NPR and Ancient Faith Radio are what I listen to 90% of the time.
Ancient Faith Radio is brilliant. Funny how the “ancient church” – the Orthodox church(es) – perhaps best exemplify how to use Web 2.0 and modern media. Ancient Faith Radio is not one but 2? 4? different internet radio streams. Like “contemporary” Christian music? We got you covered. Prefer to listen to brilliant people talk a lot? Have that. Like to listen to liturgical chants as you drive down the Interstate? Prokeimenon in the sixth tone coming your way.
The podcasts are generally exceptional and have become rich springs of wisdom and insight. In particular the podcasts of Fr George Morelli who is head of chaplaincy for Antiochian Orthodox Church. An experienced and highly trained counselor/psychologist/psychotherapist. His series on suicide was phenomenal – not that it has been much of an issue in my own ministry but because of his discussion of the relationship between science and Christian faith. How often we struggle to “reconcile” them or disprove science as “against” religion. Nonsense – there is no conflict. They go hand in hand.
Yesterday was interesting – he was addressing how to raise children. He discussed punishment and its effects and at one point explained very carefully why “corporal punishment of children is intrinsically sinful”.
Dun Dun Dunnn!
Not that people who use it are “sinners” or “bad”. He was careful to distinguish judging individuals from judging behavior. And acknowledged that many good well-meaning sincere Christians believe corporal punishment is mandated in Scripture. But he disagreed on the basis of Church teaching.
Even if you disagree with him – it makes for fascinating listening. Click here for the MP3 podcast.
I have noticed that most Orthodox website are very well done. Functional and aesthetically pleasing. IIn fact it looks like Ancient Faith Radio recently redesigned their website. St Vladimir’s Theological Seminary uses Joomla under the hood – powerful but over my head. Ancient Faith Radio does not appear to use any CMS I am familiar with – might be a professional custom job.
While we are at it – what I heard last night while driving to pick up my daughter from a church Christmas party was spellbinding.
Christianity and Ecology – Part One
Ancient Faith Radio presents part one of a speech delivered by Professor Alfred Siewers at St. Paul Antiochian Orthodox Church in Emmaus, Pennsylvania. The title of the presentation is “Christianity and Ecology: Lessons on Sustainability from the Early Irish Sea.”
Includes discussion of fantasy literature of C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien and how that fits into the larger picture. Brilliant stuff – even I had trouble following it when it ventured into more philosophical/metaphysical/literary areas.
Addendum: I forgot to mention my one critique of Ancient Faith Radio which is not trivial nitpicking. A theme one encounters regularly is “this is what we Orthodox believe and do as opposed to Western Christianity”. The semi-constant comparisons to Roman Catholic and Protestant Christianity can get tiresome. I am not saying it is wrong or unreasonable. Only that sometimes I wish they would give it a rest.
