Episodes

  • Ep. 415 - Leaving Evangelicalism for the Ancient Church, with Fr. David Hovik

    Ep. 415 - Leaving Evangelicalism for the Ancient Church, with Fr. David Hovik
    May 26 2026
    What happens when an Evangelical pastor begins seriously studying the early Church — and realizes modern Christianity looks very different from ancient Christianity?

    In this episode, I chat with Father David Hovik to discuss his remarkable journey from Evangelical ministry into the Orthodox Church, and how that journey ultimately brought much of his congregation with him. This story is truly captivating.

    We talk about the spiritual hunger that exists beneath modern life, the limits of contemporary Christianity, and why more people are searching for something ancient, rooted, and sacramental.

    Fr. David reflects on the risks, resistance, and transformation that came with leaving behind familiar forms of Christianity in pursuit of what he became convinced was the historic Church founded by Christ and preserved through the centuries.

    This conversation explores:

    - Fr. David's path from Evangelical pastor to Orthodox priest
    - The role of Church history in his conversion
    - Why modern Christianity can feel spiritually fragmented
    - The difference between "personal faith" and historic Christianity
    - Liturgy, sacraments, and the ancient Christian worldview
    - Bringing an entire congregation into Orthodoxy
    - Spiritual formation in a distracted modern age
    - Why people are increasingly drawn to the ancient faith

    Fr. David brings a calm, pastoral, and deeply grounded perspective to questions many modern Christians are quietly wrestling with. FOLLOW FR. DAVID / ST. ANDREW ORTHODOX CHURCH:
    St. Andrew Orthodox Church

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    1 hr and 9 mins
  • Ep. 414 - Orthodox Nationalism and the Israel Question, with Benjamin Michael

    Ep. 414 - Orthodox Nationalism and the Israel Question, with Benjamin Michael
    May 19 2026

    Host of "American Orthodoxy" a live Orthodox news show, Benjamin Michael (formerly Orthodox Luigi) is a prior Marine Corps Officer and now Orthodox Christian apologist and Independent Journalist.

    He engages in public debates, and creates educational content on Orthodox theology and various topics related to politics and religion, while also conducting advocacy work in Washington, D.C.

    He is the Director of Public Affairs, Co-Founder, and Chair of Orthodox Worldwide, INC. He also serves as Secretary of the Society of St. John of San Francisco, a nationwide pan-Orthodox fraternity.

    IN THIS EPISODE:

    * Benjamin Michael's journey into Orthodoxy
    * Why he began speaking publicly about Israel and geopolitics
    * What people mean by "the Jewish Question"
    * Orthodox perspectives on nationalism and identity
    * The modern Right and its internal fractures
    * Boomers, Gen X, and the changing political landscape
    * Zionism, empire, and modern power structures
    * The Russian Revolution and ideological upheaval
    * Marxism, globalism, and spiritual dislocation
    * The Third Temple and modern prophetic movements
    * Why many people feel politically betrayed
    * The difference between Orthodox nationalism and secular nationalism

    For Ben's show: https://youtube.com/@realbenmichael
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    1 hr and 5 mins
  • Ep. 413 - Journey to Reality: Sacramental Christianity in a Secular Age, with Dr. Zachary Porcu

    Ep. 413 - Journey to Reality: Sacramental Christianity in a Secular Age, with Dr. Zachary Porcu
    May 12 2026
    What if the biggest obstacle to understanding Christianity is not disbelief—but modernity itself? In this episode, Buck chats with Dr. Zachary Porcu to discuss sacramental Christianity, the modern secular mindset, and why so many people today—even Christians—struggle to see reality the way the ancient Church did. They explore the difference between treating Christianity as a system of ideas versus participating in it as a lived reality. The conversation dives into the nature of truth, the problem of interpretation, the meaning of the Trinity, the Fall of man, suffering, evil, and why the sacramental worldview of historic Christianity feels so foreign to the modern mind. They also discuss the necessity of the Church, the priesthood, the sacraments, and why Christianity cannot be reduced to either "just me and my Bible" or vague spirituality detached from embodied worship and communion. IN THIS EPISODE * Why modern people misunderstand Christianity * The difference between text-based and sacramental Christianity * The meaning of "participatory" truth * The Trinity and the problem of "the one and the many" * Why modern culture struggles to understand love * The deeper meaning of the Fall * The origins of evil and suffering * Problems with modern Christian views of suffering * The necessity of the Church and priesthood * Why sacraments are more than symbols * Where the Bible fits within the life of the Church * Recovering a sacramental view of reality ABOUT DR. ZACHARY PORCU Zachary Porcu is the author of Journey to Reality and the host of the podcast The Roots of Everything. Zachary earned his PhD in Church History at The Catholic University of America under the direction of Robin Darling Young. He holds additional degrees in Philosophy, Classics, and Interdisciplinary Humanities and has taught Greek, Latin, history, philosophy, and theology at private schools and universities on both the East and West coasts. Zachary is a catechist at St. Andrew's Orthodox Church, an editor at St. Vladimir's Seminary Press, and a lecturer at St. Athanasius College. LINKS Journey to Reality by Dr. Zachary Porcu Ancient Faith Publishing

