Help My Unbelief

Latest Episodes:

COVID-19 Comeback Apr 27, 2020

Basil and Nicole finally break the silence on Help My Unbelief. What is discouraging and encouraging them right now in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic? Find out in today's episode.

Three Gifts From Us to You! (Help My Unbelief Christmas Special 2019) Dec 18, 2019

Christmas is a time for giving and we are giving our listeners three fun Christmas gifts. We’re deeply thankful to all who have listened to or written us about Help My Unbelief in this first season. Though the holidays can be a difficult time for folks, we wish you all the hope of Christ’s entrance into this world. P.S. This is our last episode of 2019! We’ll see you back here in January 2020. Links: Find the Official Help My Unbelief Soundtrack and other relevant playlists on our new YouTube channel! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCddut5-qGiCaKynBDXH8j7Q/playlists?view_as=subscriber Enter the “Time and Despondency” audiobook giveaway on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/helpmyunbeliefpodcast/ Give a Podcast for Christmas! Find the free gift card here: https://www.nicoleroccas.com/give-a-podcast/

On Callings and Doubts: Few are Chosen Part 2 Dec 06, 2019

Does God grant us personal callings? If our overarching calling as Christians is to learn to live to Christ and die to the world, is it silly to try to discern our individual vocations? In this second half of Basil and Nicole’s conversation about calling and doubt, they explore the tensions between our “Capital-C” Calling and little-c “callings” in the New Testament and in life. Plus, a Greek Lesson for all the Lisas out there! References and further resources: Luke 14:25-35 Acts 13:1-3 Acts 16:9-10 Ephesians 4:4-11 Matthew 28:16-17 1 Peter 2:18-21 1 Corinthians 7:20-24 1 Peter 3:9 “Becoming Human in Christ,” A lecture by Fr. John Behr https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WG191o60cIA&t=1021s Becoming Human (book) by Fr. John Behr https://store.ancientfaith.com/becoming-human/ “How My Crisis Can Help You Find Meaning In Your Life,” a conversation with Ravi Zacharias https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8bD7ovxIuc

Few are Chosen: On Callings and Doubts (Part 1) Nov 28, 2019

One of the things that has caused Basil the most doubt over the years is what to do with the calling to the priesthood he's felt for most of his life. Does God even grant personal callings? If so, how can we be sure of our own calling? This episode is the first of several devoted to the intersection between vocations and doubts. Resources mentioned in this episode: κλήση (klisi) and πρόσκληση (prosklisi), Greek terms for "calling," are found roughly 148 times in the New Testament. They can be translated as to name, to invite, to ask to come, to call out. Matthew 22:1-14 (Parable of the wedding feast) "Paradox of Choice," a talk by Barry Schwartz Paradox of Choice (book) by Barry Schwartz Luke 14:25-35 (Cost of discipleship)

Marriage, Infertility, and Doubt: Introducing a New Book Nov 21, 2019

Basil talks with Nicole about the subject of her newest book, grieving infertility in the context of marriage. Infertility has been a part of their faith (and doubt) life for over five years. The episode ends with an excerpt of the book: Under the Laurel Tree: Grieving Infertility with Saints Joachim and Anna (Ancient Faith Publishing, 2019). You can find the book on the Ancient Faith Publishing website, on Audible.com, or wherever you order books from. Available in hardcopy, paperback, and audio formats.

Dinner with the Roccases: Help My Unbelief turns 10 Nov 14, 2019

It's our tenth (episode) anniversary! To celebrate, Basil and Nicole invite you over for dinner and a few rounds of a beloved Roccas ritual: Chat Pack. This short and sweet episode is just for fun and has nothing to do with doubt . . . or does it?

Whose Side Are We On? (On Second Thought) Nov 08, 2019

Basil and Nicole duke it out (again) over James van Praagh's book, Talking to Heaven, in this week's On Second Thought. Questions that surface: whose side is Basil on? Is atheism an attracting or repelling force? Also, should we get burritos? Shout out to Steven Christoforou and Christian Gonzales and their podcast, We Are Orthodoxy. Check out the episode Basil mentions, "It's Complicated."

