Convert Surge: The Wise Welcome

Ezra, Esdras - how do you even spell that name? Who is this person, and just how many E[z/d]ra[s] books are there? What is going on in them? Tune in and see if the Podfathers can solve this Old Testament mystery.

What is the meaning of dreams in the Scriptures? The Bible takes dreams pretty seriously, but in our time, this seems to be the domain of New Agers and Freudians.

For years, the Podfathers have been rumored to be merely re-presenting warmed-over material from a prominent biblical scholar. In this episode, the depth of the theft will finally be revealed.

Father Stephen discusses our alienation from our humanity, and how the Orthodox Church is positioned. Live Q&A with Fr. Stephen and Fr. Andrew follows. Recorded at the 2026 Parish Life Conference of the Antiochian Diocese of Miami and the Southeast, June 10-13, 2026 in Springdale, AR.

Father Andrew presents on the current Orthodox convert surge. How do we understand and address it? Live Q&A with Fr. Andrew and Fr. Stephen follows. Recorded at the 2026 Parish Life Conference of the Antiochian Diocese of Miami and the Southeast, June 10-13 in Springdale, AR.

The strangest and most mysterious of the texts in the ancient Christian collection known as the Apostolic Fathers is the Shepherd of Hermas. How should this apocryphal text be read, and what does it mean?

The Podfathers reach down into the audio mailbag to answer your questions. You never quite know what people are willing to say into voicemail, so here we go!

When the Assyrians carried off the 10 northern Israelite tribes, they imported pagans into Samaria. What is the nature of the religion these people then practiced, and why did Judeans despise them? Take a deep dive with us into the history of the Samaritans.

What happened to the Apostles after the events of Acts? Traditions regarding them are preserved in apocryphal texts from the early Church, but how are we to understand them?

Martyrdom runs throughout the whole Scriptures, memorably referenced by Christ in His phrase "from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah." What is the inner meaning of martyrdom? Is it just getting killed, or does it have actual theological purpose? Intro: 0:00 1st Half: 1:08 2nd Half/Callers: 1:22:24 3rd Half/Callers: 1:45:06 Conclusion: 2:54:00