Time Eternal

Time Eternal is taking a sabbatical in 2020!

feeds@ancientfaith.com (Dr. Nicole Roccas and Ancient Faith Radio) — Wed, 15 Jan 2020 19:45:00 +0000

Nicole will be taking a break from the Time Eternal podcast during 2020 but hopes to be back in 2021 for more conversations about time and eternity. In the meantime, feel free to check out her other podcasts and blogs: Time Eternal blog (Ancient Faith Blogs): https://blogs.ancientfaith.com/timeeternal/ Help My Unbelief Podcast (Ancient Faith Radio): https://www.ancientfaith.com/podcasts/helpmyunbelief Nicole's professional blog: www.nicoleroccas.com/blog Time and Despondency book and Lenten study guide: https://store.ancientfaith.com/time-and-despondency/ The Time and Despondency Lenten Reading Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/timeanddespondencyLent/

I’m Starting a New Podcast About Doubt!

feeds@ancientfaith.com (Dr. Nicole Roccas and Ancient Faith Radio) — Mon, 16 Sep 2019 15:45:00 +0000

In this episode, I share the trailer for a podcast I launched with my husband, Basil, a few weeks ago. Help My Unbelief seeks to bridge the chasm between faith and doubt. Find it here on Ancient Faith Radio or wherever you get podcasts. Subscribe to join the conversation on faith and unbelief!

Time and Grief According to Stephen Colbert and Anderson Cooper

feeds@ancientfaith.com (Dr. Nicole Roccas and Ancient Faith Radio) — Sun, 25 Aug 2019 20:59:00 +0000

Nicole reflects on an interview she watched this week between comedian Stephen Colbert and journalist Anderson Cooper, in particular, the divergent ways grief affected their sense of time. (Watch the interview here. The intro and outro of this episode is "Idea" and "Remedy for Melancholy" by Kai Engel.

Under the Laurel Tree: The Story of My Next Book

feeds@ancientfaith.com (Dr. Nicole Roccas and Ancient Faith Radio) — Fri, 09 Aug 2019 23:04:00 +0000

My next book isn't the one I asked to write, it wasn't the one I dreamt of creating when I was a little girl with authorial ambitions. But in the end, I think it's the book I needed to write. In this episode, I share the story behind my next book and read the description. Under the Laurel Tree will be released later this fall, 2019, with Ancient Faith Publishing. (The intro and outro songs in this episode were "Idea" and "Remedy for Melancholy" by Kai Engel.)

Holy Week Special 2019

feeds@ancientfaith.com (Dr. Nicole Roccas and Ancient Faith Radio) — Fri, 19 Apr 2019 19:42:00 +0000

In this episode, recorded live on Facebook, Nicole discusses her experience of Holy Week prior to becoming Orthodox by reading from the Conclusion of Time and Despondency. Readers from Facebook join in with thoughts about how their impressions and experiences of Holy Week have changed over the course of their lives. The intro and outro of Time Eternal are "Idea" and "Remedy for Melancholy," by Kai Engel.

When Your Lent is Not Instagram-Worthy

feeds@ancientfaith.com (Dr. Nicole Roccas and Ancient Faith Radio) — Fri, 12 Apr 2019 20:04:00 +0000

Nicole reads something she wrote on Lazarus Saturday 2018, during a Lent that was NOT instagram-worthy, and reflects on it now a year later. Intro and outro music: "Idea" and "Remedy for Melancholy," by Kai Engel.

An Old/New New Year’s

feeds@ancientfaith.com (Dr. Nicole Roccas and Ancient Faith Radio) — Sat, 05 Jan 2019 23:51:00 +0000

In salutation of 2019, Nicole examines the (surprisingly complicated) historical origins of the January 1st New Year. The intro and outro songs in this episode are "Idea" and "Remedy for Melancholy," respectively, by Kai Engel.

Fr. Tay’s Story

feeds@ancientfaith.com (Dr. Nicole Roccas and Ancient Faith Radio) — Thu, 25 Oct 2018 13:42:00 +0000

While doing his chaplaincy training, an Anglican priest friend of mine was once called to the deathbed of a pre-term baby. It was the hardest death he ever attended to, and we're sharing it in honor of Infant Loss Awareness Month. May God remember all departed infants and the families who grieve them. Fr. Tay has been the priest at the Anglican Church of the Messiah in Toronto for 12 years. The interludes of this episode featured prayers from the Orthodox funeral service for an infant, which you can find here: https://bit.ly/2yYcRud The Engaging Orthodoxy panel at North Park University is available to view on the Time Eternal blog: https://bit.ly/2yuuVga As always, the intro (“Idea”) and outro (“Remedy for Melancholy”) music for Time Eternal is written and performed by Kai Engel: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Kai_Engel/

