Ba Vojdaan با وجدان

What you're about to hear in this episode is an in-depth conversation between myself and Brian O'Leary, host of the O'Leary Review podcast. Brian published this interview in early 2023, and gave me permission to publish on my own show!

In this episode, Brian and I discuss the significance of finding one's voice in the podcasting world, or any realm regarding content creation, and core principles of publishing, which remain surprisingly consistent even with radically changing publishing modalities.

We share insights into the impact of word-of-mouth advertising over traditional SEO strategies, our own journeys into podcasting, and the value of principled work.

We also touch upon my background in the military and conscientious objection, lessons learned working with influencers like Ben Greenfield, and the core idea that passion and integrity attract audiences.

Episode highlights:

01:20 Brian O'Leary's Journey and Podcasting Insights

02:45 The Essence of Publishing and SEO Challenges

05:55 The Power of Word of Mouth and Building a Brand

07:29 James Newcomb's Musical Background and Military Experience

08:44 Transitioning from Military to Podcasting

12:24 Launching the Ba Vojdaan Podcast

14:29 Monetizing Podcasts and Handling Feedback

27:17 James Newcomb's Podcasting Business and Success

Resources mentioned:

O'Leary Review podcast

You've been listening to Ba Vojdaan!, with James D. Newcomb.

For more information about James, and to subscribe to the podcast, visit https://jamesdnewcomb.com. There you'll find a trove of materials available for immediate download.

And be sure to follow James' travels and adventures on social media. All the info can be found at https://jamesdnewcomb.com.

Thank you for listening!

In this episode, James and Frederica share personal accounts of miraculous events in their lives. James recounts two near-death experiences while driving, attributing his survival to divine intervention. We're joined by special guest Sana Dorry, who shares her own miraculous story in Bangkok, narrowly avoiding a deadly bus accident, and describes her involvement with the Rohingya community.

The episode concludes with reflections on the nature of miracles and the importance of attracting people to the gospel through positive and uplifting stories.

Episode highlights:

00:17 James' Miraculous Journey from Missouri to Georgia

02:10 Another Driving Miracle: Washington to Minnesota

04:12 Sana's Miraculous Bus Incident in Bangkok

10:29 Sana's Experiences with Rohingya Refugees

13:32 Sana's Rescue of a Baby in Bangkok

17:42 Conclusion and Reflections on Miracles

You've been listening to Ba Vojdaan!, with James D. Newcomb.

For more information about James, and to subscribe to the podcast, visit https://jamesdnewcomb.com. There you'll find a trove of materials available for immediate download.

And be sure to follow James' travels and adventures on social media. All the info can be found at https://jamesdnewcomb.com.

Thank you for listening!

Continuing our series of episodes featuring Orthodox Christian scholar Frederica Matthewes-Green, we discuss the significance of the Greek word 'Energeia' and its translation, the impact of translation decisions on Christian faith, and the contrast between Eastern Orthodoxy and Western Christianity.

Frederica shares insights about divine energy, miracles, and the role of storytelling in modern faith. The conversation explores the historical and contemporary implications of biblical translation and the importance of recognizing divine presence in everyday life.

Episode highlights:

00:00 Introduction and Greetings

00:31 Podcast Background and Topic Introduction

01:51 Greek vs. Latin Translations of the Bible

05:39 The Concept of Energeia

07:06 Impact of Translation on Western Christianity

21:34 Personal Reflections and CRAVE Acronym

25:25 Miracles and Modern Faith

35:00 Storytelling and Evangelism

36:23 Cultural Reflections and Conclusion

Resources mentioned:

Two Views of the Cross: Orthodoxy and the West by Frederica Mathewes-Green

About the guest:

Frederica's website

"I write and speak on a wide range of topics. In recent years I’ve concentrated on ancient Christian spirituality and the Eastern Orthodox faith, but the hundreds of Posts and Essays on this site include movie reviews, humor, marriage and family, cultural issues, and more. Essays can be browsed by date or category, or you can use the search box at the right.

The most recent posts are below. Here’s where you’ll find my published Books.

I travel to Speaking Engagements all year round; you can contact Cynthia Damaskos of the Orthodox Speakers Bureau if you’d like to bring me to an event. This Calendar will let you know when I’m in your neighborhood.

Audio: Here’s where you’ll find many of my commentaries for National Public Radio (NPR), though others have been filed away under many different creative misspellings of my name. I have recorded a podcast for Ancient Faith Radio since 2007.

Video: For Beliefnet.com, I recorded brief videos on my conversion to Christ, the Christ of Sinai icon, the spiritual discipline of fasting, and 

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.jamesdnewcomb.com/subscribe

In this episode, host James Newcomb engages in a deep theological discussion with Orthodox Christian scholar Frederica Mathewes-Green covering various aspects of Christian theology.

They delve into the differences between orthodox and Western Christian perspectives, particularly focusing on sin, forgiveness, and sacrifice.

