Ancient Faith Presents

The traveling mic of AFR goes all the way to Korce, Albania to interview Metropolitan John. He grew up in communist Albania, found Christ in a miraculous way, became part of the underground and illegal Christian Church, and is now a member of the Holy Synod of the Autocephalous Albanian Orthodox Church under the hierarchical leadership of Archbishop Anastasios. It's a powerful story of God's grace and provision under very difficult circumstances.

Have you downloaded the new AFR app yet? If so, this little tutorial will help you navigate. If not, get it now in either the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store for Android.

Bobby Maddex interviews Richard Barrett and John Michael Boyer about the new Capella Romana release, "Heaven and Earth", the Psalm 103 Project, which is both available to purchase and hear live starting October 14th! Listeners can find more information at https://cappellaromana.org/

Bobby Maddex interviews conference founder, Fr. David Subu, and keynote speaker, Richard Rohlin, about the upcoming Doxacon 2022. Doxacon is a conference exploring the intersection of Christian faith and fantasy, fiction, and sci-fi genres. This year's theme is "Depictions of Evil and Redemption in Sci-Fi and Fantasy" and will the conference will take place November 4-5th at St. George Greek Orthodox Church in Bethesda, MD. To learn more and register, visit the Doxacon website.

Bobby Maddex interviews Joan Berg and Jesse Roberts about the upcoming Orthodox Christian Attorney Network National Conference in Newport Beach, CA. This year's conference will be held from October 7-8 and will feature keynote speaker, The Honorable Gregory Katsas. To learn more about this conference, to register, and to find details on financial assistance, please visit the OCAN website.

Bobby Maddex interviews Peter and Sharon Georges about their mission work in Uganda to help provide accessible education to children and break the cycle of poverty. To learn more about and support this incredible ministry, please visit their website here.

Bobby Maddex interviews Anne Van Fossen, the Chief Academic Officer of The Classical Learning Resource Center. Together they discuss some exciting new developments at the CLRC, including a new online academy!

Bobby Maddex speaks with Yelena Popovic about the widely acclaimed film, Man of God, which is now available for purchase in digital format, DVD, and Blu-ray.

The heritage and theology behind Russian bells with Mark Galperin of Blagovest Bells.

John Maddex sits down with biblical scholar and AFR podcaster Dr. Jeannie Constantinou to learn about her life and upbringing. Did you know she had a career as an attorney? In addition to her Search the Scriptures Live podcast/live show, Dr. Constantinou is the author of Thinking Orthodox and The Crucifixion of the King of Glory published by Ancient Faith.

John Maddex is joined by Fr. Chad Hatfield and Dr. Andrew Geleris to talk about the upcoming Advanced Leadership Conference sponsored by the Orthodox Christian Leadership Initiative. The dates are September 16-18, 2022 and the topic is "Money - The Gospel Changes Everything." This discussion centers on the issue of funding for parishes and organizations and the mind set that hinder growth. The book by Dr. Andrew Geleris that was referenced is Money and Salvation - An Invitation to the Good Way.

John Maddex sits down with Man of God producer Yelena Popovic to get an update on the results from the Spring showings in the US. She shares some good news about a Canadian release as well as the availability of streaming and downloads very soon.

Bobby Maddex interviews Metropolitan Tikhon and Archdeacon Joseph Matusiak about His Beatitude's special appeal for donations from the individual parishioners of the Orthodox Church in America to provide relief for Ukrainian refugees. To donate, please visit oca.org/relief.

Bobby Maddex is joined by Emily Wilkinson, the executive director of Orthodox Christians for Life, to discuss their history, ministry, and involvement in the upcoming March for Life in Washington, D.C. Listeners can learn more about Orthodox Christians for Life and support the ministry at their website.

Bobby Maddex is joined by Hollie Benton and Fr. Paul Hodge to discuss the Orthodox Christian Leadership Initiative and its upcoming peer learning & BootCamp sessions for leadership development. Listeners who are interested in joining the upcoming cohorts can learn more and register at the OCLI website.

Bobby Maddex is joined by Dn. Andrei Psarev to discuss the upcoming "Links between Times: Conclusions and Perspectives" Conference taking place in Belgrade, Serbia from November 22–26, 2021. The aim of the conference is to make sense of processes connecting the past and present of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia. Interested listeners can learn more and register from the conference at the ROCOR Studies website. You can also learn more at the conference Facebook page.

Bobby Maddex interviews Benedict Sheehan and Lydia Given about Benedict's new composition out on Capella Records, simply titled, "Vespers". Together they discuss the creative process, inspiration, and development of this beautiful project as well as a unique perspective on American Orthodox music. Listeners can learn more and find links to purchase or stream the album at the Capella Romana website.

