Charlie Kirk Today

Charlie Kirk: July 22, 2025 | Charlie Kirk Today

July 22, 2025 | 26:2

Join Charlie Kirk as he breaks down the biggest news, challenges the mainstream narrative, and delivers fearless commentary on faith, culture, and politics. No spin. No censorship. Just the TRUTH.

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Charlie Kirk Today | Charlie Kirk: July 22, 2025 | Charlie Kirk Today | July 22, 2025

Brought to you in part by the
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International fellowship of christians and jews.
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So excited
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To be sitting down with father john strickland from saint
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Elizabeth orthodox church in poulsbo, washington.
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Is that right?
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Pretty close. yeah.
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Or poulsbo? poulsbo.
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So the reason i wanted to have you on the program, father,
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You are from the eastern orthodox church,
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Is that correct?
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Yeah.
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And i know a fair amount about catholicism.
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I know a fair amount about protestantism, but
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Admittedly, very little about orthodox.
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And it's getting a lot of play online, as you probably know.
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You know,
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And i know a couple people that are serbian orthodox
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Growing up or were latvian orthodox,
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But i don't know much about the theology or the history.
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So i told blake, i said, blake, find me
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Someone that can come on the show
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And we could just have a fun discussion.
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You can educate me and the audience.
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So first, great to meet you and welcome to the program.
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Nice to be here, charlie.
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Thank you for inviting me.
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So, first kind of your story, you're a parish priest.
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You grew up
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In southern california in a protestant background.
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Why did you convert, to orthodoxy?
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Well, i started studying history.
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They sometimes say, i was raised
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Protestant and i was protestant.
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They say sometimes, when a protestant studies
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History becomes roman catholic.
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In my case, i became orthodox.
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A history goes further back.
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And in that case,
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I studied history at college and,
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Started studying russian history.
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And the more i learned after, living in russia for
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About two years in the 1990s, which was an amazing time.
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Communism had had collapsed.
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Putin had not come yet.
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There was a real kind of fluid character to
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To her life in russia, very positive toward the west.
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Everywhere i went, i was kind of greeted
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Warmly, and people were really
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Interested in learning about america and the west.
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At that time, after the collapse of communism,
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I started attending an orthodox parish
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There and just fell in love with it
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And realized god made me for this.
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And i decided to become more orthodox there.
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So what?
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So you were in you were in russia when you converted?
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Yeah.
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I want to have a whole separate conversation about russia.
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We're told in the in during the soviet union
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It was mostly atheistic, but they had an orthodox core.
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What what percentage of russia
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Is orthodox versus more secular?
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Well, today
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Most people would identify as orthodox if they were to,
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You know, consider themselves a believer in a higher power.
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They'd say they're orthodox.
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Of course, russia or the soviet union more broadly, before
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The collapse of communism, was a very diverse place.
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There's millions of muslims, for instance,
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Many roman catholics, protestants,
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You know, there were there were many people.
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But, orthodoxy is the preeminent,
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Historically preeminent religion there.
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In the soviet union.
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Of course, that was attacked and they blew up
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Churches and shot priests and persecuted believers
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And things like that.
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But they could never eradicate from their culture
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The strong sense, that, that orthodox christianity,
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Christianity generally
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Is, is a necessary part of, society and its foundations.
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There's a couple of, funny little anecdotes about that.
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One, one joke is that soviet, school students were taught
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That there there is no god, and that the orthodox church
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Is the only true church.
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So they got the sense that, like, you know,
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There is an orthodox presence
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That's really important for our culture,
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But we don't believe in god. it's a cultural institution.
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Yeah, exactly.
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So let's let's go through then kind of a, fast class,
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If you will, a sparknotes,
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And we'll go deeper into orthodoxy.
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So what what what would just explain
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Orthodox theology similarities with protestantism differences
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And also with catholicism.
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Okay. well, i'll do what i can. i'll do what i can.
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I'll interject where i feel sure. yeah. please do.
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And i want to start by saying,
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You know, there's a lot in common,
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Between the orthodox and the roman catholics
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And the protestants and, and i want to,
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You know, recognize that and even kind of, emphasize
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That, that there's a lot in common.
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I mean, roman catholics, orthodox and protestants
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All believe that jesus christ is both god and man.
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They believe that there's one
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God in three persons father, son, and holy spirit.
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They believe that
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God came into this world to save the world from sin,
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And that the experience of salvation is a beautiful thing
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That lasts forever into eternity.
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They all have some very core important beliefs in common.
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The orthodox see themselves, believe
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Strongly that, they uphold the tradition
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That the apostles received from jesus christ at pentecost.
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They hold that tradition.
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This is a key word in orthodoxy tradition.
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They hold that tradition or faith, intact
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And it's never going to be changed,
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And they will never allow it to be change.
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What about the apostles? can you say that again?
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They received the holy spirit.
