Counterflow with Buck Johnson

What happens when faith is reduced to a feeling? In this episode, I sit down with Fr. Justin Havens, a missionary priest serving at St. Joseph the Hesychast Serbian Orthodox Church, to talk about one of the most important spiritual questions of our time: Is truth something you feel… or something you encounter? Drawing from years of missionary work in Utah—one of the most spiritually unique regions in America—we unpack the contrast between subjective religious experience and objective truth in Christ, and why so many people today are starving for something deeper. This is a conversation about: • the limits of emotional spirituality • the reality of the ascetical life • and why Orthodoxy is quietly exploding in places no one expected Sponsor: Podsworth App: https://podsworth.com Code: BUCK50 for HALF off your first order! Clean up your recordings, sound like a pro, and support the Counterflow Podcast! Full Ad Read BEFORE processing: https://youtu.be/F4ljjtR5QfA Full Ad Read AFTER processing: https://youtu.be/J6trRTgmpwE Get the new Counterflow T-shirt before it sells out! Visit https://www.counterflowpodcast.com/store or send $30 via PayPal to [email protected] with your size and shipping address! Donate to the show here: https://www.patreon.com/counterflow Visit my website: https://www.counterflowpodcast.com Audio Production by Podsworth Media: https://www.podsworth.com Leave us a review and rating on Apple Podcasts! Thanks!

In this episode, I'm joined by Fr. John Whiteford to explore one of the most misunderstood books in all of Scripture: the Book of Revelation. For many modern Christians, Revelation is treated as a roadmap of future geopolitical events—something to decode through headlines, wars, and speculation. But in the Orthodox Christian tradition, Revelation is something far deeper: a vision of heavenly worship. We begin by breaking down the true meaning of the Divine Liturgy—not as a symbolic gathering or a teaching session, but as real participation in the worship of heaven itself. From there, Fr. John explains how the imagery of Revelation—altars, incense, angels, hymns, and the Lamb—directly corresponds to what the Church has preserved in her liturgical life for centuries. This conversation reframes Revelation entirely: not as a prediction chart, but as an unveiling of the eternal reality that the Church enters into every time the Liturgy is celebrated. We also address how modern misreadings of Revelation—especially those rooted in recent theological innovations—have led many Christians to interpret global events, particularly in relation to Israel, through a distorted and often dangerous lens. Ultimately, this episode is about recovering a right understanding of worship, Scripture, and the Kingdom of God—and seeing the Divine Liturgy for what it truly is: heaven on earth. Fr. John Whiteford is an Orthodox priest serving in the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia (ROCOR). He is the rector of St. Jonah Orthodox Church in Spring, Texas, and has been a longtime teacher, writer, and defender of the Orthodox Christian faith. He is widely known for his work in apologetics, particularly in explaining Orthodox theology in contrast to modern Protestant innovations. Fr. John has written extensively on Scripture, Church history, and liturgical theology, and is especially respected for his clear, direct approach to difficult theological topics. Through his writing and teaching, he has helped many people rediscover the depth and continuity of the historic Christian tradition. Find more from Fr John here: https://saintjonah.org And here: https://frjohnwhiteford.substack.com And here: http://fatherjohn.blogspot.com Sponsor: Podsworth App: https://podsworth.com Code: BUCK50 for HALF off your first order! Clean up your recordings, sound like a pro, and support the Counterflow Podcast! Full Ad Read BEFORE processing: https://youtu.be/F4ljjtR5QfA Full Ad Read AFTER processing: https://youtu.be/J6trRTgmpwE Get the new Counterflow T-shirt before it sells out! Visit https://www.counterflowpodcast.com/store or send $30 via PayPal to [email protected] with your size and shipping address! Donate to the show here: https://www.patreon.com/counterflow Visit my website: https://www.counterflowpodcast.com Audio Production by Podsworth Media: https://www.podsworth.com Leave us a review and rating on Apple Podcasts! Thanks!