Bobby Maddex interviews Kyra Limberakis and Michael Sider-Rose, co-directors of the Orthodox Volunteer Corps. Together they discuss this phenomenal new organization that aims to ignite & equip young adults to catalyze transformative service for Church and the world. OVC is perfect for young adults looking to engage in a yearlong life of service, formation, and community. Learn more about OVC and apply for the program at their website.

Join special host, Richard Rohlin, as he interviews brilliant authors and educators, Dr. Edith Humphrey and Angelina Stanford. Together they engage in rich conversation about literature, fantasy, art, and faith. Topics include: what makes literature good or bad? How do we choose good literature for our children? How do we write good literature for our children? And more! To learn more about Dr. Edith Humphrey and her newest book, "Beyond the White Fence" here. To learn more about Angelina Standford and her work at the House of Humane Letters, check out their website. To learn more about Richard Rohlin and his Finding the Golden Key project, click here.

Bobby Maddex interviews Matthew Namee about the upcoming OCAN Conference, which takes place on November 6th. Listeners can learn more and register for the conference here!

Bobby Maddex is joined by award-winning actor, Jonathan Jackson to discuss the new Theoria College of Filmmaking. Listeners can learn more about the college and apply here. Also, listeners can find Jonathan's book, The Mystery of Art, at the Ancient Faith Store.

Do you lie awake at night wondering what might have been had they never canceled Firefly? Then listen in as Bobby Maddex interviews Fr. David Subu about Doxacon 2021, an online conference focusing on the intersection of Christian faith and the film and literary genres of science fiction and fantasy. Check out the Doxacon website to learn more about the virtual conference including speakers and topics as well as registration information.

After 14 years of faithfully reading books to children each week, Dr. Chrissi Hart is retiring from Readings From Under The Grapevine. Don't miss this touching interview and join us in thanking her for these years of service to Christ.

Bobby Maddex interviews Hollie Benton, Executive Director of the Orthodox Christian Leadership Initiative, and Fr. Chad Hatfield, President of St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary, about the upcoming 5th annual National Orthodox Advanced Leadership Conference. The conference will be taking place at St. Vladimir's Seminary from Sept. 17-19. To find out more about the conference, the lineup of speakers, and how to get a registration discount, visit the Orthodox Christian Leadership Initiative website.

OCMC missionary Fr. Paul Patitsas joins us to talk about his work in New Zealand and Oceania.

Ancient Faith Radio welcomes the Executive Director of the Orthodox Christian Missions Center, Fr. Martin Ritsi, to our studio. The phone number for OCMC was misstated in the interview. The actual number is 1-800-GO-FORTH.

Bobby Maddex interviews Andrew Lekos, the Teams Director at the Orthodox Christian Mission Center (OCMC), about the short-term mission opportunities available at OCMC.

Bobby Maddex interviews Fr. Nicholas Andruchow, the newly appointed Executive Director of Project Mexico. Together they discuss the ministries of Project Mexico and St. Innocent Orphanage, as well as the bold and exciting vision Fr. Nicholas has for future expansion. You can find out more about this amazing ministry and explore ways to give your time, talent, and treasure at their website here.

Bobby Maddex speaks with Michael Jones, Archimandrite Meletios Pantic, and Fr. Paul Patitsas about the Orthodox apostolic missionary movement in the area of Oceania. Together they discuss the growth of Orthodoxy in the South Pacific including the building of new churches and training of native priests. Listeners can learn more and support missionary efforts by visiting the websites of the Orthodox Apostolic Ministry of the Holy Metropolis of New Zealand and Orthodoxy for Tonga.

Bobby Maddex speaks with Fr. Chad Hatfield, President of St. Vladimir's Seminary, about the application process for—and new developments at—the school, including the establishment of an on-campus Ancient Faith Radio remote studio.

Bobby Maddex interviews Andrei Oprescu, the director of the new documentary People of the Holy Mountain, a film featuring the Orthodox monks of Mt. Athos.

Bobby Maddex interviews Razvan Porumb from the Institute for Orthodox Christian Studies in Cambridge, UK. Together they discuss distance learning degree programs, upcoming lecture series, the wealth of content on the institute's YouTube page, and more! All of this can be found on the IOCS webpage.

Bobby Maddex interviews Georgia Georgiou, a member of the executive committee of SOFIA, which stands for Student Orthodox Fellowship in Australia.

Bobby Maddex interviews Dr. John Burgess, a professor at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, about the graduate school's Eastern Christian Doctor of Ministry Cohort, a new academic offering presented in partnership with Antiochian House of Studies.

Bobby Maddex interviews Dr. Peter Patitsas, author of The Athos Diet: Before There Was Atkins, There Was Athos, about the importance of fasting and ketosis to physical and spiritual wellbeing.

Bobby Maddex interviews Dr. Vladimir Morosan, the founder and president of Musica Russica, the largest publisher of Russian choral music outside of Russia, about a new massive collection of Pascha sheet music—the first of its kind in 40 years.

