Glory to God

Glory to God episodes:

• 12.01.2023

  A Mediated Presence - Thank God

  Fr. Stephen Freeman shares about the importance of the sacraments in our lives - particularly in light of the Bible verse that says, “There is but one mediator between God and man, the man, Christ Jesus.”

  
• 10.13.2023

  Transformation and Forgiveness

  Fr. Stephen Freeman looks at our transformation into the image of Christ and the forgiveness of our sins in terms of concrete reality - thinking through the work that God is doing in us.

  
• 09.11.2023

  The Singular Goodness of God

  It is one thing to believe that God exists. But beyond that, it is important, even vital, that God is good. Fr. Stephen Freeman explores this importance.

  
• 09.02.2023

  The Peaceable Kingdom in a World at War

  Fr. Stephen Freeman reflects on the nature of the Kingdom of God and its distinct reality when compared to the wars and struggles of the secularized world.

  
• 05.11.2023

  The Meekness of God

  We rarely think of God as meek. Instead, we picture Him as mighty, powerful, and overwhelming. Fr. Stephen Freeman looks at a number of clear indications in Scripture concerning what we know of God through the revelation of Christ. God...

  
• 12.14.2022

  Providence and the Music of All Creation

  Ever wonder what the phrase, “the divine energies,” means? Fr. Stephen Freeman looks at its inner depths and its constant place in our lives. Give thanks to the Lord for he is good! His mercy endures forever!

  
• 10.01.2022

  Marriage Is a Lifetime of Suffering

  Fr. Stephen Freeman offers some honest thoughts on the sacrament of marriage and its importance in our culture.

  
• 08.24.2022

  Walking in a Lost World

  Fr. Stephen Freeman describes a reading project, comparing the writings of Richard Leigh Fermor (1933), to those of Nick Hunt (2011) as they made walks across Europe. Fermor's descriptions belong to a world that has disappeared, while those of Hunt...

  
• 07.28.2022

  The Goal of a Lesser Life

  Fr. Stephen Freeman offers thoughts on the virtue of contentment and its place in the spiritual life.

  
• 07.15.2022

  Drag My Soul to Paradise

  Fr. Stephen Freeman offers some thoughts on one of the more common Morning Prayers for the Orthodox, in which we pray, “O Lord, Save me whether I want it or not.” It is a hopeful meditation.

  
• 11.22.2021

  Second Thoughts on Success

  Fr. Stephen Freeman examines in some depth why success and progress are not the right measures of the spiritual life.

  
• 10.30.2021

  The Slow Road to Heaven - Why the Spiritual Life Doesn’t “Work”

  The Orthodox understanding of the spiritual life is unlike most things that we think about in our culture. There is not a "technique" that produces "results." Instead, it is a way of life. Fr. Stephen Freeman explores this understanding.

  
• 10.09.2021

  What To Do With What You Know

  Fr. Stephen Freeman looks at the role of knowledge in our Orthodox faith, including the importance of what we do not know.

  
• 10.02.2021

  Clothed in the Image

  Across all human cultures, there is a drive to clothe ourselves, to decorate ourselves, far beyond any concern for mere warmth and protection. Fr. Stephen Freeman examines this cultural drive from a theological perspective. It sheds light on the deepest...

  
• 09.24.2021

  Before the Judgment Seat of Christ

  In the liturgy we pray that we have a "Christian ending to our life: painless, unashamed, and peaceful; and a good defense before the dread judgment seat of Christ." Father Stephen Freeman looks carefully at the true nature of that...

  
• 09.09.2021

  Humble and Meek and Middle Class Morality

  Fr. Stephen Freeman describes some of the problems that arise when our morality is a "mere morality," marked only by our outward behavior rather than inward healing and transformation.

  
• 08.31.2021

  Literalism and the Other Word

  Fr. Stephen Freeman looks at the notion of "allegory" as it is used in the New Testament and in the Orthodox worldview. He also considers the true nature of "literalism" and how we should understand it.

  
• 01.13.2021

  At the Heart of the Capitol

  Fr. Stephen Freeman offers thoughts on the place of the heart during our nation's struggles. Along with the example of St. John Chrysostom, he points us toward the role our own shame plays in the turmoil of our lives. There...

  
• 09.09.2020

  When Chaos Ruled the World - Part 2

  In these two podcasts, Fr. Stephen Freeman describes the theme of deliverance from chaos that is found buried in Old Testament texts and how it continues in the New. It is an important way of understanding Christ's teaching of the...

  
• 09.07.2020

  When Chaos Ruled the World - Part 1

  In these two podcasts, Fr. Stephen Freeman describes the theme of deliverance from chaos that is found buried in Old Testament texts and how it continues in the New. It is an important way of understanding Christ's teaching of the...

  
• 07.25.2020

  Of Kings and Things and What Matters

  We often imagine that kings and generals and great battles are the turning points of history. Fr. Stephen Freeman points us towards much smaller things and tells us why.

  
• 05.07.2020

  Getting Saved on Star Trek

  On Star Trek, the guys wearing the Red Shirts are expendable. Fr. Stephen Freeman tells us there's a lot to think about in that.

  
• 04.02.2020

  The Cross and the Ring of Power

  J.R.R. Tolkien had a number of critiques aimed at the abuses of our modern age. That same understanding can be seen in his fiction. Fr. Stephen Freeman looks at the Ring of Power and the mythology of our modern world...

  
• 02.21.2020

  The End of History

  Have you ever felt haunted by the past or trapped by things you could not change? Fr. Stephen Freeman looks at how history actually works in light of the Kingdom of God. This is truly good news!