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Yeah. so we believe that too.
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Of course. yeah.
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Of course. pentecost chapter two of acts.
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All christians realize that at that moment,
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The holy spirit days post passover.
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Right? exactly, exactly.
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Jesus has ascended into heaven after 40 days
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After his resurrection or pascha.
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And then, ten days later, the holy spirit is sent
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And it fills the church.
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It it it makes the church what she is.
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And so until the end of time, the orthodox believe
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The faith is complete.
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There's nothing more needed, nothing to be added.
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And there could never be anything
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Taken away from that faith.
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And so orthodox
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Today, 2000 years later, believe very strongly
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That they hold to a tradition,
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The tradition, the holy tradition
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That was delivered to the apostles at pentecost.
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And that that will never change.
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Acts 242, for instance, really important for orthodox,
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Says that they, the apostles and those who converted on
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On that day, 3000 of them continued,
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Steadfastly in the apostles doctrine.
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And the, fellowship and the breaking of the bread
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And in the prayers.
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And so they continued steadfastly like, that's,
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That's an important statement.
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Like they continue they didn't stop.
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There wasn't a moment when they no longer
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The church no longer
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Had that deposit of the faith, and they did so steadfastly.
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The unchangeable is another word,
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An adjective for steadfastly is unchangeable.
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And so today,
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I think one of the things that's really remarkable about
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About the orthodox church in america, where i,
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You know, why i do my ministry, is that, this authentic
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Witness to the faith of the apostles
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And unchangeable faith is really,
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You know, it's really capturing people's attention.
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And our churches are being filled, flooded, in fact,
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With converts, i mean, my church in, very rural kind
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Of small church and in poulsbo, washington, saint elizabeth
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Orthodox church, i think we've had like, i think maybe,
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We probably grown by 50%.
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We've lost a lot of people moving out of the area
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Because so expensive to live there.
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Families have moved away.
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But but we've grown by 50%,
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Lots of young people especially, which is remarkable
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That today, young people,
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I mean, who would have thought a generation ago
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Are seeking not just faith in general,
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But the authentic christian faith
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That stretches back unchanged
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All the way back to the apostles,
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With all of its doctrines
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About about marriage, about sexual ity, about,
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Who god is and about fasting and about
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Communion, about the sacraments,
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About the worship, about the whole thing.
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It's a way of life
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Lives are shattered in the holy land.
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In an instant, these families lost everything.
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The international fellowship
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Of christians and jews is on the ground to provide
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Food and shelter and emergency supplies and emergency.
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The gift of $45 will help thousands
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Of elderly and families with desperately needed food.
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Call it or go online now.
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Her whole body is bruised and wounded,
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And it's very clear
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That zelda is in no condition to find ways to get food.
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Food is critical and so is shelter from attack.
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The israeli government has asked the fellowship
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To urgently place 1000 mobile bomb shelters.
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You can place a mobile bomb shelter in israel.
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Right now, all we need
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Is for you to enable us to buy the shelters.
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My friends, the destruction is unprecedented.
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Please act now.
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Let's talk about social security,
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Because whether you're 65 or 25, this affects you
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Even if you're in your 20s or 30.
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You're paying into the system every paycheck.
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But here's the problem
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Washington is burning through your money.
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Funding endless bureaucracy and radical programs
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While the social security trust fund teeters on the edge.
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That's why i support amf,
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The association of mature american citizens.
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They're not just sounding the alarm.
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They're taking action, fighting to protect social security
00:09:01.263 --> 00:09:04.066
For current seniors and for your generation to.
00:09:04.066 --> 00:09:06.769
This is your future, and it's time to fight back.
00:09:06.769 --> 00:09:08.871
A mat gives you access to exclusive benefits,
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Discounts on travel insurance, health care,
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Membership starts at just $16 a year or save more with multi
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Year options.
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Plus, anyone can join regardless of age.
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You don't have to be retired to care.
00:09:26.389 --> 00:09:28.090
You just have to care about your future.
00:09:28.090 --> 00:09:30.059
Go to a mcu's kirk and join the fight today.
00:09:30.059 --> 00:09:33.362
That's a mcu's kirk.
00:09:33.362 --> 00:09:39.006
That's a mcu's kirk.
00:09:39.006 --> 00:09:48.880
So now
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To you obviously believe in the
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The biblical account of jesus's life, sinless virgin
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Birth, perfect life without sin.
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As i say, sinless, died an unjust death.
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Death and suffering rose from the dead after three days.
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So basically, the nicene creed, you know, we're in total
00:10:08.132 --> 00:10:10.635
Harmony and agreement.
00:10:10.635 --> 00:10:11.869
Yeah.
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Are there any exceptions about christology
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That you would say are different between
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Protestantism and orthodoxy, or is that probably.
00:10:16.674 --> 00:10:19.444
Well, i think it's a difference.