John Maddex catches up with his long time friend Fr. Constantine Nasr, retired priest at St. Elijah Antiochian Orthodox Church in Oklahoma City. Fr. Constantine has maintained his evangelistic spirit even in retirement and he shares information about a new outreach tool he recently created.

Bobby Maddex interviews Fr. Chad Hatfield, the President of St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary and a Professor of Pastoral Theology, about the 38th Annual Fr. Alexander Schmemann Lecture that will take place at the seminary on January 30th.

Bobby Maddex interviews Jessica Laarman, the Group Leader of a new project titled Single and Orthodox, an attempt to connect actively practicing single Orthodox Christians together and build new relationships.

Bobby Maddex interviews Rita Madden, a Master of Public Health, a registered dietician, and the host of the AFR podcast Food, Faith, and Fasting, about her upcoming virtual conference.

Bobby Maddex interviews Dr. Nicholas Reeves about the upcoming AFR event, Christmas Across the Continent: Lessons and Carols featuring Six Choirs. Make sure to tune in this Saturday, December 19th at 7 pm (Central) on our streaming music & talk stations or simultaneously catch the podcast version with video under the "specials" tab to join us for this spectacular musical celebration of our Lord's Nativity!

Bobby Maddex interviews Fr. John Hickey, parish priest of Three Patrons of Ireland Antiochian Orthodox Church in Dublin, Ireland. Together they discuss the history of the Church in Ireland, the current state of Orthodoxy there, and the ways in which it is expanding into the future! Learn more about Orthodoxy in Ireland by visiting The Antiochian Orthodox Church in Ireland or by checking out their Facebook Livestream.

Bobby Maddex interviews Irina Paert of St. John's School in Tallinn, Estonia. Find out more about how you can support Orthodox education in Estonia here or by contacting Irina at [email protected]

Fr. Barnabas Powell interviews Fr. Evan Armatas about Fr. Evan's new Ancient Faith book Toolkit for Spiritual Growth.

John Maddex talks with the team behind the Icons of Sound project that resulted in Cappella Romana's chart-topping surround-sound recording, Lost Voices of Hagia Sophia. He talked with the four people integral to the project: Alexander Lingas (Music Director of Cappella Romana), Bissera Pentcheva (Professor of Art and Art History, Stanford University), Jonathan Abel (Professor at the Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics, Stanford University), and Mark Powell (Executive Director of Cappella Romana). Order the CD and related resources Also check out Icons of Sound at Stanford University

Bobby Maddex interviews Dr. James Jordan and Sr. Christine Helfrich of Gloriae Dei Cantores, the choir that just recently released a new collection of compositions by the acclaimed Arvo Pärt called Stabat Mater: Choral Music of Arvo Pärt .

Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick interviews Fr. George (Jurgis) Sungaila, a young Orthodox priest serving in Vilnius, Lithuania, and an outgoing blogger and YouTuber dedicated to preaching Christ in a post-Soviet country that has known Orthodox Christianity for at least 700 years. They discuss Fr. George's conversion to Orthodoxy and his ministry, as well as the Three Holy Martyrs of Vilnius (the Protomartyrs and Protectors of Orthodox Lithuanians), what it's like to be Orthodox in Lithuania, the relationship of Lithuania with nearby Russia, the emergence of the Orthodox Church in newly-independent Lithuania in the 1990s, the new auxiliary bishop just consecrated for the country, and Orthodox pilgrimage sites in this small country on the Baltic sea. You will also hear Orthodox liturgical music sung in Lithuanian by Fr. George's wife, Justina, and her choir.

Richard Barrett, protopsaltis and choir director at Holy Dormition Greek Orthodox Church in Somerville, MA—and the co-host of A Sacrifice of Praise—interviews Amy Hogg, Samuel Herron, and Gabriel Cremeens, the individuals behind the new Trisagion School of Byzantine Music, an online Byzantine Chant training program whose mission it is to offer Byzantine Chant instruction in English with a focus on the ever-growing English-language repertoire available in Byzantine notation.

Bobby Maddex interviews Dean Triantafilou and Stacey Mason of International Orthodox Christian Charities. Stacey Mason has worked in international relations for 15 years. Over the years, she has visited over 35 countries and has earned advanced degrees in international affairs. Stacey has served as Director of Operations for International Orthodox Christian Charities, or IOCC, for the last 5 years, where she is responsible for relief and development programs in Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and the US. Constantine “Dean” Triantafilou has been leading IOCC for over two decades, where he brings a deep commitment to serving the Church and others. Starting in the field, he has held several leadership roles within IOCC and served as a board member with international and domestic alliances, giving him a unique perspective on the organization and the humanitarian industry. As Executive Director and CEO, Dean guides IOCC’s strategic priorities and direction.

Bobby Maddex interviews Tatiana Geringer, the CEO of the PaTRAM Institute, and Katya Lukianov, the co-founder of the institute and the artistic director, about their Grammy-nominated recordings.