Frederica turns the tables on the host, asking James about his personal journey from Presbyterianism to Reformed theology and ultimately to Orthodoxy.

James and Frederica also explore the stories and examples of saints, the interpretation of scriptures, and the contrasting images of the cross in Eastern and Western Christianity.

The discussion is anchored by Frederica's book, 'Two Views of the Cross,' which contrasts critical theological views of Orthodoxy and Western Christianity.

Episode highlights:

00:00 Introduction: The Irony of Theological Studies

01:02 Personal Journey: From Baptocostal to Reformed to Orthodox Christian

01:36 A Quest for Stability

03:14 The Reformation and Its Aftermath

05:07 The Refrigerator Hermeneutic: Picking and Choosing Scripture

07:07 John 6: The Challenge of Literal Interpretation

08:10 The Story of St. Photini (the woman at the well)

09:37 The Power of Stories in Faith

10:46 Two Views of the Cross: A Book Discussion

14:23 Orthodox vs. Western Christianity: Forgiveness and Sacrifice

18:28 The Nature of Sin: Disease vs. Infraction

24:03 The Harshness of Calvinism: A Tragic Misunderstanding

27:59 The Importance of Forgiveness in Orthodoxy

29:03 Conclusion: Reflecting on the Discussion

Book mentioned:

Two Views of the Cross: Orthodoxy and the West by Frederica Mathewes-Green

About the guest:

"I write and speak on a wide range of topics. In recent years I’ve concentrated on ancient Christian spirituality and the Eastern Orthodox faith, but the hundreds of Posts and Essays on this site include movie reviews, humor, marriage and family, cultural issues, and more. Essays can be browsed by date or category, or you can use the search box at the right.

I travel to Speaking Engagements all year round; you can contact Cynthia Damaskos of the Orthodox Speakers Bureau if you’d like to bring me to an event. This Calendar will let you know when I’m in your neighborhood.

You've been listening to Ba Vojdaan!, with James D. Newcomb.

For more information about James, and to subscribe to the podcast, visit https://jamesdnewcomb.com. There you'll find a trove of materials available for immediate download.

And be sure to follow James' travels and adventures on social media. All the info can be found at https://jamesdnewcomb.com.

Thank you for listening!

This is the first in a series of episodes featuring Orthodox Christian scholar Frederica Matthewes-Green.

Frederica has a number of resources available that have been very helpful for me in my inquiry into, and eventual baptism into the Orthodox Church. In fact, Frederica's book, Two Views of the Cross was very influential in my own introduction to the Orthodox Church, and the Orthodox views of Christianity.

The life of Jesus and his death, his atonement, very different ways of thinking between the Orthodox and say, Roman Catholic or the Protestant views of Jesus's suffering and how it translates to our joy and our joy. Eternal Salvation.

I think the initial agenda was to discuss her book Two Views of the Cross. And while we did get into the book eventually, we discussed quite a bit beforehand.

And to be honest, it all blended quite honestly and pleasantly.

I have one more interview that I did with Frederica that I'm going to publish shortly after I published this one, and that was more Overtly Orthodox. It was on the topic of Energeia, the Greek word that refers to divine energy.

To give a bit of background on this interview: I was brand new to Orthodoxy when we recorded this. I was trying to get a completely different podcast off the ground. This particular podcast wasn't even a glimmer in my eye. So you might hear references to a completely different podcast, as well as a URL mentioned that is not necessarily relevant to this particular podcast.

Nothing that is a game-changer, but I want to explain why you might hear some odd references to various things throughout.

So enjoy it!

In this discussion with Frederica, you'll discover:

-Frederica describes her spiritual journey as a young person...06:35

-Contrarian thinkers and actors often come from a place of deep-seated convictions and principles...10:30

-How Frederica discovered her relationship with Jesus, and in due time Orthodoxy...14:02

-"All of Western Christianity seems to have adopted the idea that the purpose of church is to comfort people"...19:18

-The need for strong (but not dominant) men has never been more pressing than in modern culture...27:09

-A shocking imbalance between how men and women are viewed in society...32:26

Resources mentioned:

Two Views of the Cross: Orthodoxy and the West by Frederica Mathewes-Green

Men and Marriage by George Gilder

About the guest, and how to connect:

Frederica's website

"I write and speak on a wide range of topics. In recent years I’ve concentrated on ancient Christian spirituality and the Eastern Orthodox faith, but the hundreds of Posts and Essays on this site include movie reviews, humor, marriage and family, cultural issues, and more. Essays can be browsed by date or category, or you can use the search box at the right.

The most recent posts are below. Here’s where you’ll find my published Books.

I travel to Speaking Engagements all year round; you can contact Cynthia Damaskos of the Orthodox Speakers Bureau if you’d like to bring me to an event. This 

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.jamesdnewcomb.com/subscribe