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The most agreement.
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I think we have a lot of agreement.
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Yeah.
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I mean, i think when it comes to
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I mean, i think what we might find
00:10:25.483 --> 00:10:27.518
Is that there are emphases that are different.
00:10:27.518 --> 00:10:30.088
So what happens is, in the history of christianity,
00:10:30.088 --> 00:10:33.858
In, in about halfway through that history
00:10:33.858 --> 00:10:36.828
To our present day,
00:10:36.828 --> 00:10:37.962
1000 years into the history
00:10:37.962 --> 00:10:39.564
Or from our point of view, 1000 years back,
00:10:39.564 --> 00:10:41.766
There's something called the great schism.
00:10:41.766 --> 00:10:43.401
Usually given the date 1054, it's just a convenient state.
00:10:43.401 --> 00:10:46.671
And what happens is there are two churches after that date.
00:10:46.671 --> 00:10:50.041
There's the orthodox church,
00:10:50.041 --> 00:10:51.642
That, you know, as a member, i believe it
00:10:51.642 --> 00:10:54.112
Originated in the apostles, as i've described.
00:10:54.112 --> 00:10:57.115
And then there's the roman catholic church.
00:10:57.115 --> 00:10:59.283
And then from the roman catholic church, 500 years
00:10:59.283 --> 00:11:01.919
Later
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Come the protestant churches
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Which break away in the reformation.
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From an orthodox point of view, the roman catholic church
00:11:06.023 --> 00:11:08.626
And the protestant churches are actually quite similar.
00:11:08.626 --> 00:11:11.129
You know, growing up in america,
00:11:11.129 --> 00:11:12.597
Orthodoxy is the best kept religious secret here.
00:11:12.597 --> 00:11:14.966
So we barely ever. i want to have you on the show.
00:11:14.966 --> 00:11:16.934
Exactly. yeah, because i know so little.
00:11:16.934 --> 00:11:18.636
Like i know everything about catholicism. sure.
00:11:18.636 --> 00:11:20.538
I mean, who
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Who warns about orthodoxy
00:11:21.305 --> 00:11:22.707
Growing up in america, it's either roman catholicism
00:11:22.707 --> 00:11:25.309
Or protestantism. those are the options.
00:11:25.309 --> 00:11:27.311
But from an orthodox point of view,
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They are actually quite two, two sides of the same coin.
00:11:28.846 --> 00:11:32.150
And so what we find to your point
00:11:32.150 --> 00:11:33.918
About our common beliefs in jesus, as they're articulate
00:11:33.918 --> 00:11:38.055
In the gospels, is that there's an emphasis in the west.
00:11:38.055 --> 00:11:42.693
If we if we talk about this as an east west difference,
00:11:42.693 --> 00:11:45.897
East being orthodox and west being roman catholic,
00:11:45.897 --> 00:11:48.900
Protestant, there's an emphasis in the west
00:11:48.900 --> 00:11:51.302
After the great schism that that that emphasizes
00:11:51.302 --> 00:11:55.072
Or over emphasizes from our point of view,
00:11:55.072 --> 00:11:57.475
The almost exclusive role played by jesus on the cross,
00:11:57.475 --> 00:12:00.878
That his crucifixion exclusively is the only thing
00:12:00.878 --> 00:12:04.682
That, that has any, real significance
00:12:04.682 --> 00:12:07.552
In the salvation of the human race and that,
00:12:07.552 --> 00:12:10.388
Furthermore, on the cross, jesus paid a penalty,
00:12:10.388 --> 00:12:14.025
To a, wrathful,
00:12:14.025 --> 00:12:17.361
Angry father, father and son, of course.
00:12:17.361 --> 00:12:19.931
And that that jesus was punished,
00:12:19.931 --> 00:12:23.568
In a way that, the father would, would otherwise
00:12:23.568 --> 00:12:27.305
Unleash upon the human race in his wrath against our sin.
00:12:27.305 --> 00:12:30.975
And we're all sinners, that's for sure.
00:12:30.975 --> 00:12:32.577
It's a substitution area. atonement. there you go.
00:12:32.577 --> 00:12:34.846
That's the key word. that's the key phrase that.
00:12:34.846 --> 00:12:36.814
That would be the work.
00:12:36.814 --> 00:12:38.082
Yeah. technical academic answer.
00:12:38.082 --> 00:12:40.084
That's right. very good.
00:12:40.084 --> 00:12:41.085
And so that's not
00:12:41.085 --> 00:12:42.520
Foreign to orthodoxy, but it's not the emphasis.
00:12:42.520 --> 00:12:45.356
And here we're talking
00:12:45.356 --> 00:12:46.490
About differences in emphasis rather than in content.
00:12:46.490 --> 00:12:49.293
So we believe in the substitutionary kind of role
00:12:49.293 --> 00:12:52.730
That jesus plays on the cross.
