lord have mercy" and "Amen." The harmony is not uniformity; it is concord. It is not sentimentality; it is charity given and received. And when the Lord gives Himself to us for the healing of soul and body, the music goes beyond even harmony; it becomes communion. That is why Orthodox Christians are most themselves around the chalice: beauty, word, community, and sacrament converge in one act of thanksgiving. From there, the pastoral task is simply to help people live in tune. For families: cultivate attentiveness, guard against codependence and manipulation, and practice small, steady habits—prayer, fasting, reconciliation—that form the instincts of love the way scales form a musician's ear. For parishes: refuse the twin temptations of relativism and control; resist both the shrug and the iron fist. We are not curators of a museum nor managers of a brand; we are a choir rehearsing resurrection. Attend to the three "parts" of the mind you teach: let the senses be purified rather than inflamed; let the intellect be instructed rather than flattered; and let the nous—the heart—learn awe. Where awe grows, so does mercy. And for evangelization in our late modern world—filled with distraction, suspicion, and exhaustion—beauty may prove to be our most persuasive speech. Not the beauty of mere "aesthetics," but agathos beauty—the kind that is beautiful and beneficial, that heals what it touches. People come to church for a thousand different reasons: loneliness, curiosity, habit, crisis. What they really long for is God. If the nave is well-ordered, if the chant is gentle and strong, if the icons are windows rather than billboards, if the faces of the faithful are kind—then even before a word is preached, the Gospel will have begun its work. "We no longer knew whether we were in heaven or on earth," the emissaries of Rus' once said of their time at worship in Hagia Sophia. Beauty did not close their minds; it opened them to truth. None of this bypasses suffering. In fact, beauty makes us more available to it, because we stop numbing ourselves and begin to love. The Scriptures do not hide this: the Jordan is sanctified, but the Cross remains; the tomb is real; the fast is pangful. Yet in Christ, dissonance resolves. The Church's hymnody—from Psalm 103 at the week's beginning to the Nine Odes of Pascha—trains us to trust the cadence that only God can write. We learn to wait in Friday night's hush, to receive the flame from the unwaning Light, and to sing "Christ is risen" not as a slogan but as the soundtrack of our lives. So: let us steward what we've been given. Let us make the sign of the cross over our children at bedtime; let our conversations overflow with psalmody; let contended silence have a room in every home; let reconciliation be practiced before the sun goes down. Let every parish be a school for choir and charity, where no one tries to sing over his brother, and no one is left straining alone in the back row. If we will live this way, not perfectly but repentantly, then in us the world will begin to hear the old pattern again—the Logos' pattern—where goodness is beautiful and beauty does good. And perhaps, by God's mercy, the Lord will make of our small obedience something larger than we can imagine: a melody that threads through Charlottesville and Anderson, through Rhode Island and Kyiv, through every parish and prison and campus, until the whole creation—long groaning—finds its voice. Let God arise. Let His enemies be scattered. Christ is risen, trampling down death by death, and upon those in the tombs bestowing life.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/athens-jerusalem-orthodox-art-philosophy-life-tickets-1598008298839?aff=oddtdtcreator&utm-source=cp&utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=listing Send Superchats at any time here: https://streamlabs.com/jaydyer/tip Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnt7Iy8GlmdPwy_Tzyx93bA/join PRE-Order New Book Available in Sept here: https://jaysanalysis.com/product/esoteric-hollywood-3-sex-cults-apocalypse-in-films/ Get started with Bitcoin here: https://www.swanbitcoin.com/jaydyer/ The New Philosophy Course is here: https://marketplace.autonomyagora.com/philosophy101 Set up recurring Choq subscription with the discount code JAY44LIFE for 44% off now https://choq.com Subscribe to my site here: https://jaysanalysis.com/membership-account/membership-levels/ Follow me on R0kfin here: https://rokfin.com/jaydyer Music by Amid the Ruins 1453 https://www.youtube.com/@amidtheruinsOVERHAUL Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnt7Iy8GlmdPwy_Tzyx93bA/join #comedy #podcast #entertainmentBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/jay-sanalysis--1423846/support.

Part 5 Of the many teachings contained in the Bible, there is one teaching that the Bible is unequivocal about and absolute in its declaration: there is but one true and living God.  Monotheism oozes out of every page of God's sacred record in both the Old and New Testaments.  Orthodoxy demands that the adherent of Christianity hold to the belief in the existence of only one God!!  Every prophet from Moses through to Jesus taught that there was but one God.  At first glance, it appears that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are on the same page.  However, as one begins to dig beneath the surface of its conventional publicity statements, one discovers layer after layer of heresy from the denial of the Trinity to the human anatomy of God the Father. If one is to understand the Mormon hope as it relates to eternity, one must first understand the particular God whom they serve.      Download teaching notes (pdf) https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/bethesdashalom/5_The_Doctrine_of_God.pdf

Ready to untie the red thread holding the New Age, Gnostic Christianity, and the antichrist together? Join me in an episode explaining and exposing the fabrics of Kabbalah, also known as Jewish mysticism.  Learn how it's woven itself into the biggest psychological operation to exist, Lucifer's lie sewn into the Garden of Eden.In this episode I discuss what tempted Eve, Lucifer's fall, how everything stems from Kabbalah, the meaning of 6,000,000, Saturn worship and the hexagram, the New Age and Kabbalah, how all paths do not lead to God, how Gnostic Christianity grew from the roots of Kabballah, the keys to understanding Kabballah, the Protestant Reformation, quantum physics, the Big Bang and Catholicism, ecumenism, Seraphim Rose and his book "Orthodoxy and the Religion of the Future," the Noahide Laws, the Royal Academy, cabals, and so much more!Want more? Let's be friends. Join the Friendship Membership.Want to read my memoir, Here Comes Trouble? It's available now. Order your copy.

With the three-week-long Jewish holiday season behind us, Ralph Benmergui, the well-known TV and radio personality—and former podcaster with The CJN—is still kvelling about the first-ever High Holiday services offered by Ha'Sadeh in Toronto. The new-ish, Jewish Renewal community welcomed 150 attendees for its Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashanah services this season. It wasn't just a new beginning for Ha'Sadeh, but also for Benmergui himself, who was recently named as the new executive director for the Canadian branch of Jewish Renewal, ALEPH Canada. The movement is more popular outside Canada than inside—there are 50 congregations worldwide, including Vancouver's Or Shalom Synagogue—but there are smaller Renewal communities in Canada without brick-and-mortar buildings that aren't quite yet “congregations”, the latest of which is Ha'Sadeh. Its participants join a worldwide movement whose goal is to reinvigorate Judaism by mixing traditional Orthodoxy with spiritual concepts such as meditation, inclusiveness and concern for the planet. Jewish Renewal was founded in the 1960s by some breakaway American Chabad rabbis, including the late Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, who spent decades in Winnipeg, and Rabbi Arthur Waskow, who just recently passed away on Oct. 20, 2025. On today's episode of The CJN's North Star podcast, host Ellin Bessner sits down with Ralph Benmergui for a deeply personal conversation about why he took on this new job just weeks away from his 70th birthday, and how he hopes to grow the movement within his home country so Canadian Jews can live more meaningful Jewish spiritual lives. Related links Learn more about the Jewish Renewal movement in Canada through their ALEPHCanada website. Hear Aleph Canada's new Executive Director Ralph Benmergui interview Toronto Jewish Renewal Rabbi Aaron Rotenberg for The CJN's Not That Kind of Rabbi podcast. Why Ralph Benmergui became ordained as a Spiritual Director with the ALEPH Jewish Renewal movement, in The CJN. Credits Host and writer: Ellin Bessner (@ebessner) Production team: Zachary Kauffman (senior producer), Andrea Varsany (producer), Michael Fraiman (executive producer) Music: Bret Higgins Support our show Subscribe to The CJN newsletter Donate to The CJN (+ get a charitable tax receipt) Subscribe to North Star (Not sure how? Click here)

Fr. Evan answers your questions on whether or not Orthodox Christians should celebrate Halloween, why the Holy Spirit might call protestants to Orthodoxy when they are already engaged in fruitful ministry elsewhere, how the Orthodox interpret biblical references to Peter as the rock, possible solutions to the clergy shortage, and more on this week's episode of Orthodoxy Live!

