Christian Saints Podcast

Following our two part discussion of artificial intelligence, we continue the discussion with another two part conversation returning to the right use & role of books in this episode followed by a discussion of the place of martyrdom in the way of the life of faithfulness. This is part two of this discussion, please excuse the awkward edit from the preamble (identical to episode 5) into the co...

Following our two part discussion of artificial intelligence, we continue the discussion with another two part conversation returning to the right use & role of books in this episode followed by a discussion of the place of martyrdom in the way of the life of faithfulness. Reference materials for this episode:  - Harken My Beloved Brethren, page 273    - St Sophrony the Athonite    - “seeing G...

Part two of our discussion about AI, the collapse of Western knowledge structures, the final (fourth) nail in the coffin of The Enlightenment & why Eastern Orthodox Christianity shouldn't be all too worried about it. This will lead directly into episodes 5 & 6, a discussion about the right use of books, the crisis of authority in The West & the path of martyrdom as we saw it exhib...

What to Do When The Lights Go Out Is artificial intelligence the fourth death of The Enlightenment & should Orthodox Christians even care particularly much? Part 1 of a 2 part conversation. Reference materials for this episode:   - The future of AI    - https://www.wired.com/story/ai-risk-party-san-francisco/  - AI is making us less smart    - https://www.media.mit.edu/publications/your-brain-...

Following on our last episode in which we ended with the celebration of the righteous triumph of the gospel, we felt it was important to point out the boundary which must be kept on how we understand this triumph.  With the rise of nationalism in the USA, much of it Christian nationalism, as well as reflecting on such relatively recent tragedies as The Balkan war of the 1990's, it is crucial...

We start season seven off with by urging you to attend a [Orthodox] church you can't understand. Co-host Jim has realized he wasted 15 years of spiritual progress waiting for a local parish to be served in English. He traveled The Balkans enjoying all kinds of church services he couldn't understand a word of during early May & this dovetails with Fr Symeon's recent efforts to fu...

The fifth Sunday of Lent, the veneration of St Mary of Egypt, is the subject of this season finale episode. Saint Mary did not leave us with insightful writings. Saint Mary left us with an exemplary life we can strive to emulate. Yet, we have almost no details about how she lived her day to day life & we couldn't emulate it anyway because we don't live alone in a desert. But she clea...

The Fourth Sunday of Lent, The Veneration of St John Cassian, is the subject of this week's episode.  Jim reflects on the core beliefs which come even before details about The Trinity, The Incarnation, The Virgin Birth, The Death, Resurrection & Ascension of this incarnate God, the singularity of the church which His apostles established, or the succession of bishops who have preserved th...

The third Sunday of Lent, The Veneration of the Precious and Life-Giving Cross, is the subject of this week's episode. Jim reflects on the paradox of a device of torture & execution becoming the emblem of our military victory, our triumph, over sin & death. Reference materials for this episode:  GOA Digital Chanters’ Stand - https://digitalchantstand.goarch.org/goa/dcs/dcs.html Antioc...

The Second Sunday of Lent, St Gregory Palamas, is the subject of this week's episode.  Considered a second triumph of orthodoxy, because just as the veneration of icons is necessary for Christian worship as we remembered last week, the prayer of a single thought, hesychasm, ceaseless prayer, through which we see the uncreated light of God within ourselves, is also necessary. St Gregory defend...

What Does It Mean to Be Orthodox? The first Sunday of Lent, The Triumph of Orthodoxy, is the subject of this week's episode. Originally remembering the Old Testament prophets, who spoke truth to power, now remembering the fathers of the 7th ecumenical council, which affirmed the necessity of the veneration of icons in Orthodox worship, Jim takes a few minutes to reflect on why it is Orthodoxy...

How Do We Prepare for the Evangelion of The Christ? Fr Symeon is busy now with the activities of Great Lent in his parish & so Jim is solo hosting a series of short reflections on the structure of the Paschal cycle.  This first episode will examine the four pre-Lenten Sundays:   - The Publican & The Pharisee  - The Prodigal Son  - The Last Judgement  - Forgiveness He is choosing to frame t...

Is Jesus a Hippie? Scripture citations for this episode:  - Genesis 9:8-17: Covenant with Noah  - Luke 15:11-32: The Prodigal Son  - Acts 2:14-43: The declaration of the military conquest of Jesus The Christian Saints Podcast is a joint production of Generative sounds & Paradosis Pavilion. Our hosts are Father Symeon Kees of Iowa City & James John Marks of Chicago. Paradosis Pavilion - htt...

A just society, politics, economics & ideology. What our culture used to call Civics. But we don't seem to be civilized these days, do we? If you keep on the way you have been the past few weeks, it is going to be a long four years. Just remember, nothing is perfect, nothing is finished, & nothing lasts forever.  Flat earth theory, non-Euclidian geometry, the divinity of George Washin...

