Posts in Orthodox
S13 E12: Hospitality As Revolution with John Heers

Hospitality is more than the generous treatment of guests or strangers, but is a way of peeling back the layers of separation and getting closer to the heart of a group or individual.  In this way, hospitality is the heartbeat of community and true friendship.  

The word hospitality comes from the Latin hospes, meaning "host", "guest", or "stranger". Hospes is formed from hostis, which means "stranger" or "enemy" (where we get terms like "hostile.”) So hospitality or coming to a shared table can be a place where strangers transform into friends and enemies can be re-humanized. 

In this episode, fellow podcaster, community builder and co-founder of the First Things First Foundation, John Heers shares about how the Art of Hospitality has become a revolutionary act. He shares about a Georgian feast - called a Supra - where he plays the role of a Tamada and invites guests to share in this counter-cultural revolution by coming to the table.

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S11 E06: Haunted By Eden with Father Christopher Foley

Father Christopher Foley is the priest at Holy Cross Orthodox Church in Kernersville, NC where he has been serving for 17 years. Fr. Christopher is a convert to the Orthodox faith from an Evangelical background. While studying missiology and art history in college, he became interested in Eastern Orthodoxy and went on to receive a Master of Divinity degree at Saint Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary in NY. 

In addition to his duties as a parish priest, Fr. Christopher has been active in writing and recording music with his band, Luxury, for over 30 years. The documentary Parallel Love tells the story of the band and how three of its members each became Orthodox priests. 

In this episode Fr. Christopher discusses art in sacred contexts, the tension between embracing tradition and the artist’s aversion to being labeled. Host Stephen Roach and Fr. Christopher talk about what it means to be haunted by Eden and how the longing for transcendence stays with us even for those who have deconstructed their faith.

 Patrons of the podcast can enjoy an additional interview segment on idols and icons.

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