Facing Death Through Catechism

feeds@ancientfaith.com (Dr. Nicole Roccas and Ancient Faith Radio) — Thu, 27 Sep 2018 02:05:00 +0000

The call to remember death is a constant in ascetical theology. But how exactly does one put this virtue into practice? Fr. Theodore Paraskevopoulos has made this question the focus of his pastoral ministry - and doctoral thesis. Check out Fr. Ted's podcast iSermon. If you're interested in hearing more about Fr. Ted's thesis, complete with practical suggestions for catechists and catechumens alike, you can find our uncut conversation here. And here's his YouTube channel.

My First Death

feeds@ancientfaith.com (Dr. Nicole Roccas and Ancient Faith Radio) — Thu, 06 Sep 2018 17:13:00 +0000

Just as death entered the world through one man (Adam, according to Romans 5), so death typically enters our personal experiences through one person. This first experience with death has a profound impact on how we view not only death but also life. Today I talk about losing my grandpa, Wilson Lyon, when I was five

“Death is Coming!” Introducing Season 4 of Time Eternal

feeds@ancientfaith.com (Dr. Nicole Roccas and Ancient Faith Radio) — Tue, 21 Aug 2018 13:42:00 +0000

Meet some of the guests (and questions) that will feature in Season 4 of Time Eternal. Philip Roth once wrote that "in every calm and reasonable person, there is a hidden second person scared witless about death." This episode is dedicated to all those "calm and reasonable" folks out there who are secretly scared out of their minds when it comes to death. In this episode, I mentioned "Death in Orthodox Tradition," a course I am co-teaching with OCA priest Fr. Geoffrey Ready at the Orthodox School of Theology at Trinity College (Toronto). Check out our programme (Canadian spelling, people!) here: https://www.trinityorthodox.ca/ Time Eternal is now on Patreon! Find bonus content and resources here: https://www.patreon.com/nicole_roccas This episode featured upcoming TE guests Carla Moberg, Fr. Tay Moss, and Fr. Ted Paraskevopoulos. It also featured the following music by Kai Engel: "Idea" (Intro); "Behind Your Window"; and "Remedy for Melancholy" (Outro). http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Kai_Engel/

Evening and Morning

feeds@ancientfaith.com (Dr. Nicole Roccas and Ancient Faith Radio) — Wed, 06 Jun 2018 16:13:00 +0000

Nicole reflects on recent #TemporalTuesdays posts that revolve around the liturgical mystery of the first day of creation. Special thanks to Basil Roccas for help with the voiceover in this episode! Help me produce better Time Eternal content for the upcoming Church year by taking this free and anonymous survey. The intro and outro of Time Eternal are Kai Engel’s “Idea,” and “Remedy for Melancholy,” respectively. His songs “Aspirato” and “Mist and Clouds” are also used in this episode. http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Kai_Engel/

“Desiring the Kingdom” in Lent

feeds@ancientfaith.com (Dr. Nicole Roccas and Ancient Faith Radio) — Mon, 19 Mar 2018 15:38:00 +0000

Nicole talks about one of the books she's reading this Lent, Desiring the Kingdom: Worship, Worldview, and Cultural Formation, by James K. A. Smith. Among other things, she discusses the formative significance of liturgies—both in the Church and in the world—and her addiction to tea and sweets. This episode features the following songs, available by attribution license: "Had You Been" and "How it Fades" by Scott Gratton "Nocturne Op. 48 No. 1" by Podington Bear The intro and outros are "Idea" and "Remedy for Melancholy" by Kai Engel.

“Humility and Patience to Thy Servant”: Time and Despondency in Lent (Weeks 1 and 2)

feeds@ancientfaith.com (Dr. Nicole Roccas and Ancient Faith Radio) — Thu, 22 Feb 2018 15:55:00 +0000

This Lent, I'm walking through my book, Time and Despondency, in tandem with the free Lenten study guide available through Ancient Faith Publishing. In weeks one and two, we're talking about finding God at the grocery store, conquering the protagonist syndrome, and learning to inhabit life without the defense mechanisms of pride and impatience . You can follow along with the book and the free study guide here: http://store.ancientfaith.com/time-and-despondency/ This episode contains the Prayer of St. Ephrem as well as the following music: Kai Engel: "Idea," "Irsen's Tale," and "Remedy for Melancholy" Podington Bear: "Across the River" Chris Zabriskie: "Prelude 10"