Reference materials for this episode:  Letters from the Desert: A Selection of Questions and Responses   - Ss. Barsanuphius and John   - Questions 699 & 700 Past episodes on these saints & feasts  - St Joseph the Betrothed    — https://www.buzzsprout.com/1443073/episodes/14219830 Scripture citations for this episode: Ephesians 6 - the whole armor of God YouTube Version: https://youtu.be/tg...

How Can I Become a Real Man? Reference materials for this episode:  Past episodes on these saints & feasts  - St Nicholas of Myra    — https://www.buzzsprout.com/1443073/episodes/6919991  - St Stephen    — https://www.buzzsprout.com/1443073/episodes/6259483  - St Joseph the Betrothed    — https://www.buzzsprout.com/1443073/episodes/14219830  - St James the brother of The LORD in The Flesh    —...

How Can We Avoid Materialism This Christmas Season? Reference materials for this episode:  https://orthodoxtao.com/notes/notes-on-lessons-11-20/ - specifically #11 Scripture citations for this episode: Genesis 1-3 - made to be different, devolve to be more like animals Exodus 32 - worshipping an animal, behaving like animals Isaiah 1 - born between an ox & and a donkey Habakkuk 3 - in the Gree...

Reference materials for this episode:  - Google search “vintage santa coca cola advertisements”  - Saint Demetrius Press website    — Nick Papas icon of St Nicholas    — Nick Papas icon of The Nativity  - Google search Rothko Chapel Houston Texas Scripture citations for this episode: Messianic fulfillment  - Matthew 4:12-17    — Isaiah 9  - Luke 4: 16-22    — Isaiah 61 Luke 2: 13-15 - The equating...

Reference materials for this episode:  https://orthodoxtao.com/notes/orthodox-worship-notes/ Scripture citations for this episode: John 4:1-42 - the Samaritan woman at the well, worship in spirit & in truth Genesis 1-3 - Jesus walks in the Garden with Adam & Eve Genesis 3 - Sin results in toil & labor Genesis 4 - Cain is off the rails which is why God rejects his sacrifice - His asceti...

Reference materials for this episode:  https://www.catholic.com/tract/sabbath-or-sunday - Early church quotes about not Judaizing  Hymns of The Lamentations Service Hymns of Vesperal Liturgy of Holy Saturday Hymns of The Divine Liturgy Scripture citations for this episode: Genesis 2:1-3 - God’s day of rest Genesis 2:24 - Jesus as the bridegroom going to His bride Exodus 31:12-17 - sabbath as part...

Reference materials for this episode:  https://stmaryofegypt.org/files/library/life.htm - St Mary of Egypt Scripture citations for this episode: 2 Samuel/2 Kingdoms 6:3-8 & 1 Chronicles 13:7-11 - Uzzah is killed for touching The Ark of The Covenant The Christian Saints Podcast is a joint production of Generative sounds & Paradosis Pavilion. Our hosts are Father Symeon Kees of Iowa City &am...

What Does It Mean for Christians to Keep Sabbath? Reference materials for this episode:  St. Gregory Palamas The Homilies, edited and translated by Christopher Veniamin homily 17 "Explaining the Mystery of the Sabbath and of the Lord's Day and Referring to the Gospel of New Sunday" (Waymart: Mount Thabor Publishing, 2009) Scripture citations for this episode: Genesis 18 - Abraham’s...

How Can I Begin to Pray?  Reference materials for this episode:  The Art of Prayer The Inner Closet of the Heart St Dimitri of Rostov pg 43, 45 St. Gregory of Sinai, “Instructions to Hesychasts”: Scripture citations for this episode: Psalm 140/141 Matthew 6: 6-15 Matthew 24: 36-44 The Christian Saints Podcast is a joint production of Generative sounds & Paradosis Pavilion. Our hosts are Father...

How Can I Overcome My Blindness?  Reference materials for this episode:  St Gregory Palamas The Homilies Homily 34: On the Holy Transfiguration of Our Lord & God & Savior Jesus Christ St Symeon The New, Theologian On the Mystical Life: The Ethical Discourses, Vol 2 Fifth Discourse Book of Mystical Chapters: Meditations on the Soul’s Ascent St Mark the Ascetic Sayings of the Egyptian Father...

Why Can’t I Be Still? Reference materials for this episode:  Lao Tsu - Tao Te Ching - - poem 16 Cai Song Fang - Warriors of Stillness - - author’s intro Philokalia vol 1  - Evagrios the Solitary - - pg 40-41 - - - watchdog passage  - St Mark the Ascetic  - - pg 128  - - - sayings 29-31  - St John Cassian  - - pg 91  - - - first paragraph “On Self Esteem” St Gregory Palamas  - “On the Entry into th...