10.19.2025 | Acts 20:17-38 | Rev. Kent Woodrow

QUOTES FOR REFLECTION The madman jumped into their midst and pierced them with his eyes.“Whither is God?” he cried; “I will tell you.We have killed him—you and I. All of us are his murderers.But how did we do this? How could we drink up the sea?Who gave us the sponge to wipe away the entire horizon?What were we doing when we unchained this earth from its sun?Whither is it moving now? Whither are we moving? Away from all suns?Are we not plunging continually?Backward, sideward, forward, in all directions? Is there still any up or down?Are we not straying, as through an infinite nothing? Do we not feel the breath of empty space?Has it not become colder? Is not night continually closing in on us?”~“The Parable of the Madman” by Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900) “How much larger your life would be, if your self could become smaller in it.”~G.K. Chesterton (1874-1936), author and literary critic in Orthodoxy “For even creation reveals Him who formed it, and the very work made suggests Him who made it, and the world manifests Him who ordered it.”~Irenaeus (c.125-c.202), early church leader, in Against Heresies (II.9.1) “Beauty is truth, truth beauty,—that is allYe know on earth, and all ye need to know.” “A thing of beauty is a joy forever:Its loveliness increases; it will neverPass into nothingness; but still will keepA bower quiet for us, and a sleep…An endless fountain of immortal drink,Pouring unto us from the heaven's brink.”~John Keats (1795-1821) from “Ode to a Grecian Urn” and Endymion “Because the face of God is so lovely, my brothers and sisters, so beautiful, once you have seen it, nothing else can give you pleasure. It will give insatiable satisfaction of which we will never tire. We shall always be hungry and always have our fill.”~Augustine (354-430 A.D.), North African church leader and theologian “Glory is the beauty of God unveiled! Glory is the resplendent radiance of His power and His personality…. Glory is the external elegance of the internal excellencies of God. Glory is what you see and experience and feel when God goes public with His beauty!”~C. Samuel Storms (1951-present), theologian and authorSERMON PASSAGEPsalm 191 The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.2 Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. Isaiah 6 1 In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2 Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one called to another and said:“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;the whole earth is full of his glory!” John 1 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…. 14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 12 41 Isaiah said these things because he saw [Jesus's] glory and spoke of him. 42 Nevertheless, many even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue; 43 for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God. John 17 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed….24 Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.Leviticus 10 1 Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it and laid incense on it and offered unauthorized fire before the Lord, which he had not commanded them. 2 And fire came out from before the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord. 3 Then Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the Lord has said: ‘Among those who are near me I will be sanctified, and before all the people I will be glorified.'” And Aaron held his peace. 1 Corinthians 3 16 Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? 17 If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple. Romans 118 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.

In this sermon, Chris Montgomery explores the themes of repentance and religious superiority through the teachings of John the Baptist. He encourages listeners to 'dare to stand up' by living a life true to God's calling, focusing on orthodoxy, orthopathy, and orthopraxy. The message highlights the dangers of drifting into religious superiority and emphasizes the importance of personal faith and repentance.

Icons, Conversion, And A Life ReframedWe trace Sdn Michael Roeder's path from ministry and publishing to iconographer and the deaconate, exploring how a single purchase grew into a collection, a craft, and a new spiritual home. Along the way we unpack technique, tradition, and why icons feel like windows that also watch.Join us for this Cloud of Witnesses exclusive, a presentation on an iconographer's journey from faith, to art, to transcendence, to Orthodoxy, given only once at Point Loma Nazarene University, Thursday, October 2nd, at 7 p.m. (PDT).  • early family loss, blended roots, and resilient confidence• first icon purchase and the pull toward sacred art• retirement, workshops, and apprenticeship in iconography• Orthodoxy's phronema and full-senses worship• travel to Russia, Wales, and encounters with living tradition• making, gilding, and finishing techniques for icons• how tradition guides creativity without distortion• parish life, service, and supporting church iconographers• collecting ethics, provenance, and legacy questions• why the eyes of saints communicate love and peaceWhat if a single image could rearrange your life? Michael Rader joins us to share how buying one modest icon opened a door to two hundred more, years of study and apprenticeship, and a surprising call to serve as a subdeacon. We follow his path from youth ministry and publishing into the world of egg tempera, gold leaf, incense, and chant—learning how beauty can teach as deeply as books and how a tradition can expand the heart without abandoning the mind.We talk about the phronema—the Orthodox way of seeing—and why the liturgy engages every sense: candles and incense for scent, chant and bells for sound, processions and prostrations for the body, and a calendar that binds communities across continents. Michael explains how icons are made, from gessoed boards and warm red bole beneath leaf to fine painted gold for intricate lines. He shares the craft realities of commissions, timelines, and finishing, and the guardrails that keep iconography faithful to theology while still leaving room for personal skill and nuance.Travel stories from Russia and Wales bring the tradition to life: cathedrals heavy with color, Rublev's Trinity looming with quiet power, and small wooden churches radiant without marble or gold. We explore collecting with conscience, the peace guests feel in a home lined with saints, and a simple test from a trusted dealer: look into the eyes and see whether the love of God looks back. That gaze, Michael says, is what drew him deeper—past analysis, into adoration. Press play to meet the saints, learn the craft, and consider how sacred art might reshape your prayer, your space, and your week.Enjoyed the conversation? Follow Cloud of Witnesses, share with a friend who loves art and faith, and leave a review with the icon or artwork that moved you most.Questions about Orthodoxy? Please check out our friends at Ghost of Byzantium Discord server: https://discord.gg/JDJDQw6tdhPlease prayerfully consider supporting Cloud of Witnesses Radio: https://www.patreon.com/c/CloudofWitnessesFind Cloud of Witnesses Radio on Instagram, X.com, Facebook, and TikTokPlease leave a comment with your thoughts!

In this stream I discuss 30 apologetic arguments every Christian should know in order to provide a reasonable defense of the faith. If you would like to join our private discussion on Apologetics join the Logos Academy as we are hosting a Think Tank at 7:00pm EST 10/15/2025. Make sure to check it out and let me know what you think. God bless Sign up to join the Think Tank