00:12:52.730 --> 00:12:54.465
But we don't look at it that way.
00:12:54.465 --> 00:12:56.467
And the the tragedy as we see it is the west, beginning
00:12:56.467 --> 00:13:00.438
With the roman catholic church in the middle, in
00:13:00.438 --> 00:13:02.306
What's called the middle ages.
00:13:02.306 --> 00:13:03.374
I don't use that term typically.
00:13:03.374 --> 00:13:05.276
And then later
00:13:05.276 --> 00:13:06.310
In the protestant reformation, that's carried on
00:13:06.310 --> 00:13:08.713
Largely under the influence of augustinian ism.
00:13:08.713 --> 00:13:11.549
But we don't probably want to get into his
00:13:11.549 --> 00:13:13.217
His anthropology,
00:13:13.217 --> 00:13:14.218
His understanding of what the human being is.
00:13:14.218 --> 00:13:15.753
But it was a very negative one, imputing, you know,
00:13:15.753 --> 00:13:19.023
Guilt to the whole human race for the fall of adam and eve.
00:13:19.023 --> 00:13:21.993
And then john calvin picked up on that and spoke
00:13:21.993 --> 00:13:24.629
About the total depravity of the human race.
00:13:24.629 --> 00:13:27.398
And so in the in light of jesus
00:13:27.398 --> 00:13:30.635
In the gospels,
00:13:31.002 --> 00:13:32.436
The total depravity of the human race, the, the,
00:13:32.436 --> 00:13:35.439
You know, the really wretched
00:13:35.439 --> 00:13:36.540
Condition of the human being in his sin,
00:13:36.540 --> 00:13:39.644
Is is taken back to the gospels
00:13:39.644 --> 00:13:42.013
And the role of jesus on the cross
00:13:42.013 --> 00:13:44.181
In, in early christianity for a thousand years
00:13:44.181 --> 00:13:47.184
Before the great schism
00:13:47.184 --> 00:13:48.519
And certainly still alive in orthodoxy today,
00:13:48.519 --> 00:13:51.322
There's much more of a balance there, emphasizing
00:13:51.322 --> 00:13:54.425
Not only the resurrection of jesus and his ascension
00:13:54.425 --> 00:13:57.495
Into heaven, where humanity is now on the throne of god.
00:13:57.495 --> 00:14:00.464
Yes, united to christ, but to the incarnation
00:14:00.464 --> 00:14:03.868
And the healing of the human being who's
00:14:03.868 --> 00:14:06.837
Whose sin is like a disease or a sickness
00:14:06.837 --> 00:14:09.340
That needs the healing of baptism
00:14:09.340 --> 00:14:11.008
And eucharistic communion, and a regular ascetic life
00:14:11.008 --> 00:14:14.111
Of of communion and love in the church.
00:14:14.111 --> 00:14:17.014
And so our view of christ in the gospels, then,
00:14:17.014 --> 00:14:20.584
Is a broad view that sees, you know, a whole picture
00:14:20.584 --> 00:14:24.655
Of the healing of the human race
00:14:24.655 --> 00:14:26.324
Through the person of jesus christ.
00:14:26.324 --> 00:14:30.294
I'm coming to you with an urgent message
00:14:31.162 --> 00:14:33.064
From our partners at the international fellowship
00:14:33.064 --> 00:14:35.099
Of christians and jews,
00:14:35.099 --> 00:14:36.467
Who are doing extraordinary work in israel right now.
00:14:36.467 --> 00:14:39.170
For now, the missiles have stopped
00:14:39.170 --> 00:14:40.771
With the current cease fire in israel,
00:14:40.771 --> 00:14:42.573
But the needs remain overwhelming.
00:14:42.573 --> 00:14:44.642
Entire neighborhoods in israel's
00:14:44.642 --> 00:14:46.043
Largest cities are devastated with unprecedented destruction.
00:14:46.043 --> 00:14:49.046
Thousands of civilians
00:14:49.046 --> 00:14:50.247
And families have been forced to flee
00:14:50.247 --> 00:14:51.749
Their homes, often with
00:14:51.749 --> 00:14:53.017
Little more than the clothes they're wearing.
00:14:53.017 --> 00:14:54.952
The lives of many of the elderly hang
00:14:54.952 --> 00:14:56.887
In the balance, like 90 year old zelda,
00:14:56.887 --> 00:14:58.956
Whose once peaceful home lies in ruins.
00:14:58.956 --> 00:15:01.325
But the fellowship is there,
00:15:01.325 --> 00:15:02.693
Offering critical aid to zelda and thousands like her.
00:15:02.693 --> 00:15:05.563
Right now,
00:15:05.563 --> 00:15:06.564
The fellowship continues with full operations
00:15:06.564 --> 00:15:08.065
On the ground,
00:15:08.065 --> 00:15:08.899
Working around the clock to provide
00:15:08.899 --> 00:15:10.301
Emergency food, shelter, and critical supplies
00:15:10.301 --> 00:15:12.503
To people in need.
00:15:12.503 --> 00:15:13.637
But they need your help to keep going.
00:15:13.637 --> 00:15:15.239
That's why i'm asking our tbn family
00:15:15.239 --> 00:15:17.174
To join with me in this critical hour by
00:15:17.174 --> 00:15:19.276
Going to ifc for an emergency gift of just $45
00:15:19.276 --> 00:15:23.314
Can help provide lifesaving food,
00:15:23.314 --> 00:15:25.082
Mobile bomb shelters, or urgently
00:15:25.082 --> 00:15:26.817
Needed supplies to someone in israel who's struggling.
00:15:26.817 --> 00:15:29.453
Any amount is needed and greatly appreciated by israel.
00:15:29.453 --> 00:15:32.256
It's critical
00:15:32.256 --> 00:15:33.290
That the support of the fellowship be supported,
00:15:33.290 --> 00:15:35.793
Especially now as israel works to restore dignity and safety
00:15:35.793 --> 00:15:39.697
To families who have endured so much.
00:15:39.697 --> 00:15:41.532
Let's come together and pray for the peace of jerusalem,
00:15:41.532 --> 00:15:44.168
And show god's love to his people
00:15:44.168 --> 00:15:45.870
In this unprecedented time of need.
00:15:45.870 --> 00:15:48.005
Every dollar matters, every moment counts.
00:15:48.005 --> 00:15:50.341
To give, visit ifc.org.
00:15:50.341 --> 00:15:52.209
Right now that's ifc walk.
00:15:52.209 --> 00:15:54.278
Please give whatever you can to support israel today.
00:15:54.278 --> 00:15:57.014
Don't wait.
00:15:57.014 --> 00:15:57.681
Your christian support in action
00:15:57.681 --> 00:16:00.010
Your christian support in action
00:16:00.010 --> 00:16:06.361
What is the,
00:16:06.694 --> 00:16:07.729
View of the afterlife in orthodoxy?
00:16:07.729 --> 00:16:11.533
So our view, is that it's not an afterlife.
00:16:11.533 --> 00:16:15.103
Strictly speaking, i've never thought
00:16:15.103 --> 00:16:16.838
That word really does honor to christianity.
00:16:16.838 --> 00:16:19.874
It's like we have life, and then we have an afterlife.
00:16:19.874 --> 00:16:23.144
You know, there are two lives now.
00:16:23.144 --> 00:16:24.446
We have one life, and it's in christ.
00:16:24.446 --> 00:16:26.448
Our life begins at baptism.
00:16:26.448 --> 00:16:29.384
We're all born blind, like that blind man.
00:16:29.384 --> 00:16:32.020
In the gospel of john, we're all born blind, as it were.
00:16:32.020 --> 00:16:35.890
And we need to be illumined and filled with the presence
00:16:35.890 --> 00:16:38.026
Of christ in our lives by the holy spirit.
00:16:38.026 --> 00:16:40.295
So from baptism, that's what brings that illumination.
00:16:40.295 --> 00:16:43.898
From baptism forward, we enter into a life
00:16:43.898 --> 00:16:46.601
That will continue beyond this world.
00:16:46.601 --> 00:16:48.670
You do infant baptism?
00:16:48.670 --> 00:16:50.038
Yes. yes we do. yeah. always have.
00:16:50.038 --> 00:16:52.140
So does the orthodox or orthodox church believe that
00:16:52.140 --> 00:16:55.176
If, let's say in
00:16:55.176 --> 00:16:57.212
How was the average age of infant, that baptism, 40 days,
00:16:57.212 --> 00:17:00.415
Okay after birth, are they saved upon infant baptism?
00:17:00.415 --> 00:17:04.018
So the question of, salvation is is different for orthodox,
00:17:04.018 --> 00:17:08.389
And it is for a lot of protestants.
00:17:08.389 --> 00:17:09.958
So for us, salvation is most often spoken of as,
00:17:09.958 --> 00:17:13.394
As fayose's, a greek word which usually is
00:17:13.394 --> 00:17:16.197
Translated as deification or or divination.
00:17:16.197 --> 00:17:21.436
We believe that the incarnation.
00:17:21.436 --> 00:17:23.371
We're going back to what you asked earlier
00:17:23.371 --> 00:17:24.906
About our understanding of the gospels and christ
00:17:24.906 --> 00:17:28.176
Going back to that, the incarnation,
00:17:28.176 --> 00:17:31.012
Enables us to participate immediately
00:17:31.012 --> 00:17:34.516
In the life of god
00:17:34.516 --> 00:17:36.184
That his divinity which is above
00:17:36.184 --> 00:17:38.119
Us, transcendent, beyond this cosmos, this world,
00:17:38.119 --> 00:17:41.089
And inaccessible to us by itself, becomes available
00:17:41.089 --> 00:17:45.193
To us and offered to us through jesus christ, his son,
00:17:45.193 --> 00:17:49.063
Into whom we are baptized as a body
00:17:49.063 --> 00:17:51.533
And filled by his holy spirit, we call that presumption.
