One of the bright lights of American Orthodoxy, Kevin Allen was the founder of Ancient Faith Radio, the gold standard of electronic evangelism and outreach in the Anglosphere. Kevin’s podcasts and interviews on AFR were pivotal to many an inquirer’s journey into Orthodoxy.
Kevin explored a variety of topics: everything from bioethics with Father John Breck, graduate from Brown University, Yale Divinity School and the Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg in Germany, to how marriage is meant to be—and can be—a path to holiness with Dr. Philip Mamalakis, an Orthodox marriage & family therapist and professor at Holy Cross Theological Seminary.
He expressed an active interest in the personal journeys of others, as well. He interviewed people from a variety of backgrounds which included Evangelicals, Muslims, Hindus, and New Agers. He even interviewed our very own Father A. James Bernstein, author of several AFP topical booklets (Orthodoxy: Jewish and Christian; Which Came First: The Church or the New Testament; Communion: A Family Affair: Heaven and Hell; and The Orthodox Christian Gospel). Kevin was always looking for opportunities to bring more people into the Faith.
More recently, Kevin opened up his own life and talked about the challenges of living with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord, commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease (Discovering Life by Facing Death), to which he succumbed August 7, 2018.
Kevin Allen was a gifted man and though he will be sorely missed by those who personally knew and loved him, he left a valuable legacy for the rest of us who struggle to live an Orthodox life in a contemporary world. Memory eternal, Kevin. We pray for your peaceful transition into the next life and ask for your prayers.
A Trisagion service will be held on Thursday evening, August 16th at 7 pm. at St.Luke Orthodox Church, 13261 Dunklee Ave., Garden Grove, followed by a light reception and an all-night vigil with the reading of the Psalter.
The funeral will be held at St. Luke Orthodox Church on Friday, August 17 at 10 a.m. It will be followed by a graveside Trisagion service and burial at Holy Sepulcher Cemetery at 7845 E. Santiago Canyon Road, Orange, CA 92869.
I was one of those who knew Kevin personally and we worked on some of the podcasts mentioned above. He paid me one of the nicest compliments I ever received, but you’d have to know Kevin to understand it. He said, “Gail, I know you’re a woman but you think like a man and that’s why we get along so well!” We had a lot of fun working together. I learned so much from him.
Kevin was a man of many gifts. Just standing next to him during services made me sound better because God blessed him with such a beautiful voice! In one way or another, Kevin was connected to practically everyone in our parish and he worked tirelessly on our behalf.
My heart is full of sorrow, but also full of hope. God willing, we will meet again in a place where there will be no more painful partings. Until then, he will remain in my prayers. Memory eternal, Kevin.
Kevin had an interesting background. He was a non-believer when he grew up in New York and for some reason moved to Orange County Ca. He first was an evangelical in the Vineyard Movement and then converted to Orthodoxy. An interesting person.
Kevin was instrumental in bringing my wife and I to the Church. He had us over to his house several times to hear our questions and offer his thoughts from his extensive experience and wisdom. We moved away from SoCal, but he kept in touch and was an inspiring and wise guide for me in so many areas. He was truly someone to emulate.
And Gail is right about his voice! I can still hear his voice singing Matins. I hope I never forget it.
Kevin was an excellent interviewer. I’d rather listen to him interviewing than Charlie Rose or Larry King.
Thank you for all your wonderful comments, Kevin will truly be missed……MEMORY ETERNAL. I would like to make an important correction for the record. John Maddex founded Ancient Faith Radio in 2004, Kevin’s first podcast was in 2007. John and Tonya are very dear friends of Kevin and myself. Their providential inspiration provided the vehicle for all the podcasters to reach so many for the sake of Christ and His Holy Apostolic Orthodox Church.
Memory eternal, Colleen! He will be missed.
Colleen,
I was thinking the same thing when I read that about Kevin’s being founder of AFR. I considered correcting the record, but I know John and Tanya are happy to be merely the vehicle for the message and care little for fame or credit. God bless them and their entire beautiful family.
May Kevin’s memory be eternal!
Colleen,
I am sorry to hear about Kevin’s passing may his memory be eternal. You and Kevin have done many wonderful things for the people in your parish, for those in need in the community and for the world. All of the good work we did for the homeless in Orange County through FOCUS North America would never have happened without you and Kevin. May God grant you many years and may God grant Kevin the rest he deserves. You are in my prayers.
Jacob Lee
Sorry, please excuse me for posting here. I didn’t know where else to post this.
Below please find an article from today on the OCL website.
Orthodox Christianity: A Missionary Church? A Case Study. Book Review of “Led by His Love, An Evangelical Pastor’s Journey to the Orthodox Faith,” by V. Rev. Gordon Thomas Walker
BY WEBMASTER ON AUGUST 24, 2018
ORTHODOX NEWS, ORTHODOX NEWS TOP STORIES
Source: Orthodox Christian Laity
https://ocl.org/book-review-led-by-his-love-an-evangelical-pastors-journey-to-the-orthodox-faith-by-v-rev-gordon-thomas-walker/
Below please find an article from August 2nd, on the Christian Century website.
The unexpected relationship between U.S. evangelicals and Russian Orthodox
Under Trump and Putin, a strange alliance gets stranger.
by John P. Burgess
August 2, 2018
https://www.christiancentury.org/article/features/unexpected-relationship-between-us-evangelicals-and-russian-orthodox
The link between Orthodox and Evangelicals is one more attempt at Soviet meddling:
http://religiondispatches.org/white-supremacy-and-orthodox-christianity-a-dangerous-connection-rears-its-head-in-charlottesville/
Mr. Micholopulos,
Since Greatly Saddened can’t seem to exercise any common sense on his/her own and will disrespectfully jam this very hearfelt tribute to the life and memory of Kevin Allen with banal “news” about Trump & Putin, may i impose on you to kindly close this thread – cleaning these last remarks – perhaps adding a final closing remark (it is, after all your thread) and allow Kevin his gratitude unencumbered? I would sincerely appreciate your consideration. Memory Eternal, and may the soul of this fine man rest with saints!
GM … once again, please forgive me for posting here. I by no means ever meant any disrespect towards the memory of Mr. Kevin Allen.
As for Mr. Stankovich, and as polite as I can be, he really has quite a bit to say and seems to get satisfaction in putting other people down. I am sorry, but even with his advanced degrees, in my most humble opinion, he can sure use some people skills. I have been following this blog for almost a year now and all I can see is his condescending attitude towards others. I hesitated to say this, but he seems to be extremely critical of others and seems to like to talk down to them. Nevertheless, God bless him and may the good Lord above grant him many healthy years to come! Thank you for permitting me to get this off my chest. I was reluctant in doing do, but glad I did!
Greatly Saddened,
In all sincerity, I respect your right to “get off your chest” whatever churning distaste you have harboured in silence – and for so long – for my condescending attitude. It is never easy, I suppose. It does not, however, influence, in the least, my opinion that your choice to dump superflous, inane, “pardon me, but who cares” tales of Orthodox trivia into a thread specifically intended as a tribute. “Nowhere else to put it?” I would have gladly assisted you. Apparently Mr. Michalopulos is unmoved or enjoying the “standoff,” so, I’ll not comment again.