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Behold, the Uncreated Light from Christ’s Tomb! On Holy Saturday, Greece's ΕΚΚΛΗΣΙΑΣΤΙΚΟΣ ΣΤΑΘΜΟΣ 4Ε (TV 4) plans to broadcast the Ceremony of the Holy Fire from the Holy Sepulchre. 1pm Jerusalem/ 6am ET in N. America. Link to live stream: https://t.co/eNM237aQjk pic.twitter.com/zI9N7e7JY4

— Orthodox Faith (@since33) April 3, 2018

ACORN: All Church History downloads

Church History ACORN Series I

Below is the first series of half hour programs from the Antiochian Christian Orthodox Radio Network. On line player files are mp3 underlined files are compressed for dial up users

Who are the Orthodox Christians?

Fr. Peter Gillquist answers the question "What on earth is the Orthodox Church?" 25% of Christendom is part of the Orthodox Church, with 6M in the US...What do they believe and where did they come from? Fr. John Badeen continues to explain this "same faith" that unites the faithful around the world.

What is the Audit Trail of Orthodox Christianity?

Fr. John Badeen explains the history of the Bible is the history of Orthodoxy in this study on Apostolic Succession. Fr. Joseph Shadah explains the Holy Orders or Holy Ordination and its hierarchical nature.

What was the Great Schism?

After the Great Schism

Fr. Stephen Hardie explains what the Church was like after the Great Schism of 1054. Missionary activities, the results of the conquests of the Arabs & the Turks brought a dark time to Orthodoxy. By 1683, only Russia was a free Orthodox nation. The "People of the Book" as Orthodox were called, suffered may persecutions. In 1964, the Patriarch of the Orthodox church and the Pope of the Roman church met and jointly removed the excommunications that were the result of the Schism. Fr. John Badeen also explains the history of the Orthodox church in America. In 1794 the first missionaries landed in Alaska.

Holy Tradition

Fr. Peter Gillquist talks about the "T-word" Tradition. Much of what Luther and Calvin distained about the Roman church was tradition. Nobody was tougher on tradition than Jesus himself. St. Paul also condemns the traditions of men. But, Fr. Peter explains that there is much more in the NT about tradition to consider and explains two different types of traditions to understand. Fr. Badeen explains what we Orthodox consider as Holy Tradition: the Holy Scriptures, the Councils and Canons, the writings of the Holy Fathers. All are essential to understand the essence of the Orthodox church. The Biblical basis for our belief is examined.

The Bible - Old Testament

Now, Bp. BASIL Essey gives one of the most complete overviews of the Old Testament (including the LXX) that can be found. This narrative has recently been transcribed for publication in the soon to be released, Orthodox Study Bible including the Old Testament. Fr. Peter Lee continues to explain the Orthodox view of God's revelation to man in His Holy Scriptures, the revealed Word of God. He explains how God's Word is used in the Orthodox services.

The Bible - New Testament

Bp. BASIL again gives a complete overview of the New Testament. He discusses the prophecy of Malachi and its fulfillment in the book of Matthew. We learn of the New Covenant and the new people who are the new Israel, the Church. Not until the 5th century, was the canon of the 27 books solidified in the east. As late as the 16th century Luther was criticizing especially the book of Revelation. Fr. Peter examines historical references to Jesus, but concentrates on the Gospel accounts of the life of Christ. Then he turns how the canon was derived, what are the basics that are taught by the NT Scriptures, and how the Orthodox church uses the NT in her liturgy.

The First Three Centuries

Fr. John Badeen presents an overview of the Church from Pentecost through the first three centuries. Questions regarding nature of Christ that were asked an answered during this period of time, are discussed along with cults that appeared. Fr. Joseph Shadah discusses the Patristic or Ante-Nicene era. Writings of fathers from the birth of Christ to 325 AD, are surveyed.

The Church Councils part 1

Fr. John Badeen discusses the Church as it came together against heresies articulating the belief of the ecumenical church in unity. Constantine called the first of these councils in 325 AD and it was held in Nicea. The unified statement of faith, the Nicene Creed, was signed by over 300 attending bishops of the church. In 381, the Council of Constantinople reaffirmed the Nicene Creed against additional heretical teaching. Fr. Stephan Hardie continues to describe Arianism and the early fathers who fought against it.

The Church Councils part 2

Fr. John Badeen discusses the Ecumenical Councils of Ephesus (431) and Chalcedon (451) resolving the nature of Christ...Fully human and Fully divine. Mary was also affirmed as the birth-giver of God. Bp. BASIL Essey explains the Orthodox teaching of the Theotokos (the Birth-Giver), the Mother of God in relationship to these councils. History understood that a healthy understanding of Mary, lead to a healthy understanding of Christ.

The Church Councils part 3

Fr. John Badeen outlines the findings of the 5th - 7th Ecumenical Councils. The Fifth Ecumenical Council was convened in 553 A.D. in Constantinople and defined the hypostatic union - One person, with two natures: God & Man, separate yet one in substance. This council confronted the Nestorians and Eutychians. Constantinople III confronted "one will" heresy. The major points of contention were the well-known works of the Antiochian school of the Syrian church, entitled "The Three Chapters." Theodore of Mopsuestia, Theodoret of Cyrus, and Ibas of Edessa, clearly expressed the Nestorian error, although at the Fourth Ecumenical Council, nothing had been mentioned of their works.