The Illumined Heart

With the near financial meltdown upon us, the next two programs discuss ways Orthodox Christians are to understand money, steward and budget their finances, and plan for their ultimate retirements (and everything in between!). Dn Tom Braun is a business owner and seminar speaker on things financial. Scot Larsen is a sofware executive, who fought his way out of crippling credit card debt and is now an advocate of Christian financial principals.

The Death To The World crew reports back on their week at Cornerstone 2009 - the largest Christian rock festival in the world. This is the third year DTTW has set up shop in the exhibitors area as an Orthodox outreach at this largely Evangelical youth gathering. John Valadez, Gary Allen and Julia Gatalskaya report to host Kevin Allen that the 'times they are a' changing' in the world of contemporary Christian youth, reflecting a broader trend towards ancient faith!

Fr. Ted Stlylianapolous (PhD), professor emeritus at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Theological Seminary, St Paul scholar and author, speaks with host Kevin Allen about justification, sanctification, the sacraments and new perrspectives on St Paul. Kevin says this is one of his best interviews because it tackles the major issues which divide the patristic and Protestant understandings of the foremost expositor of the Christian faith.

Fr. Hans Jacobse, editor of Orthodoxy Today and President of The American Orthodox Institute speaks with host Kevin Allen about whether Eastern Orthodox Christians need to engage in the moral and social war that is being waged in our culture. They will also talk about whether "Religious Right" leaning ex-Evangelical converts are taking over the Orthodox churches in America! Buckle your seat belts!

6 million women between the ages of 15 and 44 are clinically infertile. Infertility presents a heartbreaking struggle for many Orthodox couples who wonder whether it is God's will for them to be childless, or whether new fertility technologies (and which ones?) are appropriate. In this edition Kevin speaks with Orthodox theologian and ethicist Fr. John Breck about infertility and what options Orthodox Christian couples have to deal with it within an Orthodox context.

In this edition Kevin Allen speaks with priest, missionary, author and an adjunct lecturer at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology and Hellenic College, Fr Luke Veronis, about the challenges he faced when he came home from the mission field to take over a moribund Orthodox parish that had a revolving door of former priests. This is an inspiring and instructive story that will be an encouragement to all!

Guest: His Grace Bishop JOSEPH, Bishop of the Antiochian Archdiocese of Los Angeles and the West.

Feeling the mid-Lent blahs, or are the Lent "purple demons" out in force? Perhaps you are not "feeling" anything and wondering what the purpose of the Church's injunctions to pray, fast and give alms are supposed to cause in us during Great Lent and Pascha? Well you're not alone! Kevin asks H.G. JOSEPH these very questions in this encouraging and consoling interview.

In today's program Kevin and his guest, St Vladimir's Theological Seminary professor, historian, and author Fr John Erickson, discuss the near 1500-year rift between the Oriental Orthodox (Armenian, Coptic, Ethiopian, Indian) and Eastern Orthodox churches. They will discuss the theology, history, politics, attempts at reunion and the current state of affairs between these two ancient eastern Christian churches.

In this episode, the microphone is turned as AFR General Manager and founder John Maddex interviews host Kevin Allen on the catechism module he developed (with his priest's blessing) specifically for inquirers coming from New Age and Eastern spiritual backgrounds. Is the entrance of New Age and Eastern seekers perhaps a trend the Church needs to prepare for? Are the issues, concerns, and paradigms of these seekers the same as those inquiring from Evangelical backgrounds? Must the catechist know something about New Age and Eastern religions in order to catechize effectively? These are some of the questions that will be addressed in this program. You may download an attachment of the course outline here.

Wouldn't it be wonderful to combine the "best" of classic Orthodox Christian spiritual "therapies" (praxis) with modern psychological modalities in therapy? In the first of the new fall line-up, Kevin speaks with Orthodox professor and therapist, Dr. Philip Mamalakis about the ground-breaking work in this area he is pioneering. The web site for Dr. Philip that was mentioned in the interview can be found HERE.

We ask God to forgive our sins and God tells us that His forgiveness is conditional on our forgiveness of others. But what does forgiveness really mean? Does it mean forgetting the offense entirely, or is it the intention to forgive that matters? What if we forgive, but the bitterness or the memory of the sin or offense comes back - have we not truly forgiven? Are we to repent of our sin once, or is it a continual process? These and other questions are the topic of the next Illumined Heart with guest Rev. Fr Tom Soroka.

There are over 20 ancient Eastern Christian churches in communion with the Pope of Rome whose liturgies and "ethos" are more "Orthodox" than their Latin-Rite brothers. Some of them claim to be "Orthodox in communion with Rome". Some Orthodox disagree, calling them (pejoratively) "Uniates" or Eastern Rite Catholics, who have made significant compromises to come into such communion. In this episode host Kevin Allen speaks with Melkite (Eastern Catholic) priest Father James Babcock about the similarities and differences between Eastern Orthodox, Eastern Catholics and the Roman Catholic Church.

As Great Lent begins, Illumined Heart host Kevin Allen and nutrition expert Rita Madden (MPH and RD) discuss the role of food in our Orthodox spiritual life, what the Church Fathers say about food and food quantity, and practical nutritional issues related to fasting. Can we get the protein we need from a plant-based diet? Do we need supplements? Should children fast? These and many other questions - from an Orthodox patristic perspective and Rita's expertise -are the focus of this important conversation.

Be watching for Rita's new podcast on AFR about Food and Faith coming soon!!

In a very special edition of The Illumined Heart, we have an extensive conversation with His Eminence Metropolitan Kallistos Ware, Professor Emeritus in Eastern Orthodox Studies at Oxford University, and Bishop of Diokleia. Metropolitan Ka!istos is widely regarded as perhaps the world’s leading theologian of the Eastern Orthodox Church today. We present the entire interview here but also offer it in bite size pieces below. Kevin Allen's guest host is John Maddex.

In this two-part series, Illumined Heart host Kevin Allen speaks with Eastern Orthodox priest and occult-specialist Father George Aquaro about the attractions and dangers of the metaphysics and practices of what is called the occult. From seemingly benign astrology to ghost-chasing, and Father George speaks extensively about these practices and what is behind them from the Orthodox Christian perspective. Do ghosts and apparitions exist, or are they necessarily demonic? This and other questions will be addressed in this fascinating two-part series you will not want to miss.

Are converts to Orthodox Christianity dominating the media with their "journey stories" and "fast-paced, high-energy" perspectives, while the more quiet, perhaps lumbering, but deeply-rooted faith of cradle-born Orthodox is obscured in the process? Are traditions and customs being introduced by some convert clergy and laity that feel new and even strange to those with deep Orthodox roots? Is there a growing "cradle - convert gap" in the Orthodox Church in North America? Cradle Orthodox blogger, and writer Janice Bidwell expresses her concerns in this conversation with host Kevin Allen.

Fr. Alexander Goussetis, priest, comparative religion professor, and interfaith dialogue participant and advocate, speaks with host Kevin Allen about his views on the purpose of interfaith dialogue with Jews, Muslims, and other non-Christians. Kevin asks: Does the Gospel call us to merely understand the faiths of non-Christians, to enter into dialogue with them with no agenda, or is the goal always to try to win those we dialogue with to Christ? Is it "Orthodox" to proselytize, or simply to be a holy witness? These and other questions will be addressed in this program.

On November 12, 2008, a remarkable thing happened in Pittsburgh, PA. Just 11 days after his consecration as Bishop of Fort Worth and Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of the South, Bishop Jonah was elected Archbishop of Washington and New York and Metropolitan of All American and Canada for the Orthodox Church in America. Kevin Allen was able to spend well over an hour on the phone with His Beatitude Jonah in a candid and fascinating interview that we are bringing you in 2 parts. In this first part we learn about his background, personal interests, conversion to Orthodoxy and the monastic life. Next week we will bring you part 2.

Here is part 2 of this historic interview with Metropolitan Jonah who was just enthroned as Archbishop of Washington and New York and Metropolitan of All America for the Orthodox Church in America. In this half of the interview, His Beatitude Jonah addresses matters such as Administrative Unity among Orthodox jurisdictions, evangelism, and the events that led up to his election at the All American Council in November.

What began as a conversation with Fuller Theological Seminary professor Dr. Paraskeve (Eve) Tibbs over coffee, becomes an interview on the essential differences between the ways the Christian East and West understand the fundamentals of the faith, worship, and sacraments. A great introduction to East-West Christian distinctives on this encore presentation of The Illumined Heart with Kevin Allen!