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    1 hr and 14 mins
  • Ep. 412 - If a Nation Loses Truth, What Is Left to Die For? with James Webb

    Ep. 412 - If a Nation Loses Truth, What Is Left to Die For? with James Webb
    May 5 2026

    In this episode, James Webb and I discuss the lessons America failed to carry forward from past wars, and why institutional memory seems to fade so quickly.
    We get into the current geopolitical landscape, including Israel, Iran, and the risks of escalation—and what's often left out of mainstream narratives.

    Jim breaks down how war is actually decided at the highest levels, and why the gap between leadership and the average citizen continues to widen.

    We also explore the role of moral language in war—how concepts like "good" and "evil" are used, and sometimes misused, in shaping public support.

    From there, the conversation turns deeper: the spiritual and psychological cost of war, what it does to the people who fight it, and whether modern society has any real framework for dealing with that kind of weight.

    Finally, we ask the question at the center of it all:

    If a nation loses its relationship to truth—what is left to die for?

    ABOUT THE GUEST

    James (Jim) Webb is a third-generation Marine who, following his service, has worked in policy, politics, and journalism. In 2005, he dropped out of college to enlist in the Marine Corps Infantry and fought in the Battle of Ramadi from 2006–2007.

    After completing his degree, Jim worked on Capitol Hill for U.S. Senator Rand Paul, where he served on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He later worked at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft and as a Senior Policy Advisor for presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

    Jim has also worked as a journalist for multiple outlets, including embedding with U.S. troops across Afghanistan.

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    1 hr
  • Ep. 411 - The Self-Help Trap: Therapy, the Passions, and the War for the Soul, with Fr. Turbo Qualls

    Ep. 411 - The Self-Help Trap: Therapy, the Passions, and the War for the Soul, with Fr. Turbo Qualls
    Apr 28 2026
    We're living in a moment where everyone is "doing the work"—therapy, healing, boundaries, trauma language—and yet people seem more anxious, unstable, and internally fragmented than ever. In this episode, Fr. Turbo Qualls joins me to challenge the assumptions behind modern mental health culture and to ask a deeper question: are we misdiagnosing spiritual problems as psychological ones? We get into the difference between trauma and the passions, where therapy can be helpful—and where it quietly falls short—and how certain modern practices can drift into spiritually dangerous territory when they're detached from the life of the Church. We also discuss why the Orthodox tradition emphasizes repentance over self-focus, how confession differs from therapy, and what real healing actually looks like—not as self-optimization, but as transformation. If you've ever felt like you're doing everything right but still feel stuck, this conversation goes beneath the surface. OINTMENT is a conference and movement centered on healing the soul through the life of the Church. At a time when "healing" is often reduced to self-focus and psychological frameworks, OINTMENT aims to reorient people toward repentance, ascetic struggle, and communion with God as the true path to restoration. The conference brings together Orthodox clergy, teachers, and speakers to address topics like spiritual illness, the passions, modern therapy culture, and what it means to actually be healed—not just feel better. It's designed for people who sense that something is missing in the modern conversation around mental health and are looking for something deeper, more grounded, and ultimately more transformative. Learn more: www.ointmentconference.org Fr. Turbo Qualls / OINTMENT www.ointmentconference.org For more from Father Turbo go here:

    Synaxis of Sophia

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    1 hr and 7 mins
  • Ep. 410 - War, Truth, and the Battle You Can't See, with Darryl Cooper

    Ep. 410 - War, Truth, and the Battle You Can't See, with Darryl Cooper
    Apr 21 2026
    In this episode, I talk with Darryl Cooper, host of the Martyr Made Podcast, and cohost of the Provoked Podcast (with Scott Horton as well) to talk about war, power, and the unseen forces shaping both. With a background as a Navy Aegis technician and a decade as a DOD engineer, Darryl brings a unique perspective on leadership, influence, and the gap between narrative and reality. We get into his evolving views on political power, the danger of losing moral clarity in the pursuit of "understanding," and why history is often more complicated—and more uncomfortable—than people want to admit. We also talk about something deeper: spiritual warfare. Darryl shares how his conversion to Orthodox Christianity changed the way he sees the world—not just politically or historically, but spiritually. Because at a certain point, you realize this isn't just about what's happening out there. There's a battle happening beneath it all. About Darryl Cooper Darryl Cooper is the host of the Martyr Made Podcast, and cohost of the Provoked Podcast. His MartyrMade show is known for long-form, narrative-driven explorations of history and culture. He previously served 10 years in the U.S. Navy as an Aegis fire control technician and spent another decade as a Department of Defense engineer. His work focuses on understanding the deeper forces—historical, cultural, and spiritual—that shape the world around us. For more from Darryl, go here: Martyr Made Podcast https://martyrmade.com Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-martyrmade-podcast/id978322714 Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/2c8v0K3T8XxZpK0s8AjtKf X https://x.com/martyrmade YouTube https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=martyr+made+podcast Provoked with Scott Horton and Darryl Cooper Official site https://provoked.show
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    1 hr and 24 mins
  • Ep. 409 - (FIXED) Dying to the World in an Age of Distraction, with Fr. John Valadez

    Ep. 409 - (FIXED) Dying to the World in an Age of Distraction, with Fr. John Valadez
    Apr 15 2026
    In this episode, I chat with Fr. John Valadez—Orthodox priest and the man behind Death to the World—to talk about what it actually means to die to the world in a culture that's built to keep you comfortable, entertained, and constantly distracted. We get into why modern life makes it almost impossible to be still, why silence feels threatening to people, and how we've replaced transformation with validation without even realizing it. But the conversation really centers around what he's building right now— A retreat center. A real place. On real land. Set apart. A place where you step out of the noise, put the phone down, and actually have to face yourself… and God. We talk about why that kind of place is necessary right now, what happens to a person when the distractions are stripped away, and why most people have never actually experienced silence long enough for anything real to happen. It's about building something real in a world that isn't. And what it actually costs to live a serious spiritual life. For more on Fr John, go here: https://www.sttimothy.net/ And for Death to the World, go here: https://deathtotheworld.com/ For more information on the retreat center, go here: https://youtu.be/lJejv9xL5hU?feature=shared And here: https://www.meetingofthelord.com/

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    1 hr and 2 mins
  • Ep. 408 - The Gut and the Soul: Health, Habit, and the Passions, with Dr. Mark Faries

    Ep. 408 - The Gut and the Soul: Health, Habit, and the Passions, with Dr. Mark Faries
    Apr 7 2026

    In this episode, Buck sits down with Dr. Mark Faries, professor at Texas A&M and researcher in behavior change, to explore one of the most frustrating realities of modern life:

    Why do we know what's healthy… and still fail to do it?

    Dr. Faries breaks down the science behind human behavior—why people change, why they don't, and why most attempts at improving health fall apart over time. The conversation moves beyond surface-level advice and into the deeper issue of self-regulation failure—the internal battle between what we know and what we actually do.

    But this isn't just a conversation about health science.

    Drawing from his own journey into Orthodoxy, Dr. Faries connects modern research with the wisdom of the Church Fathers, showing how ancient teachings on the passions—especially gluttony—line up strikingly well with what we now understand about behavior, habit formation, and even gut health.

    From more from Dr Mark, go here: http://markfaries.com/

    Orthodox Youth and young adult Ministries - Removing the Veil

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    1 hr and 4 mins