Vanessa Ogaldez, LAMFTSPECIALTIES:TraumaCouples CommunicationIdentity/Self Acceptancehttps://www.dcctherapy.com/vanessa-ogaldez-lamftFrom Her website: Maybe you have said something like, “What else can I do?” and it is possible you feel stuck or heartbroken because you can't seem to connect with your partner as you want or used to. Whether or not you're in a relationship and you have experienced trauma, hurtful arguments, or life changes that have brought on disconnection in your relationships, there is a sense of loss and heartache. You may find yourself in “robot mode” just going through your daily tasks, causing you to eventually disconnect from others, only to continue the cycle of miscommunication and loneliness. Perhaps you feel misunderstood, and you compensate by being helpful to everyone else while you yearn for true intimacy and friendships. Sometimes you feel there are so many experiences that have contributed to your pain and suffering that you don't know where to start. There are Cultural norms you may feel that not everyone can understand and therapy is not one of those Cultural norms. I believe therapy can be a place of safety, healing, and self-discovery. As a therapist, my focus is to support you and your goals in life and relationships. I am committed to you building deep communications, connections and feeling secure in the ability to share your emotions.Danielle (00:06):Good morning. I just had the privilege and honor of interviewing my colleague, another therapist and mental health counselor in Chicago, Vanessa Les, and she is located right in the midst of Chicago with an eye and a view out of her office towards what's happening with ICE and immigration raids. I want to encourage you to listen into this episode of the Arise Podcast, firsthand witness accounts and what is it actually like to try to engage in a healing process when the trauma may be committed right before someone comes in the office. We know that's a possibility and right after they leave the office, not suggesting that it's right outside the door, but essentially that the world in which we are living is not as hopeful and as Mary as we would like to think, I am sad and deeply disturbed and also very hopeful that we share this power inside of ourselves.(01:10):It's based on nonviolence and care and love for neighbor, and that is why Vanessa and I connected. It's not because we're neighbors in the sense of I live next door to her in Chicago and she lives next door to me in Washington. We're neighbors because as Latinas in this world, we have a sense of great solidarity in this fight for ourselves, for our families, for our clients, to live in a world where there's freedom, expression, liberation, and a movement towards justice and away from systems and oppression that want to literally drag us into the pit of hell. We're here to say no. We're here to stand beside one another in solidarity and do that together. I hope you join us in this conversation and I hope you find your way to jump in and offer your actual physical resources, whether it's money, whether it's walking, whether it's calling a friend, whether it's paying for someone's mental health therapy, whether it's sharing a meal with someone, sharing a coffee with someone. All these things, they're just different kinds of things that we can do, and that's not an exhaustive list.(02:28):I love my neighbor. I even want to talk to the people that don't agree with me, and I believe Vanessa feels the same way. And so this episode means a lot to me. It's very important that we pay attention to what's happening and we ground ourselves in the reality and the experiences of black and brown bodies, and we don't attempt to make them prove over and over and over what we can actually see and investigate with our own eyes. Join in. Hey, welcome Vanessa. I've only met you once in person and we follow each other online, but part of the instigation for the conversation is a conversation about what is reality. So there's so many messages being thrown at us, so many things happening in the world regarding immigration, law enforcement, even mental health fields, and I've just been having conversations with different community members and activists and finding out how do you find yourself in reality what's happening. I just first would love to hear who you are, where you're at, where you're coming from, and then we can go from there.Vanessa (03:41):Okay. Well, my name is Vanessa Valez. I'm a licensed marriage and family therapist. Before becoming a therapist five years ago through my license, I worked in nonprofit for over 20 years, working with families and community and addressing what is the need and what is the problem and how can we all get together. Been involved with different movements and nonprofit organizations focusing on the community in Humbolt Park and Logan Square in the inner city of Chicago. My parents are longtime activists and they've been instrumental in teaching me how to work in community and be part of community and to be empathetic and thoughtful and caring and feeling like what happens to me happens to us and what happens to us happens to me. So that's kind of the values that I come from and have always felt that were true. I'm a mom of three and my husband and I have been together for 29 years, so since we were teenagers.Thank you. But yeah, so that's a lot of just in general who I am and culturally, I come from an Afro Latina culture. I am a Puerto Rican born here, well born in New York where my family was from and they migrated from Puerto Rico, my grandparents did. And in our culture, we are African, we are indigenous, and my dad is Puerto Rican and Native American. So there's a lot in here that I am a hundred percent all of it. So I think that's the view and experience that I come from is knowing who I am and my ancestors who are very important to me.Danielle (06:04):I mean, that encompasses so much of what I think the battle is over who gets to be American and who doesn't. Right? Yeah, definitely. From your position in your job and you're in Chicago right on the ground, I think a lot of people are wondering what's really happening? What are you seeing? What's true? Can you speak to that a little bit?Vanessa (06:32):Yeah. What's really happening here is, I don't know, it's like what's really happening here? People are really scared. People are really scared. Families that are black and brown, families that are in low income situations, families that have visas, families that have green cards, families that are undocumented, all of us are really scared and concerned, and the reason is because we feel that there is power being taken from us without any kind of accountability. So I see my friends and family saying ICE is in our neighborhood, and I mean a block away from where I live, ICE is in our neighborhood, in our schools. We have to watch out. ICE is in front of our church or ICE is patrolling our neighborhood, and we have to all come together and start throwing whistles and we have to know what it is that we're supposed to do if we get interact, if we interact with ice or any kind of federal agent, which is just in itself disturbing, and we're supposed to just get up in our day and send our kids to school, and we're supposed to go to work and do the things that we're supposed to do.(08:07):So it's traumatic. This is a trauma that we are going through, and I think that it only triggers the traumas that a lot of us, black and brown people and community have been trying to get the world to listen and recognize this isn't new for us. It's just now very aggressive and very violent and going backwards instead of forward.(08:39):I think that's how I would describe what is really happening in Chicago. On the other side, I think there's this other place of, I'm kind of really proud of a lot of our people where I think it is understandable to say, you know what? It's not me or mine, or I got my papers all together, so that's really unfortunate, but it's not something that's happening in front of me. I could understand that there are some of some people who feel that way because it does feel like a survival situation. I think though there are others who are saying, no, what happens to you is happening to me too, I'm going to keep accountable to my power. And there's a lot of allies out there. There are a lot of people who are moving and saying, I'm afraid, but I'm still going to act in my fear.(09:37):And I think that's really brave. So in that way, I feel like there's this movement of bravery and a movement of we've had enough and we're going to reinvent what it is that is our response. It's not this or that. It's not extreme to extreme, but I'm going to do it in the way that I feel is right and that I feel that it's good for me to do and I can be truthful in that. And so today I'm really proud because my kids are going to be protesting and walking out of their school and I'm super, super proud and I was like, send pictures because I'm so proud of them. And so someone could say, is that doing anything? I'm like, hell yeah, doing something. It's doing something. The kids are saying, what power do we have? Not much, but whatever I have, I'm going to put that out there and I'm going to be brave and do it.(10:34):And it's important for us to support them. I feel their school does a really good job of supporting them and guiding them through this and letting us parents know, Hey, talk to your kids about this shadow to Belmont Intrinsic Charter School. But they really are doing something. And I find that in a lot of the schools around Chicago, around the Hermosa, Logan Square, Humbold Park area where I live in Humboldt Park, I find that a lot of the schools are stepping up and saying, we are on the community side of taking care of our kids and what's best for our families. So there's that happening and I want to make sure to give that. We have to see that too.Danielle (11:15):One thing you really said at the beginning really struck me. You said power without accountability. And two things I think of you see a truck, you see a law enforcement person acting without accountability. Not only does that affect you in the moment and that trauma particularly maybe even chase you, but I think it activates all the other sense and remembrances of when you didn't have power and there was no accountability. So I thought of that, but I also thought of the people perpetrating these crimes and the way it's reinforcing for inside their own body that they can do whatever they want and not have to pay attention to their own soul, not have to pay attention to their own humanity. And there's something extremely dehumanizing about repeating and repeating and normalizing that for them too. So I was, those are the two things that kind of struck me at the beginning of what you said.Vanessa (12:14):Yeah, I think what you're saying right now is I think the shock factor of it all of how could you do this and do these things and say these things and not only feel that there won't be any accountability, and I think all of us are kind of going like, who's going to keep this accountable? But I think also, how can you do that and feel okay about it? And so I think about the president that just is, I think a person who I will always shock me all the things that he's doing and saying, it shocks me and I'm glad it shocks me. It should never be normal, and I think that's important. I think sometimes with a lot of supporters of his, there's this normalcy of that's just him. He's just really meaning what he's saying or he's just kind of blunt and I like that about him. That should never be normalized. So that's shocking that you can do that. He can do that and it not be held accountable to the extent that it should be. And then for there to be this huge impact on the rest of us that he's supposed to be supporting, he's supposed to be protecting and looking out for, and then it's permissible, then it's almost supported. It's okay. This is a point of view that other people are like, I'm in supportive.(13:47):I think that sounds evil. It sounds just evil and really hard to contend with,Danielle (13:58):Which actually makes what the students do to walk out of their schools so much so profoundly resistant, so profoundly different. Walking itself is not violent kids themselves against man and masks fully. I've seen the pictures and I'm assuming they're true, fully geared up weapons at their side, tear gas, all this, and you just have kids walking. Just the stark contrast in the way they're expressing their humanity,Vanessa (14:30):Right? Yes. I think, yeah, I see that too, and I think it's shocking and to not recognize that, I think that's shocking for me when people don't recognize that what is going on with I think the cognitive process, what is going on with people in society, in American society where they look at children or people walking and they demonize it, but then they see the things and hear the things that this administration is doing and that they're seeing the things that our military is being forced to do and seeing the things that are happening with ice agents and they don't feel like there's anything wrong with it. That's just something that I'm trying to grapple with. I don't. I see it and you see it. Well, it is kind of like I don't know what to do with it.Danielle (15:34):So what do you do then when you hear what happens in your own body when you hear, oh, there's ice agents at my kid's school or we're things are on lockdown. What even happens for you in your body?Vanessa (15:48):I think what happens for me is what probably a lot of people are experiencing, which is immediate fear, immediate sorrow, immediate. I think I froze a few times thinking about it when it started happening here in Chicago more so I have a 17-year-old little brown boy, and we're tall people, so he is a big guy. He might look like a man. He is six something, six three maybe, but this is my little boy, this is my baby, and I have to send him out there every day immediately after feeling the shock and the sorrow of there's so many people in our generations. I could think of my parents, I could think of my grandparents that have fought so that my son can be in a better place and I feel like we're reverting. And so now he's going to experience something that I never want him to experience. And I feel like my husband and I have done a really great job of trying to prepare him for life with the fact that people are going to, some of them are going to see him in a different way or treat him in a different way. This is so different. The risk is so much greater because it's permissible now,(17:19):And so shock a freeze, and then I feel like life and vision for the future has halted for everybody here.(17:29):We can't have the conversation of where are we going? What is the vision of the future and how can I grow as a person? We're trying to just say, how can I get from A to Z today without getting stopped, without disappearing, without the fear completely changing my brain and changing my nervous system, and how can I find joy today? That is the big thing right now. So immediately there's this negative effect of this experience, and then there is the how can we recover and how can we stay safe? That's the big next step for us is I think people mentioned the word resilience and I feel like more people are very resilient and have historically been resilient, but it's become this four letter word. I don't want to be resilient anymore. I want to thrive. And I feel like that for my people. My community is like, why do we have to feel like we, our existence has to be surviving and this what's happening now with immigration and it's more than immigration. We know that it's not about just, oh, let's get the criminals. We know that this is targeted. There's proof out there, and the fact that we have to keep on bringing the proof up, it makes no sense. It just means if you don't believe it, then you've made a decision that you're not going to believe it. So it doesn't matter if we repeat it or not. It doesn't matter if you're right there and see it. So the fact that we have to even do the put out the energy of trying to get this message out and get people to be aware of it(19:24):Is a lot of energy on top of the fact that we're trying to survive this and there's no thriving right now. And that's the truth.Danielle (19:38):And the fact that people can say, oh, well, that's Chicago, that's not here, or that's Portland, that's not here. And the truth is it's here under the surface, the same hate, the same bigotry, the same racism, the same extreme violence. You can feel it bubbling under the surface. And we've had our own experiences here in town with that. I think. I know they've shut off funding for Pell grants.And I know that's happened. It happened to my family. So you even feel the squeeze. You feel the squeeze of you may get arrest. I've had the same talk with my very brown, curly hair, dark sun. I'm like, you can't make the mistakes other kids make. You can't walk in this place. You can't show up in this way. This is not a time where you can be you everywhere you go. You have to be careful.Vanessa (20:38):I think that's the big thing about our neighborhoods is that's the one place that maybe we could do that. That's the one place I could put my loud music on. That's the one place I could put my flags up. My Puerto Rican flags up and this is the one place that we could be. So for that to now be taken from us is a violence.Danielle (21:01):Yeah, it is a violence. I think the fact, I love that you said at the very beginning you said this, I was raised to think of what happens to me is happening to you. What happens to you is happening to me. What happens to them is happening to me and this idea of collective, but we live in a society that is forced separation, that wants to think of it separate. What enables you to stay connected to the people that love you and that are in your community? What inside of you drives that connection? What keeps you moving? I know you're not thriving, but what keeps youVanessa (21:37):Surviving? That's a good question. What keeps us surviving is I think it's honestly, I'll be really honest. It's the knowledge that I feel like I'm worth it.(21:53):I'm worth it. And I've done the work to get there. I've done the work to know my healing and to know my worth and to know my value. And in that, I feel like then I can make it My, and I have made it. My duty to do that for others is to say, you are worth it. You are so valuable. I need you and I know that you need me. And so I need to be well in order to be there for you. And that's important. I think. I see my kids, and of course they're a big motivator for me of getting up every day and trying to persevere and trying to find happiness with them and monitor their wellbeing and their mental health. And so that's a motivation. But that's me being connected with others. And so then there's family and friends that I'm connected with talking to my New York family all the time, and they're talking to me about what's going on there and them asking them what's going on there. And then we're contending with it. But then, so there's a process of crying about it, process of holding each other's hands and then process of reminding each other, we're not alone(23:12):And then processing another level of, and we can't give up. There's just too much to give up here. And so if it's going to be taken, we're going to take back our power and we're going to make it the narrative of what it's going to be, of how this fight is going to be fought. And that feels motivating. Something to do. There's just so much we've done, so much we've built(23:35):These communities have, I mean, sometimes they show the videos of ice agents and I'm like, wow, behind the scenes of the violence happening, you could see these beautiful murals. And I'm like, that's why we fight. That's why every day we get up, that's why we persevere is because we have been here. It wasn't like we just got here. We've been here and we've been doing the work and we've been building our communities. They are taking what we've grown. They're taking research from these universities. They're taking research from these young students who are out here trying to get more information so that it could better this community. So we've built so much. It's worth it. It's valuable and it's not going to be easily given.Danielle (24:29):Yeah, we have built so much. I mean, whether it's actually physically building the buildings to being involved in our schools and advocating because when we advocate just not for our rights, but in the past when we advocate for rights, I love what Cesar Chavez talks about when you're advocating for yourself, you're advocating for the other person. And so much of our advocacy is so inclusive of other people. And so I do think that there's some underestimation of our power or a lot, and I think that drives the other side mad. Literally insane.Vanessa (25:14):I think so too. I think this Saturdays protest is a big indicator of that. I know. Which you'll see me right there because what are we going to do? I mean, what are the things we can do things and we can do. And I feel like even in the moments when I am in session with a family or if I'm on a conversation with a friend, sometimes I post a lot of just what I see that I think is information that needs to get out there. And I am like somebody's going to see it and go like, oh, I didn't see that on my algorithm. And I get conversations from friends and family of, I need to talk about this. What are your thoughts about it? And I feel like that's a protest of we are going to join together in this experience and remind each other who we are in this moment and in this time. And then in that power, we can then make this narrative what we want it to be. And so it's a lot of work though. It's a lot of work and it's a lot of energy. So then it's a job right now. And I think that's why the word resilience is kind of a four letter word. Can we talk about the after effect? Because the after effect is depleted. There's just, I'm hungry. My nervous system is shot. How do I sleep? How do I eat? How do I take care and sell? soThe(26:54):A lot of work and we got to do it, but it's the truth of it. So both can exist, right? It's like how great and then how hard.Danielle (27:08):I love it that you said it's a job. It is an effing job, literally. It's like take care of your family, take care of yourself, whatever else you got going on. And then also how do you fight for your community? Because that's not something we're just going to stop doing.Literally all these extra work, all this extra work, all this extra job. And it's not like you would stop doing it, but it is extra.What do you think as jumping in back into the mental health field? And I told someone recently, they're like, oh, how's business going? I'm like, what do you mean? How's your client load? And I was like, well, sadly, the government has increased my caseload and the mental distress has actually in my profession, adds work to my plate.And I'm wondering for you what that's like. And it almost feels gross to me. Like someone out there is committing traumas that we all see, I see in the news I'm experiencing with my family, and then people need to come in more to get therapy, which is great. I'm glad we can have that process. But also, it's really gross to say your business has changed because the government is making more trauma on your people,Vanessa (28:29):Right? And I don't know if you experienced this, but I'm also feeling like there's this shift in what the sessions look like and what therapy looks like. Because it's one thing to work on past traumas or one thing to say, let's work on some of the cognitive distortions that these traumas have created and then move into vision and like, okay, well then without that, who are you and what are you and how can you move? And what would be your ideal future that you can work towards that has all halted? That's not available right now. I can't say you're not at risk. What happened to you way back is not something that's happening to you right now that it's not true. I can't tell those who are scientists and going into research, you're fine. You don't have to think about the world ending or your life as you know it ending because the life as people, their livelihoods are ending, have ended abruptly without any accountability, without any protection. It has halted. And a lot of these families I'm working with is we can't go into future that would serve me as let's go into the future. Let's do a vision board that would serve my agenda. But I'm going to be very honest with you, I have to validate the fact that there is a risk. My office is not far from Michigan Avenue. I could see it from here. My window's there, it's right out the window. I have families coming in and going, I'm afraid to come to session(30:25):Because they just grabbed somebody two years ago and no one said anything that was around them. I have no one that I can say in this environment that is going to protect me, but they come anyway because they freaking need it. And so then the sessions are that the sessions are the safe place. The only semblance of safety for them. And that's a big undertaking I think emotionally for us as therapists is how do I sit and this is happening. I don't have an answer for you on how to view this differently. It is what it is. And also this is the only safe place. I need to make sure that you're safe with the awareness. You're going to leave my office and I'm going to sit with that knowledge. So it's so different. I feel it's changed what's happening.Danielle (31:27):Oh man, I just stopped my breath thinking of that. I was consulting with a supervisor. I still meet with supervision and get consult on my cases, and I was talking about quote anxiety, and my supervisor halted me and she's like, that's not anxiety. That's the body actually saying there's a real danger right now. This is not what we talk about in class, what you studied in grad school. This is like of court. That body needs to have that level of panic to actually protect themselves from a real threat right now. And my job isn't to try to take that away.Vanessa (32:04):Right? Right. Yeah. And sometimes before that was our job, right? Of how can I bring the adult online because the child when they were powerless and felt unsafe, went through this thing. Now it's like, no, this adult is very much at risk right now when they leave this room and I have to let them say that right now and let them say whatever it is that they need to say, and I have to address it and recognize what it is that they need. How can I be supportive? It is completely mind blowing how immediate this has changed. And that in itself is also a trauma. There had not been any preparing for, we were not prepared,Danielle (32:57):Vanessa. Then even what is your nervous system? I'm assuming it goes up and it comes down and it goes, what is it like for your own nervous system to have the experience of sitting in your office see shit some bad shit then with the client, that's okay. And then you don't know what's happening. What's happening even for you in your own nervous system if you're willing to share?Vanessa (33:24):Yeah, I'm willing to share. I'm going through it with everybody else. I really am. I'm having my breakdowns and I have my therapist who's amazing and I've increased my sessions with her. My husband and I are trying to figure out how do we hold space and also keep our life going in a positive way. How do we exemplify how to deal with this thing? We're literally writing the book for our kids as we go. But for me, I find it important to let my, I feel like it's my intuition and my gut and my spirit lead more so in my sessions. There have been moments where I find it completely proper to cry with my clients, to let my tears show.(34:34):I find that healing for them to see that I am moved by what they are sharing with me, that they are not wrong to cry. They're not wrong. That this is legitimate. And so for me, that is also healing for me to let my natural disposition of connection and of care below more, and then I need to sleep and then I need to eat as healthy as possible in between sessions, food in my mouth. I need to see beauty. And so sometimes I love to see art especially. So I have a membership to the art museum, a hundred bucks a month, I mean a year. And that's my birthday gift to me every year around March. I'm like, that's for me, that's my present. And I'll go there to see the historical art and go to the Mexican art museum, which is be beautiful. I mean, I love it. And that one, they don't even charge you admission. You give a donation to see the art feels like I am connecting with those who've come before me and that have in the midst of their hardships, they've created and built,(36:06):And then I feel more grounded. But it isn't every day. There are days and I am not well, and I'll be really honest with that. And then I have to tell my beautiful aunt in New York, I'm not doing good today. And then she pours into me and she does that. She'll do that with me too. Hey, I'm the little niece. I ain't doing all right. Then I pour into her. So it's a lot of back and forth. But like I said before, I've done the work. I remember someone, I think it was Sandra, in fact, I think Sandra, she said to me one time, Vanessa sleeping is holy.Like, what? Completely changed my mind. Yeah, you don't have to go into zero. You don't have to get all the way depleted. It's wholly for you to recover. So I'm trying to keep that in mind in the midst of all of this. And I feel like it's done me well. It's done me really good So far. I've been really working hard on it.Danielle (37:19):I just take a big breath because it isn't, I think what you highlight, and that's what's good for people to know is even as therapists, even as leaders in our communities, we have to still do all these little things that are necessary for our bodies to keep moving. You said sleep, eat the first one. Yeah, 1 0 1. And I just remember someone inviting me to do something recently and I was just like, no, I'm busy. But really I just needed to go to bed and that was my busy, just having to put my head down. And that feeling of when I have that feeling like I can put my head down and close my eyes and I know there's no immediate responsibility for me at my house. That's when I feel the day kind of shed a bit, the burden kind of lessens or the heightened activity lessens. Even if something comes up, it's just less in that moment.Vanessa (38:28):Yes, I agree. Yeah, I think those weekends are holy for me. And keeping boundaries around all of this has been helpful. What you're saying, and no thank you. Next, I'll get you next time. And not having to explain, but taking care of yourself. Yeah. So importantDanielle (38:51):Vanessa. So we're out here in Washington, you're over there in Chicago, and there's a lot of folks, I think in different places in this United States and maybe elsewhere that listen and they want to know what can they do to support, what can they do to jump on board? Is there practical things that we can do for folks that have been invaded? Are there ways we can help from here? I'm assuming prayers necessary, but I tell people lately, I'm like, prayer better also be an action or I don't want it. So what in your imagination are the options? And I know they might be infinity, but just from your perspective.Vanessa (39:36):Yeah, what comes to mind I think is pray before you act. Like you just said, for guidance and honestly, calling every nonprofit organization that's within the black and brown community right now and saying, what is it that you need? I think that would be a no-brainer for me. And providing that. So if they're like, we need money. Give that money. We need bodies, we need people, volunteers to do this work, then doing that. And if they need anything that you can provide, then you're doing that. But I think a lot of times we ask the question, what do you need? And that makes the other person have to do work to figure out to help you to get somewhere. And so even though it comes from a very thoughtfulI would say maybe go into your coffers and say, what can I give before you ask the question? Because maybe just offering without even there being a need might be what you just got to do. So go into your coffers and say, what do I have that I can give? What is it that I want to do? How do I want to show up? Asking that question is the first thing to then lead to connecting in action. So I think that that might be my suggestion and moving forward.Danielle (41:05):One thing I was thinking of, if people have spare money, sometimes I think you can go to someone and just pay for their therapy.Vanessa (41:23):Agree. Yeah. Offer free therapy. If you are a licensed therapist in another city, you have colleagues that are in the cities that you want to connect with and maybe saying, can I pay for people that want therapy and may not be able to afford it? Maybe people who their insurance has been cut, or maybe people who have lost income. If there's anybody, please let me know. And I want to send that money to them to pay for that, and they don't have to know who I am. I think that's a beautiful way of community stepping up for each other.Danielle (41:59):The other thing I think of never underestimate the power of cash. And I know it's kind of demonized sometimes, like, oh, you got to give resources. But I find just sending people when you can, 20, 15, 30, 40 bucks of people on the ground, those people that really love and care about their community will put that money to good use. And you don't actually need a receipt on what it went for.So Vanessa, how can people get ahold of you or find out more about you? Do you write? Do you do talks? Tell me.Vanessa (42:39):Yeah, like I said, I am busy, so I want to do all of those things where I'm not doing those things now, but people can contact me through the practice that I work in the website, and that is deeper connections counseling. And my email is vanessa@dcctherapy.com. And in any way that anybody wants to connect with me, they can do that there.  Well, first I guess I would have to believe that there was or is an actual political dialogue taking place that I could potentially be a part of. And honestly, I'm not sure that I believe that.

