In this deeply pastoral and wide-ranging conversation, Buck chats with Metropolitan Jonah to discuss the surge of interest in Orthodox Christianity, the spiritual formation of newcomers, and the timeless wisdom the Church offers to a restless modern world. From the inner life of the believer to practical struggles facing parishes today, this episode provides both clarity and compassion for anyone seeking to understand Orthodoxy more deeply — or walk it more faithfully.

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Protodeacon Patrick Mitchell returns to the show to discuss his new book, Christ as Truth and Truth as Christ. In this conversation, we explore what it truly means that Christ is Truth—not as a concept, not as a feeling, but as a living Person. Protodeacon Patrick helps us unpack the difference between objective truth and the modern world's obsession with "personal truth," showing how our understanding of Truth shapes everything from our love for others to our view of the world.

We then examine the five great enemies of Truth: Gnosticism, Romanticism, Anarchism, Nihilism, and Tribalism, each of which distorts the human mind and heart in its own way. Along the way, we discuss the God of Israel and the temptation to make the self the measure of all things.

This is a deep-dive into how Truth, rightly understood, leads us not into ideology or isolation, but into the life of Christ Himself.

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In this episode, I'm joined again by Mano Elia for a wide-ranging conversation on discernment, community, and the spiritual struggle of our time.

We're not in an age where truth is hidden anymore; everything, from truth to lies, is out in the open. The real challenge is no longer finding information, but seeing clearly through it. What we face now isn't a war of disinformation; it's a war of discernment.

Mano and I zoom out from the noise of world events to explore the deeper physical, mental, and spiritual dimensions of our modern crisis. We discuss how evil reveals itself openly in today's culture, how digital life isolates us, and why the ultimate answer isn't political power or conspiracy-chasing, but a return to Christ, creativity, and tangible community.

The conversation also challenges common misunderstandings about the so-called "black pill" mindset. While many look for salvation in politics or cultural battles, Mano and I argue that the only true white pill is Christ Himself.

For more of Mano's content, go here: https://www.skool.com/the-bored-no-more-network-8401

...and here: https://borednomore.net

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