00:17:51.533 --> 00:17:54.469
West calls it confirmation.
00:17:54.469 --> 00:17:56.738
Our our infants are given that immediately,
00:17:56.738 --> 00:17:58.773
And they receive eucharistic communion.
00:17:58.773 --> 00:18:00.842
At the moment they're baptized.
00:18:00.842 --> 00:18:02.076
They don't have to wait until they're older.
00:18:02.076 --> 00:18:04.445
Age of discretion.
00:18:04.445 --> 00:18:05.747
We are saved in a sense, but we're still being saved.
00:18:05.747 --> 00:18:09.517
We have to live out our faith in cooperation with god.
00:18:09.517 --> 00:18:13.555
Person say confidently, i am going to heaven
00:18:13.555 --> 00:18:16.958
When talking about themselves.
00:18:17.559 --> 00:18:20.061
I think so, i think so, if it's understood as
00:18:20.061 --> 00:18:23.064
By god's grace and through my so for you.
00:18:23.064 --> 00:18:25.833
Repent, leave. you're going to heaven.
00:18:25.833 --> 00:18:27.902
I believe i'm going to heaven if i live out the faith
00:18:27.902 --> 00:18:30.471
That's been given to me as a as a christian.
00:18:30.471 --> 00:18:33.474
And if i if i'm, if i'm faithful to christ.
00:18:33.474 --> 00:18:36.811
And that depends on repentance.
00:18:36.811 --> 00:18:38.313
Like that's the center of the whole orthodox
00:18:38.313 --> 00:18:40.014
Way of life, repentance, repentance.
00:18:40.014 --> 00:18:41.950
So tell me more.
00:18:41.950 --> 00:18:42.650
That's a that is a
00:18:42.650 --> 00:18:44.852
That is an awesome concept that is lost on the west.
00:18:44.852 --> 00:18:47.889
Yeah. yeah, i think it has been.
00:18:47.889 --> 00:18:49.357
So i love that.
00:18:49.357 --> 00:18:50.225
So tell me why that is a centerpiece.
00:18:50.225 --> 00:18:53.328
And how does that work out practically.
00:18:53.328 --> 00:18:54.996
Yeah. yeah.
00:18:54.996 --> 00:18:56.164
Repentance.
00:18:56.164 --> 00:18:56.898
In the greek it's metanoia.
00:18:56.898 --> 00:18:59.867
Metanoia it means a change of heart.
00:18:59.867 --> 00:19:02.203
So the classic biblical example of this is the prodigal son.
00:19:02.203 --> 00:19:06.074
Okay. the prodigal son.
00:19:06.074 --> 00:19:07.375
And he takes he basically sins against his father, splits,
00:19:07.375 --> 00:19:11.079
Winds up with prostitutes, hungry
00:19:11.079 --> 00:19:13.715
And broken, and he resolves to return to the father.
00:19:13.715 --> 00:19:16.951
And that's a change of heart.
00:19:16.951 --> 00:19:18.620
And so what he does is he goes back to the father.
00:19:18.620 --> 00:19:21.122
This is a paraphrase of the gospel account,
00:19:21.122 --> 00:19:23.725
And you probably know the story. it's so beautiful.
00:19:23.725 --> 00:19:25.360
He drops everything and literally runs
00:19:25.360 --> 00:19:27.028
To anna with his robe on. yeah. isn't that beautiful?
00:19:27.028 --> 00:19:29.264
Ring on the finger?
00:19:29.264 --> 00:19:30.298
Fatted calf danced as if he never left. yep.
00:19:30.298 --> 00:19:33.701
That's that's the orthodox vision of repentance is we
00:19:33.701 --> 00:19:37.705
Reject the sin that inevitably comes overcomes us.
00:19:37.705 --> 00:19:41.442
The passions, the sinful passions.
00:19:41.442 --> 00:19:43.745
We realize that they're they're not leading to life,
00:19:43.745 --> 00:19:46.281
They're leading to death.
00:19:46.281 --> 00:19:47.282
And we reject them and return to the father.
00:19:47.282 --> 00:19:50.084
And he rushes to give us his kingdom. yes.
00:19:50.084 --> 00:19:52.620
And he forgives.
00:19:52.620 --> 00:19:54.188
But then it means a life of continuous in introspect
00:19:54.188 --> 00:19:58.626
Of looking at why i'm a sinner in the orthodox church.
00:19:58.626 --> 00:20:01.663
Again, i just want to go through the quick ones.
