Clergy & Monastics Father Josiah Trenham is a pillar of Orthodoxy

[Roosh]

Father Josiah is a priest in Riverside, California for the Antiochian Orthodox Church. I've never met him, but I consider him a spiritual elder thanks his prolific output of sermons and talks. He understands what's going on in the culture and connects it with the spiritual world better than anyone else. I hope to use this thread to share his work.



To start off, he's a recent sermon I enjoyed:


His YouTube channel:

PatristicNectarFilms

www.youtube.com

He has many theological lectures available for a reasonable price on his organization's web site: Patristic Nectar Films. They each come in downloadable MP3 format.

If you're new to Orthodox prayer, you will enjoy this series: https://patristicnectar.org/bookstore_120607_1

I'm currently enjoying his series on the Book of Revelation: https://patristicnectar.org/bookstore_150831_1

And if you're completely new to Orthodoxy, or simply would like to further your understanding, he has a mammoth catechism of 16 lectures: https://patristicnectar.org/bookstore_140523_1

I have bought it and will listen on my upcoming road trip.

 

[SingularityOne]

Antichrists of the 20th Century

The 20th century was the most violent century in human history as 19th century German Marxism was instituted by violent revolution and thoroughly applied by dictators in many countries around the world leading to the deaths of more than 100 million people- many by execution, starvation and the...

patristicnectar.org

“The 20th century was the most violent century in human history as 19th century German Marxism was instituted by violent revolution and thoroughly applied by dictators in many countries around the world leading to the deaths of more than 100 million people- many by execution, starvation and the Gulag, and the gathering into heaven of the largest number of Christian martyrs in Church History. These lectures survey the personal lives and ideology of five of the most brutal tyrants, and offer reflections upon the principles behind their tyranny – principles that continue to threaten the West today and are appearing in mainstream American politics.”

 

[Hermetic Seal]

His book Rock And Sand is essential reading for anyone approaching Orthodoxy from a Protestant background (as I was.) It seems to be out of print most places, but Ancient Faith still has the paperback available in their store. Also, the audiobook version is on Patristic Nectar for really cheap. This interview (Part I, Part II) is well worth watching before reading the book.

This was one of my favorite recent videos he did, which offered some great insight into a question of Christian spiritual life that always stumped me:

 

[get2choppaaa]

His book Rock And Sand is essential reading for anyone approaching Orthodoxy from a Protestant background (as I was.) It seems to be out of print most places, but Ancient Faith still has the paperback available in their store. Also, the audiobook version is on Patristic Nectar for really cheap. This interview (Part I, Part II) is well worth watching before reading the book.

This was one of my favorite recent videos he did, which offered some great insight into a question of Christian spiritual life that always stumped me:

I agree. I came from a Presbyterian background and found Rock and Sand to be instrumental in helping to bridge the divide between approach to Orthodoxy and Protestantism in an honest and intellectually/spiritually consistent manner. It is a must read.

 

[Enigma]

 

[Mountaineer]

Most importantly he's still a young man and has a lot of energy to teach. What saddens me about E Michael Jones is that he won't be with us for very long.

 

[Red_Pill_Medic]

Agreed, Father Trenham is legendary. He and his church are the only reason I would ever consider living in Commifornia. If ya'll haven't downloaded the Patristic nectar app, I would highly recommend it, it's a web app or whatever, not an app store app, easy to set up and you get access to many lectures and other things, some of which are free.

 

[MichaelWitcoff]

Most importantly he's still a young man and has a lot of energy to teach. What saddens me about E Michael Jones is that he won't be with us for very long.

I think he's older than he seems. He has 10 kids and I believe at least one of them is in his thirties.

Also, he answers most of his emails. He told me once he gets about 200 per day, but if you send him a few over a period of weeks, it's very likely you'll get at least one response.

 

[Enigma]

^ He's almost 53.

 

[2 Right Hands]

He's great! I am subscribed to his YouTube channel and even though I'm Catholic he's one of my favourite Christian content producers (I know it sounds ghay but you know what I mean!). We need more priests like him: well-spoken, intelligent, masculine and based.

