Jump directly to the content
Dick Staub

The Dick Staub Interview

Why Frederica Mathewes-Green Loves Icons

"Yes, we ask the saints to pray for us, she says. They are still living members of the church after all."

Frederica Mathewes-Green, a native of Charleston, South Carolina, is a regular commentator for National Public Radio's Morning Edition and other media outlets, a columnist for Beliefnet, and a regular contributor to Christianity Today, which she formerly served as a columnist. Last October, Dick Staub interviewed her about her spiritual journey and her book The Illumined Heart: The Ancient Christian Path of Transformation. Now she's back to talk about a kind of sequel to that volume: The Open Door: Entering the Sanctuary of Icons and Prayer (Paraclete Press).

We've heard the story of your journey to Christianity, and then Eastern Orthodoxy, before. But could you quickly summarize it for those who haven't?

I was raised in a nominal Roman Catholic home, but without any really strong faith there. As a teenager and a student, I totally cast away the Christian faith. I just believed it was stupid and only stupid people could believe it. I actually became an anti-Christian, and very antagonistic.

After I graduated from college, while traveling around Europe, hitchhiking, doing the tourist thing, I went into a church in Dublin. At that point I was calling myself a Hindu, but even if you're a Hindu, you've got to look into churches when you're in Europe. And I was looking at a statue of Jesus. I can't explain it. I just was looking at the statue, and the next minute I knew I was kneeling down.

And I could hear an interior voice, not with my ears, but I could like hear a voice inside speaking to me and saying, "I am your life. I am the foundation of everything in your life." And it was a big surprise. I thought I had the whole world figured out. I thought all religions were equal, and it's just this delightful garden of spiritual flowers ...

Article Preview

This article is currently available to CT subscribers only.

To continue reading:
LoginorSubscribe

The Dick Staub Interview

Dick Staub

Dick Staub was host of a eponymous daily radio show on Seattle's KGNW and is the author of Too Christian, Too Pagan and The Culturally Savvy Christian. He currently runs The Kindlings, an effort to rekindle the creative, intellectual, and spiritual legacy of Christians in culture. His interviews appeared weekly on our site from 2002 to 2004.


Related Topics:
None
More from Christianity Today
Sidelining the Stigma of Mental Illness

Sidelining the Stigma of Mental Illness

Amy Simpson challenges the church to step up its ministry to a vulnerable population.
Starting a Dialogue with Hip-Hop

Starting a Dialogue with Hip-Hop

Daniel White Hodge finds signs of the gospel in the beats of hip-hop.

The Latest in Movie News, June 17, 2013

Box office returns, Shrek on your TV, casting news, and Russell Crowe.
Popcultured: It's the Thoughts That Count

It's the Thoughts That Count

Why Christians can't be careless about the consumption of popular culture.
Get Instant Access
Christianity Today Magazine
Subscribe now for a year (10 issues) at $24.95 for print, iPad, and instant web access.

International Orders

Comments

This article has no comments
You must be a Christianity Today subscriber to post comments
(on articles open to the public, you must at least register for a free account).
Login
or
Subscribe
or
Register

Don't Miss

Want to Change the World? Sponsor a Child

Want to Change the World? Sponsor a Child

A top economist shares the astounding news about that little picture hanging on our refrigerator.
The Stand-in Church

The Stand-in Church

Sometimes we speak the gospel from the bottom up.

The New Televangelists

The New Televangelists

I had to look past celebrity ministry to learn how to really pastor.

more | current issue

Books & Culture

Writing for the Reader

Writing for the Reader

A conversation with ...

Today's Christian Woman

Kirk Cameron: Love is Worth Fighting For

Kirk Cameron: Love is Worth Fighting For...

The 1990s teen heartthrob...

Out of Ur

Tweeting the (other) SBC

Tweeting the (other) SBC

Oh be careful little...

Gifted For Leadership Blog

Habits of the Heart, Part 1

Habits of the Heart, Part 1

Why routine spiritual...

Facebook

CT eBooks & Bible Studies


Shopping