Claim OwnershipSearch the Scriptures Live
Subscribed: 175Played: 11,354
Subscribe
© Ancient Faith Ministries
Description
In this live program, Presvytera and Dr. Jeannie Constantinou guides us through Holy Scripture with the eyes of the Church Fathers and answers listener questions. Live on Mondays at 7:00pm Central/8:00pm Eastern.
330 Episodes
Reverse
The Bible relies heavily on oral tradition, even though it is written. Why is that the case? How did early Christians learn about Jesus? How did they interact with Scriptures, and what role did oral tradition play in the Church? Is oral tradition reliable, and if so, how?
The concept that God actually gets angry and has similar human emotions and traits is not only theologically incorrect but spiritually damaging. This week, we hear from both listeners and the Fathers as we continue to discuss biblical language when it must not be taken literally.
As we continue our discussion of why God does not get angry, jealous, or otherwise behave as a human being, we will look at some of the most famous passages of the Bible and how the Fathers explain the "behavior" of God, especially in Genesis.
Reorienting ourselves to think differently about God is a challenge, but necessary if we are to have a correct understanding of God and the Bible. Even the ancient Fathers understood that God does not get angry or jealous. Can we raise our minds to understand why?
The human language of the Bible is entirely inadequate to express truths about God. Many descriptive words cannot be understood literally, such as God becoming angry. We must accept this limitation to have correct concepts about God and a deeper understanding of the Bible.
The Fathers shared certain basic assumptions about the Bible, including the belief that every detail in the Bible had a useful spiritual purpose. Even the most ordinary passage can convey deep insights if properly interpreted.
Did God dictate the Bible word for word? That idea makes inspiration easy to understand, but is very problematic, not to mention simplistic and naive. The ancient Christian view of the Fathers was deep, sophisticated, and reflected the highest regard for the human person.
Our connection to the early Church is clearly evident in our interpretation of the Bible. Why is the Orthodox method of biblical interpretation so important? Why does it work, and how does it work? We will compare Chrysostom and Augustine as bishops and biblical interpreters.
Many methods of modern biblical interpretation have distorted the Bible, and this trend has only worsened. How did these perspectives gain a foothold in universities and society? How has Orthodoxy preserved the correct interpretation of the Bible from the early Church?
The modern era has led to advancements in biblical studies, but also to numerous controversies resulting from modern biblical criticism. What is "biblical criticism" and does it have any benefits? How does the Orthodox Church understand the Bible and its interpretation?
What makes a religious book "Scripture"? Why is the Bible sometimes hard to understand? Why is it called the "New Testament"? Why did the Fathers of the Church encourage reading of the Bible? Did people follow their advice, or did they just make excuses like we do?
Dr. Constantinou begins a new series, Introduction to the New Testament. She explains why the Bible must be seriously studied, where the word "Bible" came from, and why, according to St. John Chrysostom, it is unfortunate that the Bible even exists. So why does it exist?
Matthew's gospel concludes with "the Great Commission," when the Lord sent his disciples to preach and baptize. The passage raises questions about faith and doubt, the mission of the Church to evangelize, the Trinity, baptism, and more. As always, the Fathers will guide us.
Christ appeared to many people after the Resurrection, but only to his followers. Why didn't he appear to those who crucified him - to Pilate, Caiaphas, and the Sanhedrin? Wouldn't that be logical? Non-Orthodox sometimes say "God raised Jesus," but Orthodox never do. Why not?
What are the parameters of an Orthodox Christian funeral? What is allowed, what is disallowed, and why? Should Orthodox parishes create burial societies? What is the purpose and benefit of that ministry? Fr. John Reimann will join us to discuss this!
"Tollhouses," the belief that after death a soul is subject to a series of questions or examinations about its life, is an area of disagreement in Orthodoxy. Where does the idea come from? Is it a firmly settled teaching expected of all Orthodox? Fr. Costas will join us!
What is the body, and why does it matter what we do to it or with it after someone dies? Will you or someone else control your final destiny? The Church does not give cremation as an option. Why not? Why does the choice made for you by others at the end of your life matter?
We give little thought to the contribution of our body toward our salvation, but we will be raised for judgment in the body, through which and by which we either lived a godly life or not. Then we will experience heaven or hell with the body. The Holy Fathers will explain.
What can we learn from Christ’s resurrected body about our future life in the Kingdom of Heaven, and why should we care? If we misuse the body on earth in this life, what consequences will we face in the next life after our death?
The oldest written account of the Resurrection predates the gospels by decades and contains astonishing details. Most surprisingly, this compelling proof came from the worst enemy of the Church.
Comments
Download from Google Play
Download from App Store
United States