00:20:01.663 --> 00:20:02.997
Is it firm in teaching against homosexuality? yes.
00:20:02.997 --> 00:20:06.234
Against abortion? yes.
00:20:06.234 --> 00:20:08.469
How about drinking alcohol?
00:20:08.469 --> 00:20:11.372
So, there is no, teetotaler, tradition or element
00:20:11.372 --> 00:20:15.576
In orthodoxy.
00:20:15.576 --> 00:20:16.544
The ancient church used wine, fermented
00:20:16.544 --> 00:20:20.415
Grape juice, wine with alcohol content to it.
00:20:20.415 --> 00:20:24.018
From the beginning.
00:20:24.018 --> 00:20:24.752
Jesus is clearly drinking that,
00:20:24.752 --> 00:20:26.754
One of the psalms says wine gladdens the heart of men.
00:20:26.754 --> 00:20:29.557
I mean, it's right there in the scriptures.
00:20:29.557 --> 00:20:31.426
But the abuse of this, like anything,
00:20:31.426 --> 00:20:33.861
Of course, any, any part of god's creation,
00:20:33.861 --> 00:20:35.763
More warnings about drunkenness.
00:20:35.763 --> 00:20:37.565
And, you know, a man who drinks forgets the law. exactly.
00:20:37.565 --> 00:20:40.168
And so drunkenness
00:20:40.168 --> 00:20:41.069
Is always going to be a temptation
00:20:41.069 --> 00:20:43.571
If one is, disposed toward that.
00:20:43.571 --> 00:20:46.641
But, so it's considered a sin that needs repentance.
00:20:46.641 --> 00:20:49.544
But we do not ban alcohol.
00:20:49.544 --> 00:20:51.245
Now, here is a big question, and i don't want to get too
00:20:51.245 --> 00:20:54.148
Wrapped up on this.
00:20:54.148 --> 00:20:55.249
Do you in the orthodox church believe in original sin?
00:20:55.249 --> 00:20:58.386
Not as it's often taught and
00:20:58.986 --> 00:21:00.855
Understand it stood in the west.
00:21:00.855 --> 00:21:02.256
That's another interesting distinction.
00:21:02.256 --> 00:21:04.759
We do believe that there was an original sin.
00:21:04.759 --> 00:21:07.362
Adam and eve, obviously eve first,
00:21:07.362 --> 00:21:09.063
And then adam ate that fruit of the tree,
00:21:09.063 --> 00:21:11.165
Which, by the way, was a it was a refusal to fast.
00:21:11.165 --> 00:21:14.402
God said, don't young, eat, eat everything.
00:21:14.402 --> 00:21:16.871
I've got everything for you. not that, not that.
00:21:16.871 --> 00:21:18.973
No, i'm going to have that.
00:21:18.973 --> 00:21:20.208
Thank you very much.
00:21:20.208 --> 00:21:21.309
And so we believe that the human being baptized into
00:21:21.309 --> 00:21:24.045
Christ has to live out his salvation.
00:21:24.045 --> 00:21:27.215
And that is a that is part of it.
00:21:27.215 --> 00:21:28.883
Let's close with this.
00:21:28.883 --> 00:21:29.951
And then i want you to be able bring up anything
00:21:29.951 --> 00:21:31.886
That else is on your mind.
00:21:31.886 --> 00:21:32.787
You see, your church is growing.
00:21:32.787 --> 00:21:34.322
Is the orthodox church growing in america?
00:21:34.322 --> 00:21:36.491
And tell us more about that.
00:21:36.491 --> 00:21:38.326
Yeah. it's amazing.
00:21:38.326 --> 00:21:39.093
It really is in our time.
00:21:39.093 --> 00:21:41.129
I think today, and it's
00:21:41.129 --> 00:21:42.864
Growing, especially among young people.
00:21:42.864 --> 00:21:44.599
Young adults are just flooding in.
00:21:44.599 --> 00:21:46.768
Both young men and women are primarily young men.
00:21:46.768 --> 00:21:49.036
Primarily young men, in my experience.
00:21:49.036 --> 00:21:51.038
And i've heard this from other orthodox
00:21:51.038 --> 00:21:52.373
Pastors, it's across the board.
00:21:52.373 --> 00:21:53.875
Everyone, every orthodox pastor i talked to and not just in
00:21:53.875 --> 00:21:56.878
Washington state, but i'm going to hear plenty about it.
00:21:56.878 --> 00:22:00.148
And we're right now meeting down the street at,
00:22:00.148 --> 00:22:03.418
What's called
00:22:03.418 --> 00:22:04.485
The all american council, where bishop, bishops
00:22:04.485 --> 00:22:05.887
And priests come together and talk about church life.
00:22:05.887 --> 00:22:08.022
And we're all talking about this now.