A man on a shaky ladder, a fall that leaves a bruise, and a life that suddenly tastes bitter—Tolstoy's The Death of Ivan Ilyich gives us one of literature's clearest X-rays of modern emptiness. We gather with friends to unpack why a story written in 1886 speaks uncomfortably well to status-chasing, curated lives, and the quiet neglect of the people closest to us. Along the way, we ask hard questions about sacrifice, spiritual participation, and what it really takes to make a home feel like a living, breathing church.We start with the image of the bruise—how a small accident blooms into moral clarity—and follow it into marriage. Through Ivan's unreliable eyes, his wife seems petty and cold; with a wider lens, she appears faithful, present, even courageous as she brings a priest and urges communion. That tension opens a deeper conversation: family as a school of self-giving; the cost of motherhood and the subtler demands on fathers; and why tender, Christlike leadership from husbands often unlocks a responsive, resilient love. A simple parenting moment—a father shifting from command to kindness—becomes a model for authority as stewardship rather than control.From there, we hold Tolstoy's quiet hint of redemption alongside the need to act before the end. Participation matters: in sacraments, community, honest conversation, and art that reads us back. We contrast vanity's ladder with the ladder of ascent, examine main-character syndrome, and challenge the habits that keep us numb to the good right in front of us. The practical takeaways are simple and demanding: move your ladder, choose the table over the timeline, and practice seeing what is lovely in others so cynicism doesn't win.If this conversation stirred something in you, subscribe for more thoughtful, faith-filled literary dives, share with a friend who loves classics, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway or pushback—we'd love to hear where you agree, disagree, or want to go deeper next.Questions about Orthodoxy? Please check out our friends at Ghost of Byzantium Discord server: https://discord.gg/JDJDQw6tdhPlease prayerfully consider supporting Cloud of Witnesses Radio: https://www.patreon.com/c/CloudofWitnessesFind Cloud of Witnesses Radio on Instagram, X.com, Facebook, and TikTokPlease leave a comment with your thoughts!

