Welcome to OrthoAnalytika, Fr. Anthony Perkins' podcast of homilies, classes, and shows on spirituality, science, and culture - all offered from a decidedly Orthodox Christian perspective. Fr. Anthony is a mission priest and seminary professor for the UOC-USA. He has a diverse background, a lot of enthusiasm, and a big smile. See www.orthoanalytika.org for show notes and additional content.
…
continue reading
Prepped For Seminary Podcasts
A Pentecostal and a Baptist walk into a seminary... the punchline? A podcast that bridges academic theology and everyday faith. Meet Josh and Josh, your hosts for a podcast that’s all about connecting the dots between theology and real life. Josh from Missouri has twenty years of pastoral experience, trains church leaders through AssociateLeadership.com, and teaches practical theology at Evangel University. Josh from Oregon is a biblical languages enthusiast who’s on his church’s sermon prep ...
…
continue reading
Should we use the divine name? Josh from Oregon makes a case that we should consider doing so. Of course, we want to be sure not to use God’s name in vain. But what did God mean by that in the first place? Come join the conversation and then let us know what you think! Follow us on: https://www.facebook.com/OnThePhoneWithJosh https://www.instagram.…
…
continue reading
1
Homily: Faith, Communion, and the Transformation of the Mind
24:19
24:19
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
24:19
I Corinthians 4:9-16 St. Matthew 17:14-23 Fr. Anthony reflects on St. Paul’s call to imitation, teaching that we are shaped by those around us and must guard our hearts and minds against sin while cultivating holiness. He explains the spiritual power of the Antiochian pre-communion prayers, showing how their repetition trains our minds, transforms …
…
continue reading
1
E164 – What Being a Coach Has Taught Me About Good Listening
44:36
44:36
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
44:36
Listening is harder than it seems. Join us this week as Josh from Missouri talks through some of the keys to listening that he has learned and developed as a professional mental health coach. We believe this conversation will be both challenging and rewarding. But let us know what you think! Follow us on: https://www.facebook.com/OnThePhoneWithJosh…
…
continue reading
Psalm 19 begins with famous lines about the heavens declaring the splendor of the Lord. But the Psalm goes on to talk about much, much more. In fact, the Psalm can be seen in three parts: praise for creation, praise for God’s law, and a searching prayer of petition. How do these things fit together? Join us as we dive headlong into the richness of …
…
continue reading
1
Homily: An End to Scarcity: Christ’s Multiplying Grace
15:34
15:34
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
15:34
In this homily, we reflect on Christ’s miraculous feeding of the five thousand as a revelation of His abundant love and the Church’s calling to hospitality. Fr. Anthony explores how, through grace, even our limited offerings are multiplied to nourish the world, revealing a Kingdom where scarcity has no place. Enjoy the show! ------ MATTHEW 14:14-22…
…
continue reading
This recording of the Divine Liturgy (Christ the Saviour, Anderson SC) starts with the Great Doxology. The homily and reception of communion were cut from the recording. The sound quality isn't great - it was done with a phone sitting on an analoy off to the side. Of course, worship is always better in person; join us when you can! orthodoxanderson…
…
continue reading
Following up on last week’s discussion about acquiring the character necessary to qualify biblically as a pastor or elder, we search the bookshelves for tried and true experts to guide our way. We discuss many different authors that have wise counsel on how to grow in Christ. In addition, we’ve noted each of the books below for you to reference. An…
…
continue reading
1
Homily - Metropolitan Saba on Seeing Suffering Brightly
11:55
11:55
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
11:55
Title: Seeing Suffering Brightly: Faith, Discipline, and the Light of Christ Matthew 7:27-35; The Two Blind Men In this homily, Fr. Anthony shares Metropolitan Saba's teaching from the 2025 Convention that true spiritual vision begins not in denial of suffering, but in faithful endurance of it, transforming evil through thanksgiving and trust in Go…
…
continue reading
Paul makes it clear that Elders are held to a particularly high standard. But if we have identified a potential elder, how can we help them to achieve this high standard. And how can we recognize whether or not someone actually meets these qualifications? It’s a high bar that all to often goes unmet in our churches – sometimes with disastrous conse…
…
continue reading
1
Homily - The Paralytic (Everything is AWESOME!)