In recent years the language of autism and ADHD has moved from clinical psychology into mainstream culture. What was once a narrow medical diagnosis has expanded into a broad identity category embraced by millions online. But what explains this sudden rise? In this episode of Counterflow, Buck Johnson is joined by psychiatrist and writer Dr. Hannah Spier to explore the cultural, psychological, and social forces behind the modern "neurodivergence" movement. Drawing from her widely discussed essays on autism, identity, and modern narcissism, Dr. Spier argues that the explosion of neurodivergent identity may say as much about modern culture as it does about mental health. Together they discuss the expansion of autism diagnoses, the rise of self-diagnosis through social media, and the growing tendency to frame personality traits and social difficulties through psychological labels. The conversation also explores how modern identity culture, social media validation, and new expressions of covert narcissism may be contributing to the neurodivergence boom. Finally, Buck and Dr. Spier examine a deeper question: what happens to a culture when mental illness becomes identity? For Dr Hannah's Substack, go here: https://substack.com/@psychobabblewithspier Sponsor: Podsworth App: https://podsworth.com Code: BUCK50 for HALF off your first order! Clean up your recordings, sound like a pro, and support the Counterflow Podcast! Full Ad Read BEFORE processing: https://youtu.be/F4ljjtR5QfA Full Ad Read AFTER processing: https://youtu.be/J6trRTgmpwE Get the new Counterflow T-shirt before it sells out! Visit https://www.counterflowpodcast.com/store or send $30 via PayPal to [email protected] with your size and shipping address! Donate to the show here: https://www.patreon.com/counterflow Visit my website: https://www.counterflowpodcast.com Audio Production by Podsworth Media: https://www.podsworth.com Leave us a review and rating on Apple Podcasts! Thanks!

In this episode, Buck Johnson sits down with author Michael W. Davis, general editor of the Union of Orthodox Journalists, for a serious discussion about Christian Zionism, theology, and geopolitics. Over the last century, Christian Zionism has become an influential framework shaping how many Christians understand the modern state of Israel, biblical prophecy, and the politics of the Middle East. But how does this theology compare with the faith of the early Church and the witness of the Church Fathers? Drawing on Scripture, Church history, and Orthodox theology, Buck and Michael explore the origins of Christian Zionism, its relationship to modern political movements, and the ways in which eschatology can shape political imagination. They also discuss how prophetic language surrounding modern conflicts — including tensions involving Israel and Iran — can influence how Christians interpret war, peace, and the responsibilities of the Church in a fractured world. Rather than approaching these issues through ideology or partisanship, this conversation seeks to recover the historic Christian vision of the Kingdom of God, which transcends nationalism, geopolitics, and modern political categories. For more from Michael Davis, go here: https://substack.com/@michaelwarrendavis ...and here: https://uoj.news/author/michael-davis Sponsor: Podsworth App: https://podsworth.com Code: BUCK50 for HALF off your first order! Clean up your recordings, sound like a pro, and support the Counterflow Podcast! Full Ad Read BEFORE processing: https://youtu.be/F4ljjtR5QfA Full Ad Read AFTER processing: https://youtu.be/J6trRTgmpwE Get the new Counterflow T-shirt before it sells out! Visit https://www.counterflowpodcast.com/store or send $30 via PayPal to [email protected] with your size and shipping address! Donate to the show here: https://www.patreon.com/counterflow Visit my website: https://www.counterflowpodcast.com Audio Production by Podsworth Media: https://www.podsworth.com Leave us a review and rating on Apple Podcasts! Thanks!

What happens when a man who built his identity in hip hop walks away from the illusion of the industry and into the ancient Church? James "J-Ro" Robinson rose to prominence in the golden era of West Coast hip hop as a member of Tha Alkaholiks, part of Los Angeles' influential underground scene. Fame, touring, culture, and credibility were all there. But behind the curtain, things weren't what they seemed. In this conversation, J-Ro opens up about: • His childhood and the spiritual influence of his great-grandfather, a Christian minister • The formation of Tha Alkaholiks and life inside 90s hip hop culture • What he learned about the record industry that led to deep disillusionment • Why he eventually moved to Sweden • The tension between persona and personhood • Fatherhood and the call to something more rooted • Discovering the Orthodox Church • Life today in Tucson, Arizona, attending St. Anthony's Monastery • Asceticism, repentