A quiet but powerful shift is sweeping through American Christianity. Young men, disillusioned by what they perceive as the “feminization” of mainstream Protestant churches, are flocking to one of the oldest forms of the faith: Orthodox Christianity.
Driven by a desire for stability, tradition, and a faith that demands discipline, these men are abandoning guitars, TED Talk-style sermons, and rainbow flags for incense, ancient chants, and rigid fasting. For many, the appeal is clear—Orthodoxy offers something modern churches don’t: an unchanging connection to a 2,000-year-old past.
“I Needed Something Unchanging”
For Ben Christenson, 27, the decision to leave his Anglican roots behind was a long time coming. Raised in Fairfax, Virginia, Christenson grew up attending church every Sunday, singing in a robed choir, and following the predictable rhythms of religious life. But by his mid-20s, he began to feel like his church was losing its identity.
“The hard thing about growing up in my church is that there was a lot of change, even in my lifetime,” he said. “The choir was replaced with a worship band, and long-held stances on things like female ordination and LGBT issues were shifting. It made me question if anything was really sacred.”
In 2022, Christenson converted to Orthodoxy. Today, he worships at Saint Mary’s Orthodox Church in Falls Church, Virginia. Gone are the praise bands and PowerPoint sermons. In their place are regimented liturgies, confession, and rigorous fasting that can stretch over 40 days.
“There’s comfort in knowing it’s not going to change,” he explained. “It’s the same faith that’s been practiced for centuries, and that kind of stability is rare today.”
“A Call to Adventure”
Christenson isn’t alone. A recent survey of Orthodox parishes across the U.S. found a 78% increase in converts between 2019 and 2022. Historically, men and women converted in equal numbers, but since 2020, the majority of new converts have been young men.
Father Josiah Trenham, who has led Saint Andrew’s Orthodox Church in Riverside, California, for nearly three decades, says the influx has been dramatic.
“The last four to five years have seen a massive uptick,” he said. “And it’s mostly young men. They’re coming in droves.”
Trenham believes part of Orthodoxy’s appeal lies in its discipline. “Orthodoxy is a call to adventure,” said Dr. Zachary Porcu, a theology professor and catechist at Trenham’s church. “It asks you to fast, to pray, to physically and spiritually challenge yourself. That’s very appealing to young men who are looking for something demanding, something real.”
Porcu, who converted at 24, noted that many young men discover Orthodoxy online, often through heated theological debates. “Internet Orthodoxy is a real phenomenon,” he said. “People stumble upon it during discussions or arguments and realize it’s a faith that offers both intellectual rigor and spiritual depth.”
“Orthodoxy Isn’t About Us—It’s About God”
For Elijah Wee Sit, a 17-year-old from Toronto, Orthodoxy represents a return to something more profound. Raised in an Evangelical household, Elijah grew tired of worship services that felt more like rock concerts.
“Christianity in North America has become extremely emotional,” he said. “It’s about feeling good, lifting your hands, and swaying to music. Orthodoxy is the opposite of that. It’s static. It’s steadfast. It’s about God, not about us.”
Wee Sit, who plans to convert before graduating high school, already attends catechism classes at St. George Orthodox Church. His father, an immigrant from the Philippines, was initially hesitant but now drives him 25 minutes each Sunday to attend services.
“Modern Christianity feels watered down,” Wee Sit explained. “People go to church, sing a few songs, listen to a sermon that’s more like a TED Talk, and go home. Orthodoxy demands more. It’s a faith that shapes your entire life.”
The Masculine Appeal of Tradition
Critics of mainstream Protestantism often point to what they call its increasing “feminization.” Father Trenham agrees.
“Most non-Orthodox Christian services today are dominated by emotional songs, swaying, and closed eyes,” he said. “Men are less comfortable in those settings, and they’ve voted with their feet. That’s why you see fewer men in those churches.”
Orthodox worship, by contrast, is deeply traditional and structured. “Our services are ancient, and they appeal to men because they’re rooted in history and discipline,” Trenham said.
Bailey Mullins, 26, grew up Baptist in South Carolina but converted to Orthodoxy after noticing his church becoming increasingly entangled in politics and cultural debates.
“I wanted a faith that wasn’t going to shift with the times,” Mullins said. “Everything else is changing—Protestant churches, the Catholic Church, the culture, even the government. Orthodoxy is stable. It’s sound. It’s not built on sand.”
Mullins now worships at Saint Peter’s Orthodox Church in Tennessee, where most attendees are young converts like him. “Orthodoxy doesn’t pander,” he said. “It’s not about making you feel good. It’s about something bigger than yourself.”
“It’s a Ritual, a Dance”
Psychologist and author Jordan Peterson, a vocal advocate for tradition and personal responsibility, has also noticed the trend.
“Unlike a Protestant service, which is often personality-driven, you can’t criticize an Orthodox service,” Peterson told The Post. “It’s like going to a ballet. It’s a ritual. It’s a dance. It’s the words, the architecture, the images, the history—all working together. And you’re participating in something ancient.”
As young men continue to search for meaning in a rapidly changing world, Orthodoxy’s ancient traditions may offer exactly what they’re looking for: a faith that is demanding, masculine, and—above all—unchanging.
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ALL religions have been evil for 10,000 years! There’s NO ‘good ones’!