Author: Frederica Mathewes-Green

Frederica Mathewes-Green is a wide-ranging author who has published 11 books and 800 essays, in such diverse publications as the Washington Post, Christianity Today, Smithsonian, and the Wall Street Journal. She has been a regular commentator for National Public Radio (NPR), a columnist for the Religion News Service, Beliefnet.com, and Christianity Today, and a podcaster for Ancient Faith Radio. (She was also a consultant for Veggie Tales.) She has published 10 books, and has appeared as a speaker over 600 times, at places like Yale, Harvard, Princeton, Wellesley, Cornell, Calvin, Baylor, and Westmont, and received a Doctor of Letters (honorary) from King University. She has been interviewed over 700 times, on venues like PrimeTime Live, the 700 Club, NPR, PBS, Time, Newsweek, and the New York Times. She lives with her husband, the Rev. Gregory Mathewes-Green, in Johnson City, TN. Their three children are grown and married, and they have fifteen grandchildren.

The Story of Mary (Protevangelion)

· Frederica Mathewes-Green
When I give a talk about the 1st – 2nd c Christian story called “The Protevangelion of James,” I accompany it with these images. I’m sorry I don’t have more information about their date and place of origin; hopefully I’ll have time to look it up and add it later.

But What about Peter?

· Frederica Mathewes-Green
Some years ago, a Catholic friend was preparing to enter the Orthodox Church and, not long before his chrismation, he sent me an email saying, “But would I be wrong to separate myself from Peter?” Exasperated, I wrote back, “We have Peter too!” He is a saint in both churches!…

Unexpected Events in Charleston

· Frederica Mathewes-Green 3 Leave a Comment on %s
Tommy My husband, Fr. Gregory, had been planning a short trip to our home town, Charleston SC, to visit his mother, Mary (almost 100 years old), and brother, Tommy, who was battling cancer. Everything was arranged for him to drive down there Monday and return Thursday, but then he came…

Trouble with Intercessory Prayer

· Frederica Mathewes-Green 7 Leave a Comment on %s
An emailer wrote saying he felt he wasn’t good at intercessory prayer. My reply: I’m with you about intercessory prayer. I think I don’t know how to do it very well. I have a long list of names I bring before God every night, and a shorter list when I…

Praying for the Non-Christian Departed

· Frederica Mathewes-Green 3 Leave a Comment on %s
[October 19, 2023] Today is the feast of St. Varus, an Egyptian Christian martyr of the early 300’s. Orthodox Christians ask him to pray for our loved ones who have died, who had not come to Christian faith. A Christian woman, St. Cleopatra, recovered his body and buried it near…

Fear of Death

· Frederica Mathewes-Green 10 Leave a Comment on %s
A few years ago, my husband and I asked an Orthodox woodworker to make coffins for us (sorry, he has since retired). They’re beautiful, with the angelic Trisagion Prayer, “Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal,” lettered all the way around. Whenever I go in the basement, I pass by these…

“Death to the World” Journal

· Frederica Mathewes-Green 3 Leave a Comment on %s
2005; Regneration Quarterly, Washington Times Death to the World High in a Russian Orthodox monastery in the California mountains, Father Damascene and Father John had a problem. They wanted to place an ad in Maximum Rock and Roll, “the most hardcore” of all the punk magazines, but were having trouble…

Why Would Someone Like Hank Hanegraaff Become Orthodox?

· Frederica Mathewes-Green 8 Leave a Comment on %s
My assistant, Eudora Mathewes (granddaughter), came across this Facebook post I’d written in April 2017, and thought I should put it on the blog here. The occasion was that Hank Hanegraaff had just been chrismated, and there was much misunderstanding in the Protestant press about what Orthodoxy is, and what…

Thinking about Halloween

· Frederica Mathewes-Green 7 Leave a Comment on %s
Every year there is a buzz of controversy among Orthodox Christians about Halloween. It’s my observation that it largely arises between American converts, who grew up thinking Halloween is fun and harmless, and Orthodox who grew up elsewhere thinking it obviously dangerous and possibly demonic. As in many things, I…

So Judgemental

· Frederica Mathewes-Green 7 Leave a Comment on %s
When you accuse someone of being judgmental, you’re doing the same thing. Practice at all times compassion for those you disagree with. Try to understand their reasoning, which is different from yours. Perhaps they have had life experiences that you have not had. Never distort what they are saying in…