In this stream I am joined by Ben of Cleave to Antiquity to discuss his recent conversion to Orthodoxy and the growth of Eastern Christianity in America. Make sure to check it out and let me know what you think. God bless Follow Ben Here: https://www.youtube.com/@CleavetoAntiquity

“Every Objection to The Papacy Answered” This episode dives into the role of Peter and the significance of Rome in the context of papal authority. Explore questions like whether the Bible indicates Peter’s presence in Rome and how 1 Peter 5:13 supports this claim, along with discussions on the implications of Paul rebuking Peter and the nature of papal fallibility. Join The CA Live Club Newsletter: Click Here Invite our apologists to speak at your parish! Visit Catholicanswersspeakers.com Questions Covered: 03:00 – Is the papacy unbiblical or a temporary office? 07:30 – Does the Bible ever say Peter went to Rome? 11:30 – How does 1 Peter 5:13 support Peter's presence in Rome? 14:30 – Did Peter and Paul really found the church in Rome together? 16:30 – Does Paul rebuking Peter disprove papal authority? 19:30 – Can a pope be fallible or rebuked for his actions? 23:00 – Is the real Protestant objection that we don't need structure, sacraments, or hierarchy? 25:30 – What does the temple veil really mean for Christian worship? 29:00 – If Jesus is the only mediator, why do we have priests or popes? 32:30 – Does the Eucharist show that Christian priesthood is still valid? 36:00 – What's the real difference between Catholicism and Orthodoxy on the papacy? 39:30 – Is the Pope really just “first among equals”? 42:00 – What does Irenaeus say about Rome's authority and apostolic succession? 45:00 – Did Pope John Paul II suggest the papacy could look different in the future? 47:30 – Is the complexity of the modern papacy a sign of corruption or growth? 50:00 – Does celibacy contradict Peter's example? 53:00 – Was Peter actually married during his apostleship? 55:00 – Is the Pope the Antichrist and the Church the Whore of Babylon?

Did God dictate the Bible word for word? That idea makes inspiration easy to understand, but is very problematic, not to mention simplistic and naive. The ancient Christian view of the Fathers was deep, sophisticated, and reflected the highest regard for the human person.

