Made to Be a Kingdom

In this episode which continues a discussion of the way the two Kingdoms are present in the theology of Holy Week, Fr. Harry blows Fr. Anthony's mind with his presentation of the way the Mystical Supper brings all Christians into the death and resurrection of Christ. So awesome.

Today Fr. Harry and Fr. Anthony make a deep dive into the two Kingdoms, their gates, (e.g. Matthew 7), and the Harrowing of Hades. They cover a lot of ground, including a review of the services of Holy Week, setting the stage for deeper discussions in the next few episodes.

It's easy for us to think of the Divine Liturgy as a participation in the New Covenant because of its ties to the Mystical Supper (and Passion/Resurrection), but our hosts describe how it is also tied explicitly to Pentecost. They also talk about the beauty and utility of exploring the Old Testament Pentecosts (and they did not even cover them all!).

Our hosts continue their discussion of Old Testament Pentecosts with the promise of Isaac, Ishmael, Jacob and the ladder and the promise is the Messiah, Joseph and the salvation of Israel. Hosts also discuss how blessings precede curses in many of these cases, the latter also to benefit the faithful, and how all of these things inform us today of our mission as the Royal Priesthood.

Our hosts almost allow themselves to devote the episode to aliens, but somehow manage to pull themselves back to the notes and talk about language, the gift of tongues, and the danger of heresy. However, the focus of their discussion was the epiphany of the Trinity(!) to Abraham and Sarah at Mamre. You won't want to miss this one!

The hosts continue their conversation about the Old Testament connections with Pentecost. This time, they focus on Pentecost as the healing of Babel's divisions AND the sickness that preceded it. They also talk about why it is the perfect remedy for our own age, which is both divided and sick. Enjoy the show!

In this, the first of several episodes on Pentecost, our hosts introduce the many Old Testament Pentecosts, focusing on God's covenant with Noah. It's a connection that may be new to some listeners, but that is sure to resonate. Enjoy the show!

The hosts finish up their conversation on the services of Pascha and Paschaltide by talking about some of the other traditions and rituals that put us into the Paschal pattern. This includes a discussion of keeping various doors open during Bright Week and Paschaltide. Enjoy the show!

The hosts continue sharing the joy of Paschaltide by talking about services and food, including the tradition of blessing and sharing Paschal baskets. Fr. Harry talks more about how the practice of his parish follows syncs with the ancient one at the Holy Sepulcher. Enjoy the show!

The hosts share the joy of Paschaltide by talking about how awesome the services were at Holy Protection in Dover, Florida. They also talk about the fast-free time of Pentecost. Enjoy the show!

In this episode our hosts discuss what exactly it means - and doesn't mean - that Satan was bound at the death and resurrection of Christ.

In this episode, our hosts further explore our participation in the burial and resurrection of Christ in the Liturgical services extending from the end of Holy Week through Paschaltide.

In this, the second of a two-part series, our hosts continue discussing materialism and secularism, and how they separate us from God. The episode begins with a discussion of debt and how tithing works to open our noetic faculties and ends with them undermining the faith/works debate.

In this, the first of a two-part series, our hosts discuss materialism and secularism and how they poison us against God on a practical level. They talk about how salvation is not transactional and how we as faithful children of the Kingdom must not have two separate lives; our whole life can and should be integrated and committed to Christ our God, even in our secular jobs (secular does not mean separated from God—even parish priests are “secular” by one definition).

In this episode, our hosts discuss judgment and the confusion that arises as to whether judgment is good or bad in the Christian worldview. They discuss relevant passages, including the much famed “judge not…” The need for personal accountability in our walk with Christ is also discussed.

Orthodox Christian ethics are revolutionary to the world, and have never been found prior to Christ’s giving them nor since in any other philosophical or religious framework. In this episode, our hosts discuss why Christ’s ethics, the moral principles that govern behavior and activity, are crucial for the faithful to understand and practice. Their origin, purpose, and function are distinct from any other ethics derived from ancient times until today in any other philosophical or religious systems.

In this episode, our hosts discuss the third of the royal and priestly practices given by Christ to the children of the Kingdom. In the past few episodes, they discussed works of love (Almsgiving) and prayer, and in this episode, they discuss fasting. They discuss why fasting is important, what it accomplishes, and why it is especially important to understand this in our day.

All Orthodox Christians are called to exercise this priestly ministry of prayer which impacts our lives and bears a positive impact on the world. Prayer is synergy with God. He talks to us as we talk to Him. We speak of the four kinds of prayer listed in Scripture: supplications, requests, intercessions and thanksgiving, and what that means for us, and how we produce the fruits of the will of God thereby with a transformative power for ourselves, our households, our communities, and beyond, with a change of orientation toward God.

