313 - Fr. Andrew Damick - Redeeming Pagan Symbolism

In this episode, Father Josiah Trenham returns to the podcast for us to talk about the profound meaning and cosmic significance of marriage. We explore why marriage is a crucial civilizational cornerstone rooted in divine order, not only from a Christian perspective, but universally in all flourishing societies. We discuss how it compares to and co-exists with monasticism and the meaning of marriage and the wedding ceremony not just as a gate to self-fulfillment and a joyful experience, but also as self-sacrifice. We also discuss how rediscovering the beauty of marriage can help restore sanity in our fragmented secular world.This conversation is also a preview of the upcoming Marriage Conference in Riverside, CA (Oct. 10–12), where I’ll be speaking alongside Father Josiah, Archbishop Cordileone, Dr. Brad Wilcox, and others. Learn more at https://www.themarriageconference.com/ Subscribe to Fr. Josiah's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@PatristicNectarFilms—NEW COURSE: Jubilees and the Nephilim, by Fr. Stephen De Young- Catch the early bird special of 15% off with code: EARLYJUBILEES, valid until 11:59 pm EST (midnight) of August 8th.- Register now: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/jubilees-and-the-nephilim - Course Length: 6 Weeks, 12 Hours- Dates: Live classes are on Tuesday at 7 - 9 pm Central Time, starting August 19th through September 23rd, 2025- Participants will be given access to lesson recordings.- The course is hosted on the Symbolic World Circle Community platform. Sign up as a free member before making your purchase. - Price: 180 USDStep into the strange and revelatory world of the Book of Jubilees, an ancient retelling of Genesis that shaped ancient Jewish thought and still echoes through Christian tradition. In this course, Fr. Stephen De Young guides students through the book’s expansion of biblical history, unveiling the significance of the fall of the angels, the rise of the Nephilim, and the heavenly origins of the feasts of the Old and New Testaments. Along the way, he'll explore how Jubilees reinterprets creation, demonology, and the prophetic structure of time, and why these themes mattered not only to Second Temple Judaism, but to later Christian understandings of the unseen world.—Timestamps:00:00 - Coming up01:00 - Intro music01:24 - Introduction04:01 - Marriage, monasticism, and St. John the Baptist09:16 - The symbiosis between monasticism and marriage12:32 - Why marriage fails16:14 - The fruits of abandoning marriage21:37 - Contract24:15 - Acknowledge the ideal27:53 - The nuclear and extended family29:40 - The crowns34:23 - A new independent union38:03 - Aspects of marriage43:19 - Refined love45:42 - Pagan monogamy50:39 - Marrying young55:18 - 50s Housewife vs boss babe57:01 - Having children01:00:39 - Hopes

5 Elo 20251h 7min

Fr. Stephen De Young returns to the channel to explore how we should approach extra-Biblical literature—looking especially at the Book of Jubilees in anticipation of his upcoming Symbolic World course: Jubilees and the Nephilim. We discuss a different, more ancient way of doing theology—through story, ritual, poetry, and image rather than flat modern academic argument. If you’ve ever wondered how texts like Jubilees, Enoch, or the Lives of Adam and Eve connect to Christian theology, this conversation is for you.YouTube version: https://youtu.be/poAELqTQTo0NEW COURSE: Jubilees and the Nephilim, by Fr. Stephen De Young- Catch the early bird special of 15% off with code: EARLYJUBILEES, valid until 11:59 pm EST (midnight) of August 8th.- Price: 180 USD (Discounted to 158 USD)- Register now: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/jubilees-and-the-nephilim - Course Length: 6 Weeks, 12 Hours- Dates: Live classes are on Tuesday at 7 - 9 pm Central Time, starting August 19th through September 23rd, 2025- Participants will be given access to lesson recordings.- The course is hosted on the Symbolic World Circle Community platform. Sign up as a free member before making your purchase. Step into the strange and revelatory world of the Book of Jubilees, an ancient retelling of Genesis that shaped ancient Jewish thought and still echoes through Christian tradition. In this course, Fr. Stephen De Young guides students through the book’s expansion of biblical history, unveiling the significance of the fall of the angels, the rise of the Nephilim, and the heavenly origins of the feasts of the Old and New Testaments. Along the way, he'll explore how Jubilees reinterprets creation, demonology, and the prophetic structure of time, and why these themes mattered not only to Second Temple Judaism, but to later Christian understandings of the unseen world.Timestamps00:00 - Coming up00:55 - Intro music01:20 - Introduction02:11 - Jubilees05:08 - A different way of doing theology15:23 - Why do we have peripheral stories?22:34 - The twelfth apostle24:16 - Blood libel27:09 - Adam's skull31:19 - Sacred geography34:09 - The sacramental reality39:01 - The modern trade41:52 - UFOs, psychedelics, and materialism44:43 - Reading extra-biblical texts and Jubilees47:53 - What can extra-biblical traditions offer us?💻 Website and blog: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/jonathanpageau 🔒 BECOME A PATRON: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/