Talking to Heaven: Nicole Revisits a Crisis of Faith Oct 31, 2019

When Nicole was 16, she read a book that rattled her faith: Talking to Heaven: A Medium's Message of Life after Death. For years, she has lived in fear of this book. In this episode, she re-reads the book to see if it will cause a new crisis of faith. Resources relevent to the episode: What are Toll Houses? Radiolab Podcast Episode “You Are The Judge” Elder Cleopa of Romania: How Satan Deceives People (The Patristic Heritage Book 1)

Why Believe in the First Place? (On Second Thought) Oct 24, 2019

Last week, Basil and Nicole concluded that how we understand what faith is affects how we lose faith. On second thought, why even believe in the first place? In this episode we return to points made last week and re-examine them from a new perspective. Questions raised include: is Christianity a religion, worldview, or none of the above? What is a calling? And more... Listeners are invited to share with us what they think a "calling" is. What do you think a calling or vocation is? What do you feel called to in this life? Record a brief answer and send it to Basil and Nicole at helpmyunbelief@ancientfaith.com and we might feature it in an future episode! Resources mentioned in the episode: Definition of calling: "a strong inner impulse toward a particular course of action especially when accompanied by conviction of divine influence." (Merriam Webster Dictionary) Definition of vocation: "a summons or strong inclination to a particular state or course of action."(Merriam Webster Dictionary) Two Greek words that sound similar but have different spellings and meanings: Κλήση (klisi, n.) = call (ex. see Romans 11:29) Κλίση (klisi, n.) = inclination

Losing Faith: Evangelical Style Oct 17, 2019

This summer, two prominent Evangelical figures, Joshua Harris and Marty Sampson, announced that they had lost (or were losing) their faith. Their statements, and the way they describe faith, raise an important question: do Evangelicals lose their faith in a way that is unique from folks of other Christian backgrounds? We address this question by exploring four concepts: Salvation, Conversion, Faith, and Mystery. Plus, a listener, Jamey William Bennett, shares a struggle about the problem of suffering. "We can all agree we don't want to follow a small God, a limited God, a finite God. But the reality, then, is that there are going to be times when God is way bigger than our faith and sometimes our faith has to die. At a certain point in our life, we have to come to the point where we can say that 'I don't have faith to contain that.'" —Nicole "What is the biggest gift that doubt gives us? It helps answer a question a lot of us should ask ourselves: are we following what we believe because it expresses truth, or are we following Christ just so we can get a reward out of it?" —Basil Resources relevant to this episode: Joshua Harris's announcement on July 26 A transcript of Marty Sampson's announcement Brews, Beards, and Shipwrecks podcast Royal Ruckus rap by Jamey William Bennett Pprosopolatria" (προσωπολατρία): Greek term for worship of the person, personality cult Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh, doubt and questioning series (transcript) Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh, doubt and questioning series (video)

It’s About Trust: The How and Who of Holy Tradition (On Second Thought) Oct 10, 2019

One of the pitfalls of Holy Tradition is that it can turn into just another "sola," something singular we misrepresent without context. In this episode, Basil and Nicole return to the questions raised in last week's episode. Resources that pertain to this episode: Dunning-Kruger effect Matthew 16:17-18 A note from Basil on Orthodox catechitical texts: The Orthodox Churches (most likely because of the risk of misuse) does not have an Ecumenically approved “Catechism” for the entire church (as opposed to the Roman Catholic’s book “CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH"). Instead, what you will find in Orthodoxy are of variety of smaller expositions. However, these catechisms are often short and simple and sometimes raise more questions than they answer (one example is the Catechism of Archbishop Sotirios's "Orthodox Catechism: Basic Teachings of the Faith"). Having said that, one book to consider if you have the zeal for a more systematic exposition of what all Orthodox believe is St. John of Damascus’s "An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith—a summary of the dogmatic writings of the Early Church Fathers." This writing was the first work of systematic theology in Eastern Christianity and an important influence on later Scholastic works.

