This episode is brought to you by Telepaideia, a collection of live online courses in Latin, Ancient Greek, and the classical humanities offered by The Paideia Institute. Visit www.paideiainstitute.org/telepaideia to browse the course catalogue and register!

It’s my pleasure today to welcome back Father John Strickland to the podcast. Four episodes ago we talked in detail about the Divine Liturgy and its place at the heart of Byzantine life. I put out the call for listeners to ask questions. Particularly those of us not familiar with Orthodoxy or ecclesiastical issues in general. And Father Strickland has kindly returned to answer them.

The questions are wide ranging and so demand thorough answers which Father John provides. So we decided to split them over two episodes. Today we tackle the Orthodox view on salvation and purgatory. As well as the role of the Ecumenical Patriarch and thoughts on the Byzantine understanding of how the divine played a role in daily life. Then we finish with the Orthodox view of Catholicism, Church Union and evangelisation.

John is the pastor of an Orthodox Church in Poulsbo in Washington State. He wrote a four-volume series about the history of Christian civilization called Paradise and Utopia. He’s also recorded a podcast of the same name as an accompaniment to the books which you can find wherever you get your podcasts or at www.ancientfaith.com.

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This Saturday – the 8th February 2025 is the Intelligent Speech online conference. A gathering of fellow history podcasters. Who will be talking about Deception – lies and forgeries. There are 3 keynote speakers in Jo Hedwig Teeuwisse, Otto English and Wesley Livesay. Along with a host of fun roundtables packed with podcasting talent. I will be on two panels. They are back to back so from 11 am – 1pm Eastern Standard time you will get all the History of Byzantium you need.

I will be on a panel discussing Byzantine deception and playing a game of historical call my bluff. So come and find out how good a liar I am.

Go to intelligentspeechonline.com to find out more. And use the code Sophia. As in Hagia Sophia to get a discount on your ticket.

See you on Saturday.

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This episode is brought to you by Telepaideia, a collection of live online courses in Latin, Ancient Greek, and the classical humanities offered by The Paideia Institute. Visit www.paideiainstitute.org/telepaideia to browse the course catalogue and register!

I interview David Hendrix the man behind the incredible website 'The Byzantine Legacy.' It was David who showed me around Istanbul when I first visited in 2018. His website is an amazing resource for anyone who wants to know what survives from Byzantium today.

David is leading a tour of Byzantine Macedonia in September 2025.

Check out the Byzantine Legacy website and Youtube channel. Follow David on Instagram, Facebook and X. And support him at Patreon.

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