31 Heinä 202552min

In this episode I reflect on the symbolism behind Superman as a figure rooted in American mythology and post-WWII identity. I also discuss the new Superman movie by James Gunn, which actually has an interesting twist that can help us understand not just the superhero archetype, but also the crucial and relevant question of the immigrant or convert.https://youtu.be/RByli5eMoP8Rapunzel and the Evil Witch is coming in August—and you can pre-order it now. If you missed the first 1,000 copies (which sold out in 26 hours!), here’s your chance next to get it. Pre-orders come with the audiobook I recorded and a companion worksheet to explore the story with your family. Go to https://www.rapunzelbook.com/ and get ready—this is where the fairy tales start to weave together.💻 Website and blog: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/jonathanpageau 🔒 BECOME A PATRON: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/

25 Heinä 202524min

In this episode of Universal History, I sit down with Deacon Seraphim (Richard Rohlin) on the 4th of July to explore the topic of fairies and titular spirits, especially as it relates to the US. We discuss America’s founding, the myth of Oedipus, heroes and monsters, boundaries of identity, stories of water spirits and crossing into territories, all to ask the question of whether fairies can be saved. As always, we’re weaving together myth, symbolism, and cultural insight to help reveal the patterns behind the stories that shape our world.Original YouTube version: https://youtu.be/htXHJ1WRSAgPre-order our new fairy tale story book, Rapunzel and the Evil Witch: https://store.thesymbolicworld.com/products/rapunzel-and-the-evil-witchCOURSE: Scripture: The Key to Reality, presented by Seraphim HamiltonThis course is designed to help students appreciate the unique role the Bible plays in helping us step into the world as it truly is: a symbolic revelation of the Infinite God. Scripture is symbolic because it is a revelation of Jesus Christ, and Jesus Christ is the Archetype of the World. In a way, then, Scripture enfolds within itself the totality of the world, guiding its hearers to see an icon of Christ in each of God’s creatures: from trees to beasts to priests.- Live classes are on Tuesday at 2 - 4 pm Eastern Time, starting June 10th through July 22nd, 2025- Class Length: 5 sessions, 10 hours total- Cost: 120 USD (108 USD for Involved patrons)- Register now: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/scripture-the-key-to-reality💻 Website and blog: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/jonathanpageau 🔒 BECOME A PATRON: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe Timestamps:00:00 - Coming up01:45 - Intro music02:12 - Introduction04:22 - Titular spirits10:03 - Oedipus: From the Bronze age16:47 - A daemon / titular spirit18:40 - Heroes becoming spirits19:54 - The encounter with the Sphinx21:46 - Killing a monsters26:41 - Purification and the furies31:43 - Understanding: Christ the Key39:37 - America46:23 - What are fairies53:15 - Artifacts58:08 - Magic01:00:38 - 3 Stories about faeries01:01:31 - Story 101:06:30 - Tying it in with St. Christopher01:07:25 - Story 201:11:32 - Commentary01:18:02 - Story 301:27:08 - American aboriginalsOur website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/