13:35
13:35
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
13:35
Everything is Awesome! James 5:10-20; St. Matthew 9:1-8 (Riffing on St. Peter Chrysologus) Over the last few homilies, I have tried to share an approach to living that looks for the good, and the beautiful, and the true in all things so that we might have joy in them and nurture them towards greater glory. Today, I am going to continue this lesson …
…
continue reading
The Psalms are written from a variety of perspectives and human experiences. The great Psalm 23 can be taken at face value about the goodness of God. But what about the Psalms that talk about God’s abandonment or his fierce anger? Are those also true of God? If not, how can we have a consistent way of judging what is true and what isn’t? And better…
…
continue reading
1
Homily - The Fourth Ecumenical Council at Chalcedon
19:58
19:58
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
19:58
The Sunday for the Fourth Ecumenical Council Titus 3:8-15; Matthew 5:14-19 Note: the recording includes a few seconds when Fr. Anthony's mind went apophatic and he forgot a critical detail. Real life is like that sometimes! First Council: Nicea in 325 (vs. Arius) "And in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Only-begotten, Begotten of the Fat…
…
continue reading
The book of Judges is a collection of dark stories from Israel’s past. Yet what are we to make of the book as a whole? What is it trying to teach us about sin, salvation, and our need for a King? Does this book have any relevance for us today? Come join the conversation and let us know what you think! Follow us on: https://www.facebook.com/OnThePho…
…
continue reading
1
Homily - On Seeing and Encouraging the Good in the Centurion, our Neighbor, and our Nation
18:46
18:46
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
18:46
In this homily on St Matthew 8:5-13 (the faith of the Centurian), given on the Sunday after the Feast of American Independence (7/6/2025), Fr. Anthony continues to remind us of our calling to order creation, focusing on the evangelic method that looks for the good in something and working to make it better. Christ did not focus on the faults of the…
…
continue reading
What do we do when “try harder” doesn’t work? When we want to make real change in our lives and live more fully devoted to Christ, what do we do when we just keep falling short? And what role does the Holy Spirit play in this process? Come join the conversation and let us know what you think! Follow us on: https://www.facebook.com/OnThePhoneWithJos…
…
continue reading
1
Homily at Camp St. Thekla - Pastoring the Cosmos towards Perfection
14:40
14:40
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
14:40
This homily was given at an outdoor chapel up in the mountains at Camp St. Thekla on the 27th of June, 2026. The recorder was a few feet away from Fr. Anthony, so the recording has a chorus of insects as background noise. In the homily, Fr. Anthony describes our calling to identify and nurture the good in creation (to include that in our souls!) to…
…
continue reading
1
Homily at Camp St. Thekla - Sts Peter and Paul
18:28
18:28
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
18:28
This homily was given on the 26th of June 2025 at Camp St. Thekla in Cleveland, South Carolina, at the celebration of the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul (offered in anticipation). In it, Fr. Anthony reflects on the bold faith and deep friendship between these two pillars of the Church. Drawing from their distinct personalities— Peter the confident …
…
continue reading
1
Homily at Camp Thekla - On Prophecy (at the edges)
18:11
18:11
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
18:11
This homily was given at Camp St. Thekla in Cleveland SC, on June 24, 2025, the Nativity of St. John the Baptist. Fr. Anthony used it as an opportunity to encourage all the campers who felt like they didn't belong. It touches on the themes of prophecy, being called, and how to listen for the voice of God. Enjoy the show!…
…
continue reading
1
Homily - Acquiring Peace and the Spiritual Gut Check
18:00
18:00
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
18:00
The Feast of All Saints Hebrews 11:33-40; 12:1-2; St. Matthew 10:32-33; 37-38; 19:27-30 After clearing up potential confusion about "leaving" families as a sure way to heaven, Fr. Anthony asks how we are doing with the gifts of the Passion, Resurrection, and Pentecost (THE Holy Spirit!) God has given us to assist us in our healing and perfection. H…
…
continue reading