Shame, Despondency, and a New Year

feeds@ancientfaith.com (Dr. Nicole Roccas and Ancient Faith Radio) — Thu, 11 Jan 2018 18:08:00 +0000

Does the new year bring up feelings of shame and apathy? Do all those perky new year's resolutions people annoy you? Or are you frustrated by your failed attempts to do better this time around? In this brand-new season of Time Eternal, we talk about the connection between shame and despondency, particularly as it relates to the new (civil) year. Plus, Nicole announces the launch of her book, Time and Despondency, on January 15. Last but not least: Time Eternal just turned two! With that, we're moving to a two-season per year format (hear more about that in the episode). This episode marks Episode 1 of Season 5!

Falling Upward after Job Loss

feeds@ancientfaith.com (Dr. Nicole Roccas and Ancient Faith Radio) — Thu, 09 Nov 2017 16:24:00 +0000

The day I began reading Fr. Richard Rohr’s book Falling Upward, I had just been fired from my job. This episode is a close reading of his book against that backdrop, as well as an exploration of the struggle for meaning, growth, and encounter in times of struggle.

Mennonites, Memory, and Marking Time

feeds@ancientfaith.com (Dr. Nicole Roccas and Ancient Faith Radio) — Thu, 12 Oct 2017 17:30:00 +0000

My friend Kerry was born in a conservative Mennonite community in rural Manitoba. As she grew up, that community gradually assimilated into the wider culture. But looking back, she says that the temporal rhythms and cycles she still held to during her youth provided a "secure sense of reality." In this episode of Time Eternal, we talk about her experience growing up Mennonite, her life today living in the largest city in Canada, and what she misses about the sense of time she experienced as a child. Make sure to check out the shownotes for quotes, links, and information about this episode, not to mention a photo of me and Kerry the night we recorded this episode!

Time in Transit

feeds@ancientfaith.com (Dr. Nicole Roccas and Ancient Faith Radio) — Fri, 29 Sep 2017 18:41:00 +0000

Public transportation is my temporal kryptonite--it brings out my impatience and inability to cope with the time I “lose” commuting. But a few months ago, I had an experience on the subway that really put things in perspective, a painful reminder that no time is every truly wasted. (For quotations and other information from this episode, make sure to check out the shownotes in the file attachment above or subscribe to the Time Eternal blog.)

A Time for Illness, with Elissa Bjeletich

feeds@ancientfaith.com (Dr. Nicole Roccas and Ancient Faith Radio) — Thu, 21 Sep 2017 16:25:00 +0000

When my friend Elissa’s daughter was still a baby, she had to undergo a risky liver transplant. Elissa and I think back on that time, and the way our experience of time changes during times of illness, whether it’s we who are sick or a loved one. (For quotations and more information shared in this episode, make sure to check out the shownotes in the file attachment above or subscribe to the Time Eternal blog.)

“Making” Time with Fr. Robert Holet

feeds@ancientfaith.com (Dr. Nicole Roccas and Ancient Faith Radio) — Thu, 14 Sep 2017 17:02:00 +0000

Today I’m with Fr. Robert Holet, host of the podcast “First Fruits of Christian Living.” We’re talking about our volition to make time in a fast-paced world of distractions. Part two of this episode will air on Fr. Robert’s podcast, so check it out! (For quotations and other information from this episode, see the shownotes in the file attachment above or subscribe to the Ancient Faith blog.)

Sites of Eternity: The New Time Eternal Podcast

feeds@ancientfaith.com (Dr. Nicole Roccas and Ancient Faith Radio) — Thu, 07 Sep 2017 11:17:00 +0000

In this new, relaunched version of Time Eternal, I walk the meditation trail at Antiochian Village and consider what it is we are called to do and become in time. Listen to the end for a special giveaway that ends September 15, 2017! (For quotes and a picture from this episode, see the shownotes in the file attachment above, or subscribe to the Time Eternal blog.)

A “Sneak Listen” to the New Podcast and a Giveaway

feeds@ancientfaith.com (Dr. Nicole Roccas and Ancient Faith Radio) — Thu, 10 Aug 2017 16:02:00 +0000

This episode is a behind-the-scenes look at what's happening around here at Time Eternal: the relaunch, a giveaway, recording in the dark (aka laziness), and a whole minute of me mispronouncing the word "Akathist." Happy summer!

Reflections on AFCon 2017 and the Upcoming Relaunch of Time Eternal

feeds@ancientfaith.com (Dr. Nicole Roccas and Ancient Faith Radio) — Mon, 26 Jun 2017 20:07:00 +0000

Nicole looks back on the biggest thing she took away from the 2017 Ancient Faith Conference, and discusses some changes that will hit the Time Eternal podcast in the fall. Have a blessed summer!

Why the World Must End

feeds@ancientfaith.com (Dr. Nicole Roccas and Ancient Faith Radio) — Fri, 02 Jun 2017 20:14:00 +0000

Today we're talking about apocalypticism. Whether we realize it or not, we all need an apocalyptic story to tell—regardless of our ideology or faith.

Looking Back on Lent: Lessons at the Gym

feeds@ancientfaith.com (Dr. Nicole Roccas and Ancient Faith Radio) — Sun, 23 Apr 2017 23:40:00 +0000

Nicole reflects on how the askesis of Great Lent strengthens the tiny, barely perceptible muscles of faith more often than the big, flashy ones.

Introducing my Forthcoming Book: Time and Despondency

feeds@ancientfaith.com (Dr. Nicole Roccas and Ancient Faith Radio) — Mon, 20 Feb 2017 18:03:00 +0000

About a year ago on this podcast, I started a five-part Lenten mini-series called Time and Despondency. I'm happy to announce that I've turned this series into a book to be published by Ancient Faith sometime in Fall 2017. As I finish up the manuscript, I reflect on the intersection between time and despondency. Interested in listening to the original series? Check out Part I (of 5) from last year.

Three Strategies for a Happy New Year

feeds@ancientfaith.com (Dr. Nicole Roccas and Ancient Faith Radio) — Thu, 05 Jan 2017 14:41:00 +0000

Speaking of time—the new year is upon us! It's a season when lots of people are thinking of goals and self-improvement. In this episode, Dr. Roccas shares some strategies she has learned as a writing consultant about how to set goals without becoming perfectionistic or destructive . . . also, why shell collecting is a perfectly good new year's resolution.

A Modern Woman in an Ancient Calendar: A Chat with Angela Doll Carlson

feeds@ancientfaith.com (Dr. Nicole Roccas and Ancient Faith Radio) — Sun, 20 Nov 2016 19:59:00 +0000

oday, I'm talking with friend and author Angela Doll Carlson about living the liturgical year. From logistics and practicalities to marriage and community, there's a little something for everyone in this episode (yes, even men!).

Forefeasts and Afterfeasts: Becoming Present in the Periphery

feeds@ancientfaith.com (Dr. Nicole Roccas and Ancient Faith Radio) — Mon, 31 Oct 2016 14:48:00 +0000

Continuing our Year in Time series, today we talk about the various ways the liturgical calendar helps us be present to God through liturgical memory.

September - A Month for Waiting

feeds@ancientfaith.com (Dr. Nicole Roccas and Ancient Faith Radio) — Wed, 14 Sep 2016 14:02:00 +0000

In the Church, as in nature, September is a time of provision and bounty. It is also a time that re-invites us back into the arena of waiting. In this episode, we'll hear about four feast days in September in which God brings forth something new after long droughts of patience and faithfulness.

All About the Church New Year (September 1)

feeds@ancientfaith.com (Dr. Nicole Roccas and Ancient Faith Radio) — Wed, 24 Aug 2016 14:39:00 +0000

This episode kicks off the new "A Year in Time" series with the Church New Year. Find out why we celebrate a new year in September, and what Caesar Augustus and St. John the Baptist have in common. We'll also read through a section of the beautiful Akathist "Glory to God for All Things." Happy New Year!

Turning “Down Time” Upwards

feeds@ancientfaith.com (Dr. Nicole Roccas and Ancient Faith Radio) — Wed, 27 Jul 2016 17:22:00 +0000

The slower-paced tempo of summertime raises questions about how we relate to leisure as Orthodox Christians. In this episode, we talk about down time and our culture's sense of entitlement towards rest and relaxation. At the end of the episode, I'll also share some changes coming to "Time Eternal" this fall.

Is there Time in Heaven? Part III

feeds@ancientfaith.com (Dr. Nicole Roccas and Ancient Faith Radio) — Mon, 11 Jul 2016 16:40:00 +0000

In the last episode of this miniseries, we talk about "ages" and the phrase "unto the ages of ages" as it is used to signify eternity in the New Testament. Along the way, we'll tackle interstellar space, two-dimensional cubes, and other perplexing boundaries of human knowledge. Moral of the story: keep wonder alive.

