This is good. Please take the time to listen to this excellent podcast. You won’t be disappointed.
Frs Anthony Perkins and Hans Jacobse (a long-time contributor to this blog) are engaging in a lively dialogue about manliness and the loss of it in the Church.
To me, this is important because the culture in the modern West has been crying out for a proper definition of sexual roles. Simply stated, we are living in an absurtopia in which nothing makes sense. This first came about with the Playboy philosophy, which reduced women to sexual commodities and was then augmented by feminism. First wave feminism tried to fight against this male depredation but in the end because willing courtesans to it. And now of course we have come full circle in this nihilistic project with sodomy.
If I had to reduce this entire modernist project to one sentence, I’d say we’ve been reduced to the level of Gadarene swine, with the only exception that we enjoy our degraded state.
The only thing that stands in the way of nihilism at this point is the Church. Frs Anthony and Hans provide ammunition to those priests who are true pastors and are on the front lines against the nihilist juggernaut.
Kudos to Ancient Faith Radio and all they do for American Orthodoxy.
Podcast courtesy of Ancient Faith Radio
June 26, 2017 Length: 48:04
In this episode, Fr. Anthony and Fr. Hans Jacobse (American Orthodox Institute) lament a culture that denigrates manliness and talk about how priests (and other manly men) can help boys of all ages tame their passions and become the Christian warriors they were called to be. Note: this conversation includes a frank (but not explicit) discussion about pornography.
Fr. Anthony Perkins moderates Good Guys Wear Black, a website for priests who need priests.
This podcast is designed to provide information, encouragement, and entertainment for priests, other clergy, and those who love them. We’ll talk about self-care and the many joys and challenges that come with the cassock. Find the podcast on Ancient Faith Radio.
It would be a good thing, I think, for both clergy and laity to look to our nuns and monks as good examples of masculinity and femininity. We know exactly what naturally human roles we have forgone in our celibate lives, yet we retain a great respect for men and women who marry and have children.
Monastic life and marriage are two sides of the same coin. Whatever good qualities would make a good monk or nun would make them good husbands and wives. Whatever problems would destroy a monk or nun would also wreck a marriage.
In that regard, I’m surprised there has been no mention of the Monk Irineu here on Monomakhos.
Manliness is for all Orthodox Christians, not just men. This is referred to in Christ’s words: “And from the days of John the Baptist until now, the Kingdom of Heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.” Manliness is a virtue for women also.
As Orthodox Christians, we all need to take on manliness so that we can become the Bride of Christ.
This is true, at least philologically.
The patristic Greek word for bravery, andreia, (literally ‘manliness’) is used equally of men and of women, especially of the holy martyrs.
Good point, Monk James. Likewise the word virtue comes from the Latin vir (man).
How does Fr Anthony’s and Fr. Hans’s approach differ from that of the monks of Russia and Mt. Athos. I think I would pick the latter. Not to criticize, but to each his own.
I’ve never understood why Christian men seem to become femmey. It’s really weird, but it seems to happen every in pretty much all different types of Christian circles. I do think it’s a very important issue to address, but I needs to be done so with a lot of care and foresight for proper teaching and application purposes. A Protestant pastor named Mark Driscoll tried to address the issue within his church, Mars Hill – as well as being a nationally recognized author and speaker. Things got really imbalanced and would serve as a good example in over correcting or wrongly correcting an issue that really affects people’s every day family life
BJS,
There’s no way to say it politely. I can say it dispassionately, softly and intending as little offense as possible, but because of the mindset that prevails in the West, the hearer perceives it as threatening and ominous.
Feminism essentially has emasculated Western males, vesting power in women who are now out in the work force rather than in the home making babies. Some men were complicit in this. It was a very bad idea because it led to a plethora of social pathologies and makes us here in the US and Western Europe ripe for conquest by Islam, which is not feminist in the least.
The devil knows not to divide his house against itself.
That’s it in a nut shell. It really is actually that simple. I’m working on an essay regarding it but that is what you see playing out with Merkel and May in Europe and the whole Donald/Hillary thing here. All part and parcel of the same dynamic.
Misha
I’m all about the razzins and not being politically correct
Feminism is retarded
But so is Bro culture. Men need more than judo lessons and shirtless bareback bear riding – they need chivalry. Nothing is more weak than a dude trying to front manhood. It’s just the male dude version of feminism
That being said, it is a bit of guilty pleasure watching you piss off the bra mafia and the professionally offended. I’d say some of that stuff in spoof, but you really believe it. Not all you say is wrong, but some of what you say is pretty bonkers
I think a lot of commenters envision you in a dark room, banging away on a keyboard in a sleeveless white T with a fifth of vodka while randomly quoting lines from Scarface
No vodka. I usually type at public libraries or educational facilities. It’s just that honesty leads us where it does.
Change randomly to routinely, and Scarface to Roadhouse and everyone’s perception of Misha completely changes.
How about Fight Club and Wild Turkey? I could see that. Admittedly, my combo would probably be Full Metal Jacket and a 40 of OE
I would normally save the Wild Turkey for Conan the Barbarian, but I can’t argue with OE and Full Metal Jacket.
I’ve got to focus on my own thing for awhile. Probably will pop in less here. Near the end of next month I may be up and running on something with legs. If that is that the case, it’s a whole new ball game. Rather than a voice crying out in the wilderness I may be able to take the fight to the enemy. We shall see.
“I may be able to take the fight to the enemy”
The physical fight, or the blog-commenter fight?
cc: FBI; NSA; DNI; FiveEyes; SIS; Special Counsel
In our case, baby making stopped with 5 at age 28, and childrearing was mostly done by our early/mid-40s. We had three kids in college by the time we were forty.
So what’s next– basket weaving? In my wife’s case it was running for local public office, to which she’s now been elected five times……
And she is definitely no feminist!