  
• 01.31.2020

  Be True to Yourself

  Father Stephen Freeman tells us that the spiritual struggle in our life is not one of moral progress, forcing ourselves to behave better and better. Rather, it is the struggle to enter the depths of our lives and confront the...

  
• 01.16.2020

  Clothed in the Image

  The clothing we wear, often with slogans and such, and other outward markings in our lives reflect a deeper spiritual need. The Scriptures speak of being "clothed with Christ." Fr. Stephen Freeman looks at this in terms of covering our...

  
• 01.10.2020

  The Struggle Against the Normal Life

  Much of what we mean when we say "normal" is nothing of the sort. Fr. Stephen Freeman looks at the clash of worldviews that surrounds us in our present day.

  
• 11.02.2019

  The End of Time Is Probably Not What You Think

  Fr. Stephen Freeman looks at the end of time and how it is thought about in Orthodox theology. It is profoundly important in our every day life.

  
• 10.11.2019

  The Truth of the Soul

  There is a distinction between our personality and what it means to be person. Fr. Stephen Freeman explains this in terms of the soul and offers very helpful thoughts on what awaits us in heaven.

  
• 09.19.2019

  Get Your Soul Back

  Why do the Scriptures speak so frequently about the soul? Is it the same as my personality? Fr. Stephen Freeman speaks about the meaning of soul and its importance in a psychologized society.

  
• 07.17.2019

  The Greatness of a Lesser World

  Fr. Stephen Freeman reflects on the thoughts of Thomas Hopko, JRR Tolkien, CS Lewis, and GK Chesterton, all of whom speak of the value of smaller and more local things. He examines this within Orthodox thought as well.

  
• 07.15.2019

  The Poor, Debts and Your Enemies: Learning to Forgive

  Fr. Stephen Freeman looks at the "burden" created by the emotional and spiritual debts of things that others have done to us and how they can be forgiven.

  
• 05.04.2019

  The Secular Mind Versus the Whole Heart

  Fr. Stephen Freeman discusses the right relationship between the mind and the body. You might be surprised.

  
• 03.21.2019

  A Priest’s Thoughts on Depression, Anxiety, the Soul, Your Body, and Your Brain

  Fr. Stephen Freeman speaks from his own experience about depression, anxiety, and a 40-year battle with panic attacks. He sets these within the wisdom of the tradition and offers a way of understanding as well as some helpful ways of...

  
• 02.04.2019

  Giving Thanks for All Things: The Cruciform Life

  When we give thanks to God, particularly in difficult times, Fr. Stephen Freeman tells us we unite ourselves with the Cross of Christ.

  
• 02.02.2019

  Weak, Sick, Poor, Tired: A Story for Losers

  Elder Zacharias of Essex says that the "way of shame is the way of the Lord." Fr. Stephen Freeman looks at how our weakness is, in fact, the path of our salvation.

  
• 12.22.2018

  Saving My Neighbor

  Just how connected are we? Fr. Stephen Freeman looks at the classical understanding of human connectedness and what it means for our salvation.

  
• 12.12.2018

  Hell, Justice and the Heart of Prayer

  Fr. Stephen Freeman looks at the story of Abraham and the judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah as a means of understanding our prayers for the world.

  
• 10.30.2018

  The Sacrifice of Worship

  Fr. Stephen Freeman looks at the meaning of Worship, as understood in the Scriptures and the Tradition, connecting it with the sacrifices offered in the Old Testament, and Christ's sacrifice on the Cross in the New.

  
• 10.04.2018

  The Community We All Need

  Community is rooted in a mutual need, and so depends on our weakness. Fr. Stephen Freeman tells us that this is God's intention for the Church.

  
• 07.14.2018

  The Loneliness of Shame

  The heart of loneliness is broken communion. Fr. Stephen Freeman looks at the roots of this rupture and its experience as shame.

  
• 07.03.2018

  Goodness and a Word in Due Season

  The truth of words is much deeper than the "facts" they may represent. A true word is found in the heart of God, and in our hearts when we dwell in God.

  
• 07.01.2018

  Shame in the Public Arena

  From ancient Rome to the present, public shaming has been a means of controlled violence. What is the Christian place in all of this?

  
• 06.09.2018

  The Sins of Our Fathers - The Epigenetics of Shame

  Much of the "baggage" we carry in our lives is something into which we were born. Understanding this and God's place in healing it is the subject of this talk by Fr. Stephen Freeman.

  
• 06.07.2018

  The Soul is a Mirror

  Reflecting on his many podcasts and articles on shame, Fr. Stephen Freeman looks at its place in the soul.

  
• 05.10.2018

  The Healthy Shame at the Heart’s Core

  We tend to think of shame only in negative terms. However, there is such a thing as "healthy shame." It plays an essential role in awe and wonder and in the giving of thanks. Fr. Stephen Freeman offers some thoughts...

  
• 04.14.2018

  You Were Created for Pascha

  Fr. Stephen Freeman looks at the unique Gift that God gives us in Christ's Pascha: the revelation of our true self.

  
• 04.01.2018

  Comfort to a Child - Speaking Peace to Shame

  Fr. Stephen Freeman offers some insight on dealing with the dark thoughts that often fill our minds.

  
• 03.10.2018

  Look Who’s Talking

  The negative voice we hear in our head. Who is it that is talking? What does it mean? Where does it come from? Fr. Stephen Freeman offers some reflection on this noise.

  
• 03.06.2018

  Benedict in the Suburbs

  Fr. Stephen Freeman reflects on Rod Dreher's book, The Benedict Option. He suggests that the virtues that shape our lives are largely formed in their context. How do we shape the parish for acquiring Christian virtues?