This week, we each took some time away in nature to pray, reflect, and decompress. But it wasn’t always smooth sailing. Today we reflet on the experience. What resonates with your experience? How might you plan your next prayerful retreat? Follow us on: https://www.facebook.com/OnThePhoneWithJosh https://www.instagram.com/onthephonewithjosh/ https:…
…
continue reading
1
Homily - Pentecost and the Gift of Communification
15:00
15:00
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
15:00
Pentecost: The Language of Love This episode explores Pentecost as more than a miracle of tongues—it's a call to unity through the divine language of love. The Holy Spirit empowers us to truly listen, love, and live in communion. Through grace, repentance, and the Eucharist, we are formed into the family of God—one in purpose, diverse in gift, unit…
…
continue reading
The beginning of wisdom is….to get wisdom? What is happening in this chapter of Proverbs? And how would we go about preaching it? Join us as we wrestle through this text and its implications. After listening in, click on the sermon link below to see how much of this made the final cut. And then come share your thoughts with us on social media. We’d…
…
continue reading
The Truth Matters This homily explores why truth is essential—in logic, relationships, and faith. It examines the unique role of religion, the danger of distorting truth (like Arius did), and the deep meaning of Christ’s incarnation, resurrection, and ascension. Standing on the Rock of Christ, we’re called to live in love and invite others to the t…
…
continue reading
It is rare to find a good listener. Many of us want to learn to be good listeners for others, but if we’re honest, we may not always succeed. Today we dive into Adam McHugh’s amazing book that encourages a full-life vision of becoming a good listener. Come join the conversation and let us know what you think! Follow us on: https://www.facebook.com/…
…
continue reading
1
Talk - Spiritual Fatherhood and the Temptation of Tyranny
48:17
48:17
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
48:17
In today's class, Fr. Anthony talks about spiritual fatherhood and how the health of the parish flows from the health of the priest and back. The talk included the temptation of tyranny, young-eldership (mladastarstvo), and people-pleasing. Enjoy the show!
…
continue reading
Theological integration is the hard work of learning how to live in light of new insights into how one ought to think or how one ought to live. However, this integration requires more than our typical discipleship programs tend to offer. What would it look like for us to practice theological integration within the church? Come join us for this conv…
…
continue reading
John 4:5-42. In today’s Gospel, Jesus talks about living water and secret food—not physical things, but spiritual truths. So here’s the big question: What truly motivates us? Is it money, health, happiness? Those things matter—but they don’t last. When life gets hard, they can’t sustain us. Jesus shows us something deeper. His true nourishment is d…
…
continue reading
Richard Lovelace introduced the topic of disenculturation in his book Dynamics of Spiritual Life. This has us thinking about the ways that our culture has formed us and the ways that the posture of being counter-cultural may not be as helpful as it sounds. Come dive in with us as we explore this idea of disenculturation and then let us know what yo…
…
continue reading
On Paralytic Sunday, Christ asks a man who had been sick for 38 years, “Do you want to be made well?” It’s a question that reaches beyond the Gospel and speaks directly to us. True healing—spiritual and physical—begins with recognizing our need, seeking real help, and committing to the path of recovery. Christ is the Great Physician, and the Church…
…
continue reading
In John 9:1–38, Jesus heals a man born blind, showing that suffering isn’t always caused by sin but can reveal God’s glory. St. John Chrysostom teaches that the man's blindness led to humility and spiritual insight, unlike the Pharisees who remained spiritually blind. The reflection calls us to open our eyes to God’s grace in everyday life, allowin…
…
continue reading
Today Fr. Anthony started out talking about some of the temptations that come with becoming Orthodox, but most of the conversation ended up being about the draw and danger of cults. Enjoy the show!
…
continue reading
Jesus frequently refers to himself as the Son of Man. But what does this mean? Is this just an awkward way of referring to himself in the third person? Is he trying to communicate something from Old Testament prophesy that would apply to him? And why does the early church all but abandon this title after the gospels? Come dive into this mysterious …
…
continue reading