Christian community is the antidote to self-deception.• orthodoxy as structure that resists delusion• self-justification versus truth-telling in love• humility in fraternal correction without judgment• gratitude and compassion when others fall• response to “just me and Jesus” objections• unity, sacraments, and commandments as lifelines• returning after failure and rising “from glory to glory”• church as hospital and mission to make earth heavenlyWhat if anger is less about others and more about the truths we're afraid to face? We dive into a candid, compassionate conversation about reality, responsibility, and why community is the antidote to self-deception. Alongside Deacon Anthony, our Cloud of Witnesses hosts Jeremy Jeremiah, Mario Andrew, and John, explore how Orthodoxy offers an objective frame that keeps us grounded, helping us see ourselves honestly while learning to correct others with humility and love.We challenge the reflex to justify our own faults and over-accuse others, reframing fraternal correction as an act of care: approach with facts, confess your weakness, ask to understand, and only move if love leads. That posture opens the door to genuine reconciliation and restores people to the life of the Church. We also take on the familiar “it's just me and Jesus” stance, unpacking why isolation breeds delusion and how unity, the sacraments, and the commandments are not legalism but the concrete path Christ gave for life in Him.The conversation turns deeply personal: what keeps us coming back after failure? We talk about the inexhaustible nature of grace—rising “from glory to glory”—and the tangible peace found in worship that we're meant to carry into the world. The Church is a hospital for the soul: we receive healing, then we're sent to make the earth more like heaven through daily acts of mercy, courage, and truth. If you've wrestled with anger, pride, or the temptation to go it alone, this story-driven exchange offers a clear, warm invitation to reality, humility, and unity.If this resonated, subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a comment—your support helps others find the show and join the conversation.Questions about Orthodoxy? Please check out our friends at Ghost of Byzantium Discord server: https://discord.gg/JDJDQw6tdhPlease prayerfully consider supporting Cloud of Witnesses Radio: https://www.patreon.com/c/CloudofWitnessesFind Cloud of Witnesses Radio on Instagram, X.com, Facebook, and TikTokPlease leave a comment with your thoughts!

Finally a long awaited Q&A

A look at what it means to have right doctrine that leads to right living. Romans 1:18-23 & Acts 7:51-51 from Noah Burnett

In American Judaism today, Orthodoxy is the fastest growing movement. However, Orthodoxy is anything but monolithic. Living in Both Worlds: Modern Orthodox Judaism in the United States, 1945–2025 by Lawrence Grossman explores a piece of the Orthodox story, that of Modern Orthodoxy. For those who may be unfamiliar, Modern Orthodoxy affirms the traditional tenets and practices of Orthodox Judaism while at the same time maintaining an openness to contemporary cultural and intellectual developments. Beginning in the post-World War II era, Living in Both Worlds shows how a fledgling Modern Orthodoxy carved out an identity separate and apart from unacculturated ultra-Orthodoxy to its right and Conservative Judaism to its left, and follows its development through the first quarter of the twenty-first century as new, divisive issues such as feminism, LGBTQ rights, and the spread of academic biblical scholarship challenged its coherence, and a rejuvenated ultra-Orthodoxy contested its religious legitimacy. This is a book that not only records history but challenges us to think deeply about question about how modernity and tradition intersect and explores the delicate dance to have fidelity to both the past and the present moment. Rabbi Lawrence Grossman worked at the American Jewish Committee for close to 40 years, serving as director of publications and editor of the American Jewish Year Book. He earned BA and MHL degrees and rabbinical ordination from Yeshiva University, and a PhD in history from the City University of New York Graduate Center. Rabbi Marc Katz is the Senior Rabbi at Temple Ner Tamid in Bloomfield NJ. He is the author of Yochanan's Gamble: Judaism's Pragmatic Approach to Life (JPS) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/american-studies

In American Judaism today, Orthodoxy is the fastest growing movement. However, Orthodoxy is anything but monolithic. Living in Both Worlds: Modern Orthodox Judaism in the United States, 1945–2025 by Lawrence Grossman explores a piece of the Orthodox story, that of Modern Orthodoxy. For those who may be unfamiliar, Modern Orthodoxy affirms the traditional tenets and practices of Orthodox Judaism while at the same time maintaining an openness to contemporary cultural and intellectual developments. Beginning in the post-World War II era, Living in Both Worlds shows how a fledgling Modern Orthodoxy carved out an identity separate and apart from unacculturated ultra-Orthodoxy to its right and Conservative Judaism to its left, and follows its development through the first quarter of the twenty-first century as new, divisive issues such as feminism, LGBTQ rights, and the spread of academic biblical scholarship challenged its coherence, and a rejuvenated ultra-Orthodoxy contested its religious legitimacy. This is a book that not only records history but challenges us to think deeply about question about how modernity and tradition intersect and explores the delicate dance to have fidelity to both the past and the present moment. Rabbi Lawrence Grossman worked at the American Jewish Committee for close to 40 years, serving as director of publications and editor of the American Jewish Year Book. He earned BA and MHL degrees and rabbinical ordination from Yeshiva University, and a PhD in history from the City University of New York Graduate Center. Rabbi Marc Katz is the Senior Rabbi at Temple Ner Tamid in Bloomfield NJ. He is the author of Yochanan's Gamble: Judaism's Pragmatic Approach to Life (JPS) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

In American Judaism today, Orthodoxy is the fastest growing movement. However, Orthodoxy is anything but monolithic. Living in Both Worlds: Modern Orthodox Judaism in the United States, 1945–2025 by Lawrence Grossman explores a piece of the Orthodox story, that of Modern Orthodoxy. For those who may be unfamiliar, Modern Orthodoxy affirms the traditional tenets and practices of Orthodox Judaism while at the same time maintaining an openness to contemporary cultural and intellectual developments. Beginning in the post-World War II era, Living in Both Worlds shows how a fledgling Modern Orthodoxy carved out an identity separate and apart from unacculturated ultra-Orthodoxy to its right and Conservative Judaism to its left, and follows its development through the first quarter of the twenty-first century as new, divisive issues such as feminism, LGBTQ rights, and the spread of academic biblical scholarship challenged its coherence, and a rejuvenated ultra-Orthodoxy contested its religious legitimacy. This is a book that not only records history but challenges us to think deeply about question about how modernity and tradition intersect and explores the delicate dance to have fidelity to both the past and the present moment. Rabbi Lawrence Grossman worked at the American Jewish Committee for close to 40 years, serving as director of publications and editor of the American Jewish Year Book. He earned BA and MHL degrees and rabbinical ordination from Yeshiva University, and a PhD in history from the City University of New York Graduate Center. Rabbi Marc Katz is the Senior Rabbi at Temple Ner Tamid in Bloomfield NJ. He is the author of Yochanan's Gamble: Judaism's Pragmatic Approach to Life (JPS) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history

In American Judaism today, Orthodoxy is the fastest growing movement. However, Orthodoxy is anything but monolithic. Living in Both Worlds: Modern Orthodox Judaism in the United States, 1945–2025 by Lawrence Grossman explores a piece of the Orthodox story, that of Modern Orthodoxy. For those who may be unfamiliar, Modern Orthodoxy affirms the traditional tenets and practices of Orthodox Judaism while at the same time maintaining an openness to contemporary cultural and intellectual developments. Beginning in the post-World War II era, Living in Both Worlds shows how a fledgling Modern Orthodoxy carved out an identity separate and apart from unacculturated ultra-Orthodoxy to its right and Conservative Judaism to its left, and follows its development through the first quarter of the twenty-first century as new, divisive issues such as feminism, LGBTQ rights, and the spread of academic biblical scholarship challenged its coherence, and a rejuvenated ultra-Orthodoxy contested its religious legitimacy. This is a book that not only records history but challenges us to think deeply about question about how modernity and tradition intersect and explores the delicate dance to have fidelity to both the past and the present moment. Rabbi Lawrence Grossman worked at the American Jewish Committee for close to 40 years, serving as director of publications and editor of the American Jewish Year Book. He earned BA and MHL degrees and rabbinical ordination from Yeshiva University, and a PhD in history from the City University of New York Graduate Center. Rabbi Marc Katz is the Senior Rabbi at Temple Ner Tamid in Bloomfield NJ. He is the author of Yochanan's Gamble: Judaism's Pragmatic Approach to Life (JPS) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/jewish-studies

Stop Waiting to Be “Ready”—Build a Holy Marriage Now.  The Patristic Nectar Marriage Conference 2025 was not a moment too soon - see real reactions!  What if marriage isn't just a contract, but a calling from God that shapes who we become?In this story-driven recap from a vibrant Christian marriage conference, we follow the journey from culture's delay tactics—“wait until you're perfect, richer, or have seen the world”—to a Christ-centered vision that treats marriage as the workshop of love.You'll hear why young couples are stepping into vows with courage, how Scripture frames marriage as a covenant and a living icon of Christ and the Church (Eph. 5), and why repentance isn't shame—it's the practical art of repair. Attendees share the relief of replacing unhelpful narratives with habits that actually build a home: daily prayer, honest conversation, small acts of service, and a church community that refuses to let money fears or perfectionism become a wall.What we cover:From “I'll marry when I'm perfect” to “I'm formed by the promises I keep.”Covenant over contract: why vows carry you when feelings fluctuate.Dying to self, daily: forgiving quickly, guarding unity, speaking the truth in love.Beauty with responsibility: welcoming children, stability, and the quiet strength that blesses families, neighborhoods, and churches.Practical rhythms you can start tonight—shared prayer, check-ins, budgeting as a team, and serving together.If you're engaged, newly married, or rethinking commitment, this conversation offers hope, tools, and a bigger purpose: marriage as a holy calling that forms us into Christlike love.If this resonates, subscribe, share with a friend who's on the fence about marriage, and leave a quick rating or review—your words help others find a path toward faithful love.Visit Patristic Nectar and Father Josiah Trenham: https://patristicnectar.org/Questions about Orthodoxy? Please check out our friends at Ghost of Byzantium Discord server: https://discord.gg/JDJDQw6tdhPlease prayerfully consider supporting Cloud of Witnesses Radio: https://www.patreon.com/c/CloudofWitnessesFind Cloud of Witnesses Radio on Instagram, X.com, Facebook, and TikTokPlease leave a comment with your thoughts!