 

[DanielH]

My fiancee and I watched this video together. Even as a baptized Orthodox convert, there was a lot of valuable information in this video. It's the stuff your priest wants to say but doesn't because the bar is set just so low today. Also lots of good info on monasticism. Thank God for Father Josiah!

 

[PainPositive]

I just finished his book "Rock and Sand" his critique of "sola scriptura" was especially compelling.

The greatest of these [controversies] took place at the Colloquy of Marburg in 1529. This official gathering was designed to unify the Protestant theologians, but instead served to express the deepest of divisions between Luther and Swiss Reformer Ulrich Zwingli on the subject of the eucharist.” Luther thought his teaching on consubstantiation was the clear teaching of Scripture, and neither could understand why the other was being so hardheaded and disobedient to the ‘clear teaching of Scripture.’ The Marburg Colloquy and Protestant eucharistic controversy revealed the greatest weakness of the Protestant embrace of the doctrine of sola scriptura, and proved the absurdity of any dependence on the clarity of Scripture alone to establish common doctrines. Luther felt very deeply on this matter, and said ‘Before I would have mere wine with the fanatics, I would rather receive sheer blood with the pope. Accomplished Protestant leaders like Carlstadt, Zwingli, Oecolampadius in Basel and Bucer in Strasbourg disavowed Luther’s teaching on the sacraments and church polity. We Orthodox Christians are led to ponder: where is the reality of sola scriptura and the perspicuity of Scripture if even those bound by faculty, friendship, politics and faith cannot agree on the meaning of the central Christian act of worship? (pp. 36, 37)

So much disagreement between reformers on what is supposedly "Clear and simple Scripture".

First and foremost is the fact that the Lord Jesus Christ and His Holy Apostles did not teach such a thing but explicitly rejected it in teaching and practice…Our problem with the Protestants is that at this point they are not biblical enough. The New Testament itself affirms that the foundational authority for the Christian and the Church is the Apostles teaching. (p. 64)

The teaching of the Apostles is itself called ‘tradition’ in the New Testament…’Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep aloof from every brother who leads an unruly life and not according to the tradition which you received from us.’ (2 Thess. 3:6) Tradition is the Christian way of life, or life in the Holy Spirit. Tradition is the Bible rightly interpreted. St. Paul praised the Corinthians for adhering to the Church’s tradition, ‘Now I praise you because you remember me in everything, and hold firmly to the traditions, just as I delivered them to you. (1 Corth. 11:2, 15:3 and Jude 3)

Reading all the verses referenced here my biggest takeaway was from the book of Jude in verse 3.
"Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints."Jude 1:3, KJV"

These verses really stuck out for me because Jude is writing here about "...the faith which was once delivered unto the saints." and the dangers of corrupting the faith, unworthy teachers, and deceivers. Throughout the book of Jude it seems like he's talking about the faith and not just having faith. I'm sure protestants interpret these verses in another way but I'm glad they were mentioned by Fr. Trenham.

…the history of Protestantism, from its very root, bears witness to the lack of Apostolic authenticity of the sola scriptura doctrine. Why do Lutheran, Calvinistic, Zwinglians, and Anabaptist creeds all differ on fundamental points if the Bible alone is the only authority of the reformers? Why could not Luther and Zwingli and other Reformers agree on the nature of the very central act of Christian worship, the Holy Eucharist, if they were both simply reading the Bible and following its teachings? By cutting the cords of Holy Tradition, and placing in its stead the doctrine of sola scriptura, the Protestants ensured theological divisiveness and fracture between themselves and their descendants and have only multiplied divisions, theories, and interpretations ad infinitum, with no end in view to this day. We may judge a tree by its fruit. The sola scriptura tree has borne the fruit of division and every conceivable heresy. (p. 275)

He makes this argument several times and looking at the roots and fruits of protestantism it's hard to argue with his point of view.

 

[ABeast]

Antichrists of the 20th Century

The 20th century was the most violent century in human history as 19th century German Marxism was instituted by violent revolution and thoroughly applied by dictators in many countries around the world leading to the deaths of more than 100 million people- many by execution, starvation and the...

patristicnectar.org

“The 20th century was the most violent century in human history as 19th century German Marxism was instituted by violent revolution and thoroughly applied by dictators in many countries around the world leading to the deaths of more than 100 million people- many by execution, starvation and the Gulag, and the gathering into heaven of the largest number of Christian martyrs in Church History. These lectures survey the personal lives and ideology of five of the most brutal tyrants, and offer reflections upon the principles behind their tyranny – principles that continue to threaten the West today and are appearing in mainstream American politics.”

Which five tyrants?

 

[PainPositive]

Which five tyrants?

If you scroll down it says at the bottom.

Lecture 1: Adolph Hitler: Antichrist of Germany

Lecture 2: Joseph Stalin: Antichrist of Russia

Lecture 3: Mao Tse-Tung: Antichrist of China

Lecture 4: Nicolae Ceausescu: Antichrist of Romania

Lecture 5: Pol Pot: Antichrist of Cambodia

Lecture 6: Reflections on Marxism and Threats to the West

 

[wayfaringstranger]

If you scroll down it says at the bottom.

Lecture 1: Adolph Hitler: Antichrist of Germany

Lecture 2: Joseph Stalin: Antichrist of Russia

Lecture 3: Mao Tse-Tung: Antichrist of China

Lecture 4: Nicolae Ceausescu: Antichrist of Romania

Lecture 5: Pol Pot: Antichrist of Cambodia

Lecture 6: Reflections on Marxism and Threats to the West

Unfortunately we can add a lot to that list, even before Stalin, Bolshevik terror was well underway, and we all by who for whom.

Concerning Father Trenham - i have found in his videos the Christianity that is hard, tough but inspiring, not seen in church since the 19th century . I sadly have stopped giving money to the church I was brought in - its too far gone - I now send some of tithing to him even though I am not orthodox, I am considering it.

 

[Roosh]

I've started Father Trenham's 16-hour catechuman series. I thought it would be mostly a review but there's a lot of nuts and bolts I didn't know. I'm enjoying it so far.

An Orthodox Catechism

Digital Audio - A broad introduction to Orthodox Christianity designed to expose the catechumen to the contours of Orthodox faith and life, aid priests in preparing catechumens to be received into the Church as well as edify Orthodox individuals seeking a better understanding of their faith...

patristicnectar.org

 

[DanielH]

I've started Father Trenham's 16-hour catechuman series. I thought it would be mostly a review but there's a lot of nuts and bolts I didn't know. I'm enjoying it so far.

An Orthodox Catechism

Digital Audio - A broad introduction to Orthodox Christianity designed to expose the catechumen to the contours of Orthodox faith and life, aid priests in preparing catechumens to be received into the Church as well as edify Orthodox individuals seeking a better understanding of their faith...

patristicnectar.org

Have you made it to the second half regarding the sacraments yet? Just wondering if those are as informative as the first half.

 

[Roosh]

Have you made it to the second half regarding the sacraments yet? Just wondering if those are as informative as the first half.

Not yet, it will take me a while to finish.

 

[BigFellow]

He's great! I am subscribed to his YouTube channel and even though I'm Catholic he's one of my favourite Christian content producers (I know it sounds ghay but you know what I mean!). We need more priests like him: well-spoken, intelligent, masculine and based.

Masculine? He has a woman's hair style.

 

[Emperor Constantine]

Masculine? He has a woman's hair style.

It's a man's hairstyle, and been the standard haircut for priests since Old Testament times. It's true that women in the US cut cut their hair as short as Fr. Josiah's, but that's hardly desirable.

While Orthodox laity usually adapt the local styles (even to the point where some Orthodox men emasculate themselves by shaving), the clothing and hairstyle of the clergy generally remains as it was in the ancient world.