00:22:08.022 --> 00:22:10.091
People are flooding into the orthodox church today
00:22:10.091 --> 00:22:12.293
Because they're seeking authentic spiritual life,
00:22:12.293 --> 00:22:15.363
Something that
00:22:15.363 --> 00:22:16.431
Ground their lives in, and a lot of people realize
00:22:16.431 --> 00:22:20.034
They're not going to find salvation and stability
00:22:20.034 --> 00:22:22.870
And anchor their lives and neo paganism
00:22:22.870 --> 00:22:26.541
Or any of these, progressive ideologies
00:22:26.541 --> 00:22:29.410
Or any ideology at all.
00:22:29.911 --> 00:22:31.679
If an ideology is something made by men to create
00:22:31.679 --> 00:22:34.749
A sense of purpose in life, it's only going to be found
00:22:34.749 --> 00:22:37.852
In christianity, in christ and orthodox christianity.
00:22:37.852 --> 00:22:41.522
You know,
00:22:41.522 --> 00:22:42.423
I hope i've been able to describe this
00:22:42.423 --> 00:22:43.524
A little bit, done a wonderful job,
00:22:43.524 --> 00:22:45.026
You know, really stands for an unchangeable tradition
00:22:45.026 --> 00:22:47.862
That that that can be traced
00:22:47.862 --> 00:22:49.730
And documented all the way back to the apostles themselves.
00:22:49.730 --> 00:22:52.934
Last question.
00:22:52.934 --> 00:22:54.469
What about orthodoxy that we did not cover?
00:22:54.469 --> 00:22:58.072
Do you wish people knew about that?
00:22:58.072 --> 00:23:01.542
You feel compelled to share?
00:23:01.542 --> 00:23:04.545
Best kept religious secret in america?
00:23:05.379 --> 00:23:07.181
I, i the one thing i love to share is just,
00:23:07.181 --> 00:23:09.650
To, to, a wonderful nation
00:23:09.650 --> 00:23:12.386
And a wonderful community of people that that there's
00:23:12.386 --> 00:23:14.956
Something really beautiful there.
00:23:14.956 --> 00:23:16.491
And, protestantism and roman catholicism are beautiful, too.
00:23:16.491 --> 00:23:20.094
Thank you so much, father, for your time,
00:23:20.094 --> 00:23:22.129
And i hope to visit your church sometime soon.
00:23:22.129 --> 00:23:24.131
You bet. charlie, come anytime. god bless you. god bless you.
00:23:24.131 --> 00:23:26.567
Thank you.
00:23:26.567 --> 00:23:27.735
Thank you everybody and please subscribe to the channel.
00:23:27.735 --> 00:23:29.537
Talk to you soon.
00:23:29.537 --> 00:23:31.973
Every day brings a new headline
00:23:31.973 --> 00:23:34.075
Questioning israel's right to defend herself.
00:23:34.075 --> 00:23:36.544
But behind the politics is simple truth.
00:23:36.544 --> 00:23:38.479
Israel security
00:23:38.479 --> 00:23:39.680
Is possibly the most complex anywhere in the world.
00:23:39.680 --> 00:23:42.216
On october 7th,
00:23:42.216 --> 00:23:43.384
We saw just how much depends on the brave men and women
00:23:43.384 --> 00:23:45.953
Who are ready to act when every second counts.
00:23:45.953 --> 00:23:48.523
Israel's first responders are the heroes
00:23:48.523 --> 00:23:50.825
Who run towards danger, not away from it.
00:23:50.825 --> 00:23:53.227
And even now, nearly two years later,
00:23:53.227 --> 00:23:55.029
Israel is still under fire daily
00:23:55.029 --> 00:23:56.764
With rocket attacks, border threats and acts of terror.
00:23:56.764 --> 00:23:59.300
These frontline defenders
00:23:59.300 --> 00:24:00.401
Need our help through
00:24:00.401 --> 00:24:01.536
The international fellowship for christians and jews.
00:24:01.536 --> 00:24:04.071
You can provide lifesaving emergency gear
00:24:04.071 --> 00:24:06.007
That helps you keep them ready and protected.
00:24:06.007 --> 00:24:08.342
Armored security vehicles, trauma kits.
00:24:08.342 --> 00:24:10.378
Mobile bomb shelters. flak jackets.
00:24:10.378 --> 00:24:12.213
Your support delivers
00:24:12.213 --> 00:24:13.114
To help directly where it's needed most.
00:24:13.114 --> 00:24:14.782
I fully support the fellowship.
00:24:14.782 --> 00:24:16.284
It's one of a kind ministry that has my full support.
00:24:16.284 --> 00:24:18.719
Go to ifk jorg right now and stand with israel's heroes
00:24:18.719 --> 00:24:22.256
While they stand in the line of fire.
00:24:22.256 --> 00:24:22.256

Charlie Kirk: July 22, 2025 | Charlie Kirk Today

July 22, 2025 | 26:2

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