19 Heinä 20251h 36min

I was invited to give this talk on Robin Hood in Nottingham—just a stone’s throw from Sherwood Forest—on the feast of Pentecost. What began as a reflection on a beloved folk hero opened into something deeper: a meditation on rebellion, trickery, legitimacy, and the strange holiness that's possible for jesters and outlaws. In this talk, I explore how Robin Hood, the Green Man, King David, and even figures from Islamic tradition and Arthurian legend, all point toward a surprising truth—that the margins of society can conceal servants of the true King. I hope you enjoy it.Original YouTube version: https://youtu.be/7Q4LBLmeeMwCOURSE: Scripture: The Key to Reality, presented by Seraphim HamiltonThis course is designed to help students appreciate the unique role the Bible plays in helping us step into the world as it truly is: a symbolic revelation of the Infinite God. Scripture is symbolic because it is a revelation of Jesus Christ, and Jesus Christ is the Archetype of the World. In a way, then, Scripture enfolds within itself the totality of the world, guiding its hearers to see an icon of Christ in each of God’s creatures: from trees to beasts to priests.- Live classes are on Tuesday at 2 - 4 pm Eastern Time, starting June 10th through July 22nd, 2025- Class Length: 5 sessions, 10 hours total- Cost: 120 USD (108 USD for Involved patrons)- Register now: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/scripture-the-key-to-realityGet early access to Rapunzel and the Evil Witch: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/rapunzel-and-the-evil-witch💻 Website and blog: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/jonathanpageau 🔒 BECOME A PATRON: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe Timestamps:00:00 - Coming up01:30 - Intro music01:56 - Introduction by Jonathan03:34 - Introduction: The virtuous rebel06:10 - Who does Robin Hood resemble?09:40 - Green14:25 - A trickster for God16:39 - David25:41 - He loses at the edge39:24 - The Green man: Merlin45:25 - Q&A starts: St. Christopher46:39 - Sir Gawain and the Green Knight48:55 - Maid Marian and the Virgin Mary49:53 - Difference between giants and monsters51:20 - Intention53:01 - Robin Hood in politics54:10 - Marksmanship55:54 - Does the end justify the means57:42 - Is Robin Hood religious?59:06 - Locations and history01:01:38 - Humor in Christianity01:03:20 - Trickery01:06:46 - What goes around comes around01:08:15 - Downstream from the Gospel01:11:44 - Christ vs Robin Hood in historyOur website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/

8 Heinä 20251h 15min

I had the pleasure of speaking with filmmaker Josh David Jordan about his new movie El Tonto Por Cristo. It’s a black-and-white art film set in a Texas monastery — poetic, strange, and deeply moving. What struck me most is how the film weaves together powerful Orthodox imagery, the mystery of the holy fool, all with a totally unique visual language. This isn’t just a message movie — it’s real cinema.Check out the Kickstarter and be part of bringing this movie to theaters. This is a rare and important project. El Tonto Por Cristo: A Cinematic Meditation. An Orthodox film set in a Texas monastery. Help bring this black-and-white story of beauty, holiness, & mystery to theaters worldwide.https://www.eltontoporcristo.com/https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/748841722/el-tonto-por-cristo-a-cinematic-meditationOriginal YouTube version: https://youtu.be/pbM5VN9YvCE💻 Website and blog: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/jonathanpageau 🔒 BECOME A PATRON: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/

30 Kesä 202536min

What is spirit? This was one of my most meaningful conversations with John Vervaeke yet. As we prepare for the Midwestuary 2025 conference in Chicago, we explore how beings come into existence, the mystery of unity and multiplicity, and what’s really going on with AI, angels, and the spirit of community. John shares some powerful personal transformations as well. I hope you enjoy this deep dive into spirit, ontology, and meaning.YouTube version: https://youtu.be/hqmSW3SgzHsRegister for the 2025 Midwestuary Conference in Chicago, August 22-24: https://www.midwestuary.com/NEW COURSE: Scripture: The Key to Reality, presented by Seraphim HamiltonThis course is designed to help students appreciate the unique role the Bible plays in helping us step into the world as it truly is: a symbolic revelation of the Infinite God. Scripture is symbolic because it is a revelation of Jesus Christ, and Jesus Christ is the Archetype of the World. In a way, then, Scripture enfolds within itself the totality of the world, guiding its hearers to see an icon of Christ in each of God’s creatures: from trees to beasts to priests.- Live classes are on Tuesday at 2 - 4 pm Eastern Time, starting June 10th through July 22nd, 2025- Class Length: 5 sessions, 10 hours total- Cost: 120 USD (108 USD for Involved patrons)- Register now: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/scripture-the-key-to-reality- Get early access to Rapunzel and the Evil Witch: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/rapunzel-and-the-evil-witch- Symbolism Masterclass course by Jonathan Pageau: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/symbolism-masterclass- John Vervaeke's course on the Symbolic World, The Cognitive Science of Ritual: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/the-cognitive-science-of-ritual00:00 - Intro by Jonathan01:25 - Intro music01:50 - Midwestuary conference details03:42 - What is Spirit?05:21 - John's response08:22 - Fellowship11:00 - Jonathan's response13:34 - Why it's hard to think about unity and multiplicity16:35 - Dualism in spirit18:32 - Modern false dichotomies24:19 - Jonathan: Spirit outside of minds?30:57 - Are there non-psychological spirits?33:42 - Gathered in man35:55 - Reduction can go both ways37:35 - The seat of self-consciousness42:01 - A human centered view43:36 - John: The standard of realness49:30 - An embodied world for everyone56:17 - Porosity between science and myth01:00:39 - Breath01:02:05 - A post-Kantian vision01:05:52 - Exampting and group identity01:10:40 - Liturgy and team spirit01:17:48 - Are spirits just psychological?01:20:26 - Prophesy01:27:43 - How do we use technology?01:34:01 - AI🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/jonathanpageau 🔒 BECOME A PATRON: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/

24 Kesä 20251h 46min

In this talk at the Orthodox Arts Festival of 2025, I share my vision for a renewal of Orthodox Christian art rooted in meaningful participation and true celebration. We are living through the collapse of modern aesthetics—art has become propaganda, entertainment, and distraction. But this cultural decomposition presents an opportunity for something truly transformative.Orthodox art offers a profound alternative: not art as consumption or rebellion, but as participation, celebration, and enlightenment. Drawing on my work in children's literature, icon carving, and popular storytelling, I explore how we can reintegrate beauty, memory, and the sacred into every level of artistic creation—from liturgy to fairy tales.If you're an artist, a parent, or simply someone longing for a more meaningful creative world, I invite you to join me in rediscovering what art is really for—and how it can lead us back to God.YouTube version: https://youtu.be/WkQ1PP421nM🕯️ Discover our books, courses, and more at http://www.thesymbolicworld.com📖 Get early access to Rapunzel and the Evil Witch: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/rapunzel-and-the-evil-witchNEW COURSE: Scripture: The Key to Reality, presented by Seraphim HamiltonThis course is designed to help students appreciate the unique role the Bible plays in helping us step into the world as it truly is: a symbolic revelation of the Infinite God. Scripture is symbolic because it is a revelation of Jesus Christ, and Jesus Christ is the Archetype of the World. In a way, then, Scripture enfolds within itself the totality of the world, guiding its hearers to see an icon of Christ in each of God’s creatures: from trees to beasts to priests.- Live classes are on Tuesday at 2 - 4 pm Eastern Time, starting June 10th through July 15th, 2025- Class Length: 5 sessions, 10 hours total- Cost: 120 USD (108 USD for Involved patrons)- Register now: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/scripture-the-key-to-reality🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/jonathanpageau 🔒 BECOME A PATRON: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/

11 Kesä 20251h 12min