Our hosts discuss our ministry (service) in God’s Kingdom and some of the duties and responsibilities that comprise this ministry, including the Christian duties given by the Lord in Matthew 6 and other places and how they are priestly ministries. Our hosts then go on to discuss the first Christian duty of Charitable work (aka Almsgiving or Works of mercy) as priestly powers given by God to all of His faithful for the perpetual sanctifying and transforming the world around us.

Our hosts discuss how Christ brought death to an end as separation from God and from Life. He transforms natural bodily death to a necessary stage in life whereby the person is freed from the passions of their earthly walk. As Orthodox Christians, we celebrate that fact in the funeral service, which is connected to its celebration on Holy Saturday. It is a personal Holy Sabbath for the person, and they are still alive in Christ.

In this episode, our hosts offer reflections on the Church’s teachings and the centrality of the Sanctity of Life in the salvation plan of God, and in the doctrinal and liturgical life of the Church. They discuss also the recent March for Life and our place as Orthodox Christians in such efforts using the prayer offered at the opening to the March to frame the discussion.

Today Fr. Harry and Fr. Anthony continue to share their personal testimonies on the importance of continual repentance for priests and parishes. The main takeaway is the need for us to stop trying to control things, serve well, and let God live through us.

Fr. Harry and Fr. Anthony talk about the relationship between repentance and belief and how both are required for us to fulfill our calling. They also begin a very earnest conversation about personal and communal conversion and its relation to parish growth health.

Fr. Harry and Fr. Anthony continue celebrating the joy of Christmastide as the discuss Theophany and unpack Revelation 5. The main takeaway is that time is fulfilled in the Divine Liturgy; eternity is experienced in the moment.

Join Fr. Harry and Fr. Anthony as they continue their conversation about the joys of the Christmas season, including the Circumcision and Baptism of our Lord. Christ is born! Glorify Him! Merry Christmas!

Join Fr. Harry and Fr. Anthony as they talk about the celebration of Christmas (forty days!) through the lens of Isaiah 9:2-7. Christ is born! Glorify Him! Merry Christmas!

Fr. Harry and Fr. Anthony continue their conversation about 1 Peter 2:9, this time focusing on the third and fourth set of attributes, "a holy nation" and "a people for his own possession." But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. They explore what it means to be citizens of heaven, how this relates to earthly citizenship, and what “nation” ultimately means for a Christian. They remind us that while we have sacred responsibilities to our earthly home we remain sojourners on our way to our heavenly home. Enjoy the show!

Fr. Harry and Fr. Anthony continue talking about 1 Peter 2:9, this time focusing on the second set of attributes, "a royal priesthood." But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. They answer the questions; "What does this mean?" and "Are we royalty?", describing what it means to share in the royalty of the King of kings and what it means to share in the priestly role of offeror with the Great High Priest. Enjoy the show!

In this episode, Fr. Harry and Fr. Anthony dig into 1 Peter 2:9, focusing on the first set of attributes, "a chosen race." But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. They discuss how, in the light of Christ’s coming, we are (and aren't) to understand the term “race.” Scripture sees all humans as being one race, the human race. Political shifts cannot affect this truth. They also talk about how the term “chosen” relates to Christ as the “Chosen one” and the Church as the result of her being engrafted into Him, into His Body. Enjoy the show!

Many people still tend to think of the Orthodox Church as the “true denomination” rather than as the manifestation of the fullness of the Heavenly Church of Christ on earth. We see this even with the terminology we use. “I used to be Catholic but now I am Orthodox.” Or “I used to be Episcopalian but now I am Orthodox.” This seems to indicate that the person still has a view of denominationalism. I was one denomination but now I am another. This should stop. We are the continuation of the ancient Church of Christ. This whole idea of denominations came with the protestant reformation. The Orthodox Church is the House of the Fullness of the Faith.

We are not all ordained priests, but we are all priests. In the Old Covenant, priests were made priests with chrism, and there were very few. In the Old Covenant kings and queens, and inheriting royalty were made kings and queens with chrism, and they were very few. In the New Covenant, all are chosen to a royal priesthood, known as the Church, with Holy Chrism. When we say royal priesthood, we are simply talking about Christ’s Holy Orthodox Catholic and Apostolic Church, of which we are all a part.

Each of us as an Orthodox Christian is set apart and sealed to be a royal and priestly intercessor for our family and neighborhood, circle of friends, and our parish, and our land. Many are very unaware of this, especially in specific terms, and are unaware of the impact it has and the great connection of generations accomplishing this renewing of our local circumstanced by God through us. However, what is more widely unknown is that we are all in a very direct sense intercessors not only for these local circumstances but also for the human race and for the entire world, and furthermore how the world would look without us fulfilling this role and how the world DID look without it.