FAITH ISN’T A MEME: Clergy respond to the "Orthobro" narrative and what the New York Times Missed

A New York Times report caused a rare critical response from Eastern Orthodox clergy and laypeople alike. Rev Fr Gary Kyriacou of the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of Saint Sophia and I talk about it. The term used to described these particular converts is “Orthobros,” a critical moniker that blends those converts’ desire for a stark and traditional view of Orthodox Christianity with viewpoints from the manosphere and trad-wife sensibilities. As a Greek Orthodox Christian myself, I had heard rumblings of these “Orthobros” for about a year, but now they were in an article describing how the Orthodox Church gave them a more manly purpose. I will add that the converts I know in my own parish don’t reflect this view of an uber-masculine faith (whatever that means). As with many societal issues these days, the social media of it all seems to be where seeds are most often planted. But the type of faith grows from them is at the heart of the controversy. This Tablet Magazine article on the “Orthobro” trend is a fascinating rabbit hole on how those who are super-online can create the “gamification of religion.” I reviewed the social media of some of the most followed Orthodox priests and influencers and found they are converts themselves, usually associated with Russian or Antiochian Orthodoxy. To read my full article with links to various Orthodox clergy statements, click on my Substack link here: https://dinademetrius.substack.com/p/... #orthobro #easternorthodoxchurch #greekorthodoxchurch #easternorthodoxy #churchandpolitics #christianfaith https://dinademetrius.substack.com/p/...