Orthodox Church Pews Are Overflowing With Converts

[Coventina]

Something is changing in an otherwise quiet corner of Christianity in the United States, one that prides itself on how little it has changed over time. Priests are swapping stories about record attendance numbers. Older members are adjusting — or not — to the influx of new attendees. Parishes are strategizing about how to accommodate more prospective converts than existing clergy can reasonably handle on their own.

Across the country, the ancient tradition of Orthodox Christianity is attracting energetic new adherents, especially among conservative young men. They are drawn to what they describe as a more demanding, even difficult, practice of Christianity. Echoing some of the rhetoric of the so-called manosphere, new waves of young converts say Orthodoxy offers them hard truths and affirms their masculinity.

***snip***

But a homegrown Orthodox Christianity is strikingly emergent. Many of the young Americans new to the pews have been introduced to Orthodoxy by hard-edge influencers on YouTube and other social media platforms. Critics call the enthusiastic young converts “Orthobros.”

One night this summer, the young adults of All Saints Orthodox Church in Raleigh, N.C., gathered at a bookshop and bar on the city’s north side. At the event’s peak, there were a mere handful of women present, and more than 40 men. The men noticed, and believed they knew why.

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/19/us/orthodox-christianity.html?

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Orthobros.

I'm rolling my eyes so hard, they might fall out.

PS: I would bet my bottom dollar the promoters of this have Putin backing them....

[dalton99a]

1. Kick

Russian Orthodox priests blessing weapons:

[drmeow]

2. Backlash against women and LGBTQ

coming closer to being full citizens and having full rights results in more right wing boys joining extremist churches - color me surprised!

[obamanut2012]

3. And the liberal young women are coming to us in the Episcopal Church

As well as young families. At least our diocese. But these articles never mention that.

[Initech]

4. George Costanza was ahead of his time!

[NotHardly]

5. Boys flocking to white nationalism...color me surprised.

Religion is all about controlling, segregation by 'faiths', and subjugation of women. No wonder the boys love it.

[maxrandb]

6. I am Greek Orthodox, and I am offended by these posts

I am neither a "white supremacist", nor an orthobro, nor anyone else you so easily besmirch with stupid bigotry.

BTW - the Russian Orthodox Church is NOT the Orthodox church. In fact, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church has been vigorously condemned by every other Orthodox church, and the Echumenical Patriarch has condemned them.

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew Blasts Russia Church's 'Pan-Slavism' - GreekReporter.com https://share.google/gam2b57pAerMYyP4d

My church and my faith teach none of this stuff being talked about on these posts. It is antithetical to all we hold dear and believe.

Yes, it is true that there are a lot of young men converting. I have seen it in my own church.

There is a crisis among young men today. In my faith, we preach and revere the "red words" in the New Testament, not some bastardized interpretation of what Christ meant when he said; "love thy neighbor as yourself".

But I also assure you that there is nothing to fear here.

If any of those converts thought they were joining some "white, male superiority cult"...well...I will just arrange for them to work a day in the kitchen for our Greek Women's Philoptochos Bake Sale.

They'll get a lesson in male "superiority" they won't soon forget.

[Coventina]

7. I appreciate your educating me (and others) about this.

And for that reason, I won't delete the post, because if I did, people would stop reading the thread, including your reply.

I did not know that the Russian Orthodox Church was not part of the other Orthodox churches.

I want to learn more about this subject, because clearly I am ignorant.

I had thought that all Orthodox churches were the Greek Orthodox Church (or at least were connected to them in some way).

Can you point me to resources you recommend for me to educate myself?

Sincerely,

Coventina

[maxrandb]

8. Thanks

You could start with the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America for a good introduction and overview.

www.goarch.org

I use a PDF version of the Greek Orthodox Study Bible. It offers a lot of interpretation of scripture as Orthodox Christianity believe.

The faith goes back to the time of the Apostles. There was a schism with the church in Rome that separated it away from the Pope.

Yes, there is a Patriarch at the Greek Church in Constantinople (Istanbul) who serves as the spiritual leader, but without the power of the pope. Roman Catholics believe the pope has divine, universal control over the church. Orthodox call the Patriarch the "first among equals".

While it is true that Greek was the predominant orthodox church, Eastern Orthodox is comprised of churches around the world, Romanian, Egyptian, Orthodox Church of America, Ukraine, Romania, Greece, Belarus, Serbia, Bulgaria, Georgia, Moldova, North Macedonia, Cyprus, and Montenegro, etc.

We...at least I...try to follow the teachings of Christ, but it is also like any religion, sometimes, you have good, compassionate understanding priests, sometimes you don't.