Holy Tradition: Stumbling Block or Stepping Stone? Oct 03, 2019

Someone we know recently left the Church after being told that her son, who suffers from a medical condition, could not receive communion after taking medication as prescribed by his doctor. Holy Tradition can be a beautiful thing when approached with love for Christ and our neighbor, but when it is applied without understanding or regard it becomes little more than a hollow customs of man. How do we discern the authority of Holy Tradition, traditions, dogmas, economy, and cultural customs? How can Holy Tradition become a source of faith and encouragement rather than doubt and disillusionment? Plus, a fun Greek lesson on the word πέψη, aka Pepsi . . . Follow the Help My Unbelief Facebook page for updates, resources, and conversations related to faith and doubt. For deeper and more hard-hitting conversations, join our private Facebook group. Resources related to this episode: The New Testament word for tradition is paradosin (παράδοσιν) New Testament references to tradition we mentioned were: Matthew 15:3-9, 1 Corinthians 5:9-10, Colossians 4:16, 1 Corinthians 11:2 and 3:6, 1 Corinthians 7:1-25, 2 Timothy 2-8, 2 Timothy 2:16-17 St. Athanasius' definition of Tradition is found in his first letter to Serapion St Paul's comments on headcoverings are found in 1 Corinthians 11:4-5 We conclude with Matthew 16:18-20

What About Psychopaths? On Second Thought . . . Sep 26, 2019

If God gives wisdom liberally to ALL who ask (James 1:5), what about psychopaths who seem to lack a conscience? In this episode, we revisit St. James's notion of doubt discussed in the previous episode and share our own second thoughts. Resources mentioned in this episode: Dr. James Fallon's book, The Psychopath Inside: A Neuroscientist's Personal Journey into the Dark Side of the Brain David McDermott's essay, "Do Psychopaths Know Right From Wrong?" 1 Peter 1:17 Acts 13:17 “The mystery of our salvation is beyond time and space (υπερκόσμιο), yet it is simultaneously brought to completion (τελεσιουργείται) in time and in place." +Metropolitan Seraphim of Piraeus (translated from Greek by Basil)

Tossed by the Wind, Struggling in the Snow: What to Do with St. James’s Words Against Doubt Sep 19, 2019

James 1:2-8 ends with some sobering words: "he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind." What's a person with doubt to do with these tough words? In this episode we tackle these verses, concluding that these verses are not a global statement about doubt in general, but a warning against a particular form of doubt, the kind that paralyzes us with over-analysis, fear, and defeat. Plus, Nicole gets a fun Greek lesson from her tutor, Barsanuphius. Follow the Help My Unbelief Facebook page podcast on Facebook for updates, resources, and conversations related to faith and doubt. For deeper and more hard-hitting conversations, join our private Facebook group. Greek terms for doubt mentioned in this episode: diakrino(menos) (διακρινό/μενος), cf. James 1:6: "to distinguish" amphivallo (αμφιβάλλω): "to wrap in different clothing" amphisvito (αμφισβητώ): to question apistos (άπιστος), cf. John 20:27: distazo (διστάζω): Other resources pertinent to this episode: James 1:2 Interlinear Greek/English translation Teleion (Τέλειον) Matthew 5:25, adversary as our conscience AFCon talks (Ancient Faith Conference for Writers and Podcasters) Story of St. Paisios of Mount Athos (in Greek only)

On Second Thought: Revisiting Mark 9:14-29 Sep 12, 2019

Every other episode, we revisit the topic of the previous episode and express some “second thoughts” about what was said (or not said). This week we revisit the story of the father with the demon-possessed son as recorded in Mark 9:14-29 and talk about epilepsy, what it means to heal, and what demons are. Resources related to this episode: The Greek term pistis (belief) and pisteuo (I believe) “Angels and Evil Spirits,” The Symbol of Faith Series, Vol. 1: Doctrine and Scripture Epilepsy - Signs, symptoms and treatment

Introducing Help My Unbelief Sep 07, 2019

In this inaugural episode, Basil and Nicole discuss the inspiration for their podcast, the father's words to Jesus in Mark 9:14-29: "I believe, O Lord, help my unbelief!" Faith is not the antithesis to doubt but the willingness to surrender doubt to Christ in the spirit of humility and hope. Find the Help My Unbelief page on Facebook. And check out the private group for more in-depth conversations about doubt.

Help My Unbelief (Trailer) Aug 30, 2019

Have you ever doubted? Do you ever feel like you're leading a double life, split between the faithful pilgrim in the pews and a burned-out, faithless failure—secretly wondering if God is even there? In Ancient Faith Radio's newest podcast, husband and wife Basil and Nicole Roccas team up to tackle the tough questions surrounding faith, doubt, and the space in between. The first episode will launch soon—stay tuned!

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