In this inaugural episode of the new season of The Illumined Heart, Kevin Allen welcomes Father Michael Reagan to discuss a long-standing conversation between the Eastern Church and the Western Church: can we know God directly and what does this mean? The perspective in this conversation is practical, not academic.

In this new season of The Illumined Heart, Kevin will be providing interviews every other week. However next week (Sept 10) he will have part 2 of his interview with Fr. Michael Reagan.

The past few years have seen their controversies within the Self Ruled Antiochian Archdiocese of North America. On September 30, 2010, Kevin Allen and John Maddex traveled to Englewood, NJ to visit the headquarters of the Antiochian Archdiocese and the home of it’s Archbishop Metropolitan Philip Saliba. Our purpose was to seek clarification on several key areas that have become a concern to many, and fodder for the blogosphere. His Eminence warmly welcomed us and gave Kevin the freedom to ask any question he thought would be helpful to our audience in understanding several critical issues. There were four specific topics we wanted him to address:

1. The meaning and future of self rule in the Antiochian Archdiocese.

2. The status of the Bishops in North America and the meaning as well as the ramifications of the title “Auxiliary Bishop.”

3. The finances of the Antiochian Archdiocese and in particular the status of an audit.

4. The view point of His Eminence on the Episcopal Assembly, SCOBA, and the future of Administrative Unity in North America.

We have left the Metropolitan’s remarks intact and unedited to make them available to the audience for their own evaluation and conclusions.

This episode provides the entire interview. If you are interested in listening to the individual topics, we have also divided it up into 4 sections and those are available on The Illumined Heart page of Ancient Faith Radio. A free transcript is also available.

In the conclusion of our 3 part series commemorating the 25TH anniversary of the repose of Fr Seraphim (Rose), Kevin Allen is seated on a wooden bench overlooking a panoranmic view of Mt. Yolla Bolly with the Abbot of St. Herman of Alaska Monastery, Fr. Gerasim. Listen for valuable lessons (as well as birds chirping!) on the spiritual disciplines of prayer and fasting from a spiritual child of this venerated American monk and writer.

Join Illumined Heart co-host Kevin Allen on his pilgrimage to Saint Herman of Alaska Monastery, Platina, California to talk with its Abbot Fr. Gerasim and Fr. Seraphim Rose legacy-keeper and biographer Monk Damascene. September 2nd marks the 25th anniversary of the repose of Fr. Seraphim Rose. In part 1 of this 3 part series, Kevin is in the cell constructed by Fr. Seraphim and now occupied by Monk Damascene where he talks with the monk about his spiritual father. For more information about the books published and distributed by the monastery, visit their website.

Today Kevin's guest host on the program is Father Steve Tsichlis, Senior Pastor of Saint Paul's Greek Orthodox Church in Irvine, California. Fr Steve's special guest for this exclusive Illumined Heart interview is His
Eminence, Metropolitan KALLISTOS [Ware]. Their topic is: UNDERSTANDING THE SACRAMENTS. Saint Paul’s recently hosted His Eminence, Metropolitan KALLISTOS to Southern California, for a two-day, packed-house seminar to the general public titled, “Drawing Closer to the Savior: The Sacramental Life”. CD’s of this seminar are available for purchase by calling St Paul’s Church Office at 949.733.2366. You can also contact them on St Pauls’ website:
www.stpaulsirvine.org.

In this special 1 hour edition of The Illumined Heart, Kevin talks with Charles Ajalat. Mr. Ajalat is a powerful voice for Orthodox unity with a great deal of pan-Orthodox leadership experience. Currently chancellor and board member of the Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of America, he was also the architect of the historic Ligonier Meeting of Orthodox bishops in 1994—the first meeting of all twenty-nine bishops in North America. He is the founder of a Los Angeles law firm specializing in tax and litigation matters, and a graduate of Harvard University and the Law School at the University of California at Berkeley. He is a member of St. Nicholas Orthodox Cathedral in Los Angeles.

More resources on this topic:

Again Magazine (Winter 2003)
Kevin's interview with Fr. Josiah Trenham
Metropolitan PHILIP's keynote address at Antiochian Convention in Montreal (2007)