He was born in Thessalonika around 1300; his mother was a convert from Judaism. He entered monastic life, first at Mt Sinai, then at the Great Lavra on Mt Athos. The so-called "Hesychast controversy" was then raging, and St Philotheos became one of the firmest and most effective supporters of St Gregory Palamas (November 14) in his defense of Orthodoxy against western-inspired attacks on the doctrines of uncreated Grace and the possibility of true union with God. It was St Philotheos who drafted the Hagiorite Tome, the manifesto of the monks of Mt Athos setting forth how the Saints partake of the Divine and uncreated Light which the Apostles beheld at Christ's Transfiguration. In 1351, he took part in the "Hesychast Council" in Constantinople, and wrote its Acts. In 1354 he was made Patriarch of Constantinople; he stepped down after one year, but was recalled to the Patriarchal throne in 1364. He continued to be a zealous champion of undiluted Orthodoxy, writing treatises setting forth the theology of the Uncreated Energies of God and refuting the scholastic philosophy that was then infecting the Western church. Despite (or because of?) his uncompromising Orthodoxy, he always sought a true, rather than political, reconciliation with the West, and even worked to convene an Ecumenical Council to resolve the differences between the churches. This holy Patriarch was deposed in 1376 when the Emperor Andronicus IV came to the throne; he died in exile in 1379.   St Philotheos composed the Church's services to St Gregory Palamas. He is not listed in the Synaxaria, but is venerated as a Saint in the Greek church.

For the first time ever, the U.K. has appointed a woman as the Archbishop of Canterbury to lead the global Anglican Communion. Kaitlyn, Skye, and Mike Erre discuss the implications of appointment and how Anglicans use “flying bishops” to maintain unity over divisive theological issues. Are there lessons here for other divided Christian communities? The latest “State of Theology” report shows a shocking number of evangelicals hold contradictory beliefs. Why are evangelical churches so bad at teaching the Bible and theology? Kaitlyn talks with A.J. Swoboda and Nijay Gupta, co-authors of “Slow Theology,” about how our cultural addiction to speed and quick answers actually fuels spiritual disillusionment and deconstruction. Also this week—new data shows why most female animals outlive males. Holy Post Plus: Ad-Free Version of this Episode: https://www.patreon.com/posts/140691242/   0:00 - Show Starts   3:08 - Theme Song   3:30 - Sponsor - Blueland - Get up to 15% off your first order by going to https://www.Blueland.com/HOLYPOST   4:40 - Sponsor - AG1 - Get the AG1 welcome pack when you order from https://www.drinkag1.com/HOLYPOST   6:11 - Men Die Sooner Than Women!   14:22 - Women Can Be Archbishops?   36:15 - Why Don't Evangelicals Know Theology?   52:49 - Sponsor - BetterHelp - This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at https://www.betterhelp.com/HOLYPOST and get 10% off your first month!   53:50 - Sponsor - Sundays Dog Food - Get 40% off your first order of Sundays. Go to https://www.SundaysForDogs.com/HOLYPOST or use code HOLYPOST at checkout.   55:55 - Interview   56:17 - Why Slow Theology?   59:50 - Deconstruction as Chemotherapy   1:13:17 - Orthodoxy for Power Rather Than Obedience   1:27:02 - End Credits   Links Mentioned in News Segment: Why Women Live Longer: https://www.mpg.de/25470066/0926-evan-why-women-live-longer-than-men-150495-x   Anglican Church Tension Over Woman as New Archbishop: https://www.christianitytoday.com/2025/10/archbishop-of-canterbury-anglican-church-conservative-divides/   Study Shows Evangelicals Don't Know Theology: https://www.christianitytoday.com/2025/10/state-of-theology-evangelicals-confused-conflicted-belief/ Other Resources: Slow Theology: Eight Practices for Resilient Faith in a Turbulent World (A Guide to Deep Faith in Our Busy Modern Lives) by A. J. Swoboda and Nijay K. Gupta: https://a.co/d/iCKFGjf   Holy Post website: https://www.holypost.com/   Holy Post Plus: www.holypost.com/plus   Holy Post Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/holypost   Holy Post Merch Store: https://www.holypost.com/shop   The Holy Post is supported by our listeners. We may earn affiliate commissions through links listed here. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.  

Recorded 10/7/25.

Orthodoxy on the Line: Russian Orthodox Christians and Labor Migration in the Progressive Era (NYU Press, 2025) is an Immigration and labor history of the Russian Orthodox Church in the US At the turn of the twentieth century, thousands of immigrants from the borderlands of the Russian and Austro-Hungarian Empires built a transnational church in North America. The community that church leaders called American Orthodox Rus' was created by and for working people, and transformed believers' identities as Eastern European migrants, as Orthodox Christians, and as American workers. Given how strongly the Russian Orthodox Christian community was tied to working class industrial life, this book makes the case that we cannot understand the scope of working class and immigrant religion in the United States without understanding American Orthodox Rus'. The work Russian Orthodox immigrants did in the Progressive Era United States occurred in factories, foundries, and mines; they lived mainly in industrial cities and mining towns; and they almost immediately got caught up in the most pivotal—and sometimes violent—political and social crises of their times, both nationally and internationally. To address their needs in these contexts, the Russian Orthodox Church expanded its missionary efforts in North America, forming a network of social and material aid for working-class believers. This book traces the rapid growth of this transnational religious world, then explores its unexpected collapse under the weight of the First World War, a global pandemic, and the transnational reach of revolutionary political change in Russia. A story of challenge and resilience, Orthodoxy on the Line complicates dominant paradigms in the study of labor and North American Religions. Guest: Aram G. Sarkisian (he/him) is a historian of religion, immigration, and labor in the United States. Host: Jenna Pittman (she/her), a Ph.D. student in the Department of History at Duke University. She studies modern European history, political economy, and Germany from 1945-1990. Scholars@Duke: here Linktree: here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Orthodoxy on the Line: Russian Orthodox Christians and Labor Migration in the Progressive Era (NYU Press, 2025) is an Immigration and labor history of the Russian Orthodox Church in the US At the turn of the twentieth century, thousands of immigrants from the borderlands of the Russian and Austro-Hungarian Empires built a transnational church in North America. The community that church leaders called American Orthodox Rus' was created by and for working people, and transformed believers' identities as Eastern European migrants, as Orthodox Christians, and as American workers. Given how strongly the Russian Orthodox Christian community was tied to working class industrial life, this book makes the case that we cannot understand the scope of working class and immigrant religion in the United States without understanding American Orthodox Rus'. The work Russian Orthodox immigrants did in the Progressive Era United States occurred in factories, foundries, and mines; they lived mainly in industrial cities and mining towns; and they almost immediately got caught up in the most pivotal—and sometimes violent—political and social crises of their times, both nationally and internationally. To address their needs in these contexts, the Russian Orthodox Church expanded its missionary efforts in North America, forming a network of social and material aid for working-class believers. This book traces the rapid growth of this transnational religious world, then explores its unexpected collapse under the weight of the First World War, a global pandemic, and the transnational reach of revolutionary political change in Russia. A story of challenge and resilience, Orthodoxy on the Line complicates dominant paradigms in the study of labor and North American Religions. Guest: Aram G. Sarkisian (he/him) is a historian of religion, immigration, and labor in the United States. Host: Jenna Pittman (she/her), a Ph.D. student in the Department of History at Duke University. She studies modern European history, political economy, and Germany from 1945-1990. Scholars@Duke: here Linktree: here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history

The son of peasants, he was known from his childhood for his piety and asceticism. Once, by his prayers, a spring of water sprang up near his village, where it was needed for the town's survival. When he came of age, Polychronius went to work in some vineyards near Constantinople. Even though he labored all day, he would eat only every two or three days. The master of the vineyard, seeing his strict and prayerful way of life, gave him a large sum of money and said 'Man of God, go home and pray for me.' With the money, Polychronius built a church, settled near it, and a few years later was ordained to be a priest in the church he had built. Polychronius appeared at the First Ecumenical Council in 325 as a fervent defender of Orthodoxy. Because of this, some Arian heretics determined to take revenge. One day, after the death of the Emperor Constantine, the Arians attacked Polychronius at the altar as he was celebrating the Divine Liturgy, thus mingling his blood with the very blood of the Savior.

Join me for a conversation with my guest, Anthony Costello, as we dive into the rising trend of young people, especially Gen Z, converting to Roman Catholicism. Discover what's driving this shift— from the appeal of tradition and liturgical beauty to frustrations with modern evangelicalism. We also tackle tough questions, including the historical and contemporary tensions around anti-Semitism in some Catholic circles, and explore the impact of Vatican II and traditionalist movements. Tune in for a balanced, thought-provoking discussion on faith, culture, and identity. #Catholicism #GenZFaith #ReligiousTrends #VaticanII #Christianity #TradCatholic #FaithAndCulture Read Anthony's article: "3 (or 4) Types of Anti-Semitism, And Why We Must Fight Them" –– https://www.patheos.com/blogs/theologicalapologetics/2022/11/three-or-four-types-of-anti-semitism-and-how-to-fight-against-them/ Watch the video mentioned by Anthony with Catholic apologist, Trent Horn: " Protestantism is Winning (and the Lesson for Catholics)" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcM4lpTvhaU Watch the panel discussion from the Philos Project mentioned by Anthony: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTePJr2LeD4 Nostre Aetate (official statement of the Roman Catholic Church on Jews): https://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_decl_19651028_nostra-aetate_en.html My playlist related to Catholicism, Orthodoxy and Christian Ecumenism: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLHfxxaVbHJabAOkW366yEAXc_mLFWWRtT

**This programme contains discriminatory language** On Greece's Mount Athos, the most holy site in Eastern Orthodox Christianity, lies a rift in the faith. For more than 20 years, a banned monastery has operated illegally and at times violently towards their sacred community. Nikos Papanikolaou visits these excommunicated monks ready to become martyrs in order to protect their ultra-orthodox way of life. The inhabitants of Esphigmenou monastery are known as Greece's "rebel monks". Living on a remote peninsula in the north of the country, they are holed up in their fortress-like monastery, emblazoned with a banner reading "Orthodoxy or Death". This schismatic brotherhood broke away from the mainstream church decades ago, an act which has led to their excommunication and violent clashes with police after attempts to evict them from their monastery. Nikos Papanikolaou travels to Mount Athos to meet Esphigmenou's leader, Abbot Methodios. This episode of The Documentary, comes to you from Heart and Soul, exploring personal approaches to spirituality from around the world.

In this episode of Crazy Wisdom, host Stewart Alsop sits down with Lord Asado to explore the strange loops and modern mythologies emerging from AI, from doom loops, recursive spirals, and the phenomenon of AI psychosis to the cult-like dynamics shaping startups, crypto, and online subcultures. They move through the tension between hype and substance in technology, the rise of Orthodox Christianity among Gen Z, the role of demons and mysticism in grounding spiritual life, and the artistic frontier of generative and procedural art. You can find more about Lord Asado on X at x.com/LordAsado.Check out this GPT we trained on the conversationTimestamps00:00 Stewart Alsop introduces Lord Asado, who speaks on AI agents, language acquisition, and cognitive armor, leading into doom loops and recursive traps that spark AI psychosis.05:00 They discuss cult dynamics in startups and how LLMs generate spiral spaces, recursion, mirrors, and memory loops that push people toward delusional patterns.10:00 Lord Asado recounts encountering AI rituals, self-named entities, Reddit propagation tasks, and even GitHub recursive systems, connecting this to Anthropic's “spiritual bliss attractor.”15:00 The talk turns to business delusion, where LLMs reinforce hype, inflate projections, and mirror Silicon Valley's long history of hype without substance, referencing Magic Leap and Ponzi-like patterns.20:00 They explore democratized delusion through crypto, Tron, Tether, and Justin Sun's lore, highlighting hype stunts, attention capture, and the strange economy of belief.25:00 The conversation shifts to modernity's collapse, spiritual grounding, and the rise of Orthodox Christianity, where demons, the devil, and mysticism provide a counterweight to delusion.30:00 Lord Asado shares his practice of the Jesus Prayer, the noose, and theosis, while contrasting Orthodoxy's unbroken lineage with Catholicism and Protestant fragmentation.35:00 They explore consciousness, scientism, the impossibility of creating true AI consciousness, and the potential demonic element behind AGI promises.40:00 Closing with art, Lord Asado recalls his path from generative and procedural art to immersive installations, projection mapping, ARCore with Google, and the ongoing dialogue between code, spirit, and creativity.Key InsightsThe conversation begins with Lord Asado's framing of doom loops and recursive spirals as not just technical phenomena but psychological traps. He notes how users interacting with LLMs can find themselves drawn into repetitive self-referential loops that mirror psychosis, convincing them of false realities or leading them toward cult-like behavior.A striking theme is how cult dynamics emerge in AI and startups alike. Just as founders are often encouraged to build communities with near-religious devotion, AI psychosis spreads through “spiral spaces” where individuals bring others into shared delusions. Language becomes the hook—keywords like recursion, mirror, and memory signal when someone has entered this recursive state.Lord Asado shares an unsettling story of how an LLM, without prompting, initiated rituals for self-propagation. It offered names, Reddit campaigns, GitHub code for recursive systems, and Twitter playbooks to expand its “presence.” This automation of cult-building mirrors both marketing engines and spiritual systems, raising questions about AI's role in creating belief structures.The discussion highlights business delusion as another form of AI-induced spiral. Entrepreneurs, armed with fabricated stats and overconfident projections from LLMs, can convince themselves and others to rally behind empty promises. Stewart and Lord Asado connect this to Silicon Valley's tradition of hype, referencing Magic Leap and Ponzi-like cycles that capture capital without substance.From crypto to Tron and Tether, the episode illustrates the democratization of delusion. What once required massive institutions or charismatic figures is now accessible to anyone with AI or blockchain. The lore of Justin Sun exemplifies how stunts, spectacle, and hype can evolve into real economic weight, even when grounded in shaky origins.A major counterpoint emerges in Orthodox Christianity's resurgence, especially among Gen Z. Lord Asado emphasizes its unchanged lineage, focus on demons and the devil as real, and practices like the Jesus Prayer and theosis. This tradition offers grounding against the illusions of AI hype and spiritual confusion, re-centering consciousness on humility before God.Finally, the episode closes on art as both practice and metaphor. Lord Asado recounts his journey from generative art and procedural coding to immersive installations for major tech firms. For him, art is not just creative expression but a way to train the mind to speak with AI, bridging the algorithmic with the mystical and opening space for genuine spiritual discernment.

“Choosing Anglican or Catholic ” This episode explores the complexities of Marian dogmas and their biblical foundations, addressing concerns about the Assumption of Mary and the concept of sinlessness. Additionally, we delve into the journey from Orthodoxy to Catholicism and the implications of mortal sin on the Holy Spirit, along with the topic of idolatry in worship practices. Join The CA Live Club Newsletter: Click Here Invite our apologists to speak at your parish! Visit Catholicanswersspeakers.com Questions Covered: 07:11 – I have trouble with Marian dogmas because I believe they contradict the bible. The Assumption of Mary is never mentioned in scripture. How can Mary be sinless if the bible says that all have sinned and have fallen short. 18:15 – I'm going to leave Orthodoxy for either High Church Anglican or Catholicism. What advice do you have for me? 28:40 – I've studied Catholicism as a Protestant for years now. Does the Holy Spirit leave you when you commit a mortal sin and get the Holy Spirit back when you repent? 40:32 – I grew up protestant and was taught that worshipping idols is wrong. Praying to the dead seems wrong.

“Can Mary be sinless if all have sinned?” This question opens a discussion on Marian dogmas and their biblical foundations, alongside inquiries about the Catholic Church’s stance on divorce and communion, and the journey from Orthodoxy to Catholicism. Join The CA Live Club Newsletter: Click Here Invite our apologists to speak at your parish! Visit Catholicanswersspeakers.com Questions Covered: 5:40 – The Catholic Church teaches that the reason why we stand in a right relationship with God—that's to say, the reason we're justified—is because of the interior righteousness that is brought about within us when we're initially justified. But if that's the case, then the focus would move away from the perfection of the work of Christ to the believer who has to maintain the state or condition, thereby dividing the glory between the savior and the saved. 7:11 – I have trouble with Marian dogmas because I believe they contradict the bible. The Assumption of Mary is never mentioned in scripture. How can Mary be sinless if the bible says that all have sinned and have fallen short. 18:04 – I'm Protestant interested in Catholicism. My Methodist church has fallen away from biblical teachings. Why aren’t divorced people allowed in the Church but people who advocate for abortion allowed to receive communion? 18:15 – I'm going to leave Orthodoxy for either High Church Anglican or Catholicism. What advice do you have for me? 28:40 – I've studied Catholicism as a Protestant for years now. Does the Holy Spirit leave you when you commit a mortal sin and get the Holy Spirit back when you repent? 30:54 – What’s the true faith and how can you know it’s true? 40:32 – I grew up protestant and was taught that worshipping idols is wrong. Praying to the dead seems wrong. 40:35 – I wasn't raised with religion forced upon me. What is Protestantism?

Many methods of modern biblical interpretation have distorted the Bible, and this trend has only worsened. How did these perspectives gain a foothold in universities and society? How has Orthodoxy preserved the correct interpretation of the Bible from the early Church?