Is There Time in Heaven? Part II

feeds@ancientfaith.com (Dr. Nicole Roccas and Ancient Faith Radio) — Wed, 22 Jun 2016 16:57:00 +0000

This episode revisits the question of time in heaven from two different vantage points: Hellenic Greek philosophy and the Old Testament. Greeks and Jews of late antiquity had pretty different beliefs when it came to time and eternity, and both paradigms have implications for how one views the Incarnation.

Is There Time in Heaven? Part I

feeds@ancientfaith.com (Dr. Nicole Roccas and Ancient Faith Radio) — Fri, 10 Jun 2016 15:01:00 +0000

Heaven is eternal—but does that mean it also without time? This question lies at the crux of our understanding not only of heaven but also of earthly existence. In the first part of this miniseries, Dr. Roccas talks about some personal experiences regarding this question and how Orthodox worship prepares us for heaven.

Managing vs. Redeeming Time, Part 2

feeds@ancientfaith.com (Dr. Nicole Roccas and Ancient Faith Radio) — Wed, 25 May 2016 18:53:00 +0000

Continuing the talk from last week about the difference between managing time for the sake of productivity and redeeming time for the sake of salvation. Follow along!

Managing vs. Redeeming Time, Part I

feeds@ancientfaith.com (Dr. Nicole Roccas and Ancient Faith Radio) — Wed, 11 May 2016 15:07:00 +0000

This is the first part of a talk given at All Saints Greek Orthodox Church in Toronto. In this portion, we look at common approaches to time management as they've developed in Western culture.

Time and Despondency Part V: Resurrecting the Present

feeds@ancientfaith.com (Dr. Nicole Roccas and Ancient Faith Radio) — Wed, 27 Apr 2016 17:31:00 +0000

In this final segment of our lenten series on Time and Despondency, we explore the substance of the present moment—the Holy Resurrection. Thoughts on how to re-present ourselves and our world this Pascha and beyond.

Time and Despondency Part IV: Regaining the Present II

feeds@ancientfaith.com (Dr. Nicole Roccas and Ancient Faith Radio) — Wed, 13 Apr 2016 19:05:00 +0000

Today we continue our discussion of how to regain God's gift of the present moment. We'll touch on humor, scripture recitation, and prayer.

Time and Despondency Part III: Regaining the Present

feeds@ancientfaith.com (Dr. Nicole Roccas and Ancient Faith Radio) — Wed, 30 Mar 2016 19:28:00 +0000

Today we talk about various antidotes to the passion of despondency, which all have the effect of bringing us back to the present moment of heart.

Time and Despondency Part II: Escape from the Present

feeds@ancientfaith.com (Dr. Nicole Roccas and Ancient Faith Radio) — Wed, 16 Mar 2016 18:35:00 +0000

The present moment is a gift from God. But too often, we flee from this "gift of the now" through our mental ideations of the past and future. Today, we're calling that movement despondency and exploring the physical, emotional and spiritual paths by which we escape from the present.

Time and Despondency Part I: The Most Temporal of Passions

feeds@ancientfaith.com (Dr. Nicole Roccas and Ancient Faith Radio) — Wed, 02 Mar 2016 15:35:00 +0000

In the first episode of a five-part Lenten series on despondency, we learn what despondency is (and what it isn't), and how it relates to our experience of time. Ultimately, despondency is a means of escaping the present moment we find ourselves in.

The Beginning(s) of Time

feeds@ancientfaith.com (Dr. Nicole Roccas and Ancient Faith Radio) — Wed, 17 Feb 2016 15:50:00 +0000

This episode delves into the "day one" of creation, as envisioned by St. Basil in his second homily on the Hexaemeron. Along the way, we'll also discuss symbolism, typology and wonder. Join us for the journey!

Who Is Time?

feeds@ancientfaith.com (Dr. Nicole Roccas and Ancient Faith Radio) — Thu, 04 Feb 2016 21:09:00 +0000

Here we explore the possibility that God isn't "eternal." How can that be? Tune in to find out!

What Is Time?

feeds@ancientfaith.com (Dr. Nicole Roccas and Ancient Faith Radio) — Wed, 20 Jan 2016 18:16:00 +0000

Today we're asking what is time, and we're looking at blessed Augustine's Confessions, which features one of the most famous reflections on the philosophy of time. Augustine is trying to solve the "problem of time": why is creation temporal if it comes from an eternal God? Tune in to see if he resolves his dilemma!

Why Time?

feeds@ancientfaith.com (Dr. Nicole Roccas and Ancient Faith Radio) — Wed, 06 Jan 2016 18:07:00 +0000

Why devote an entire podcast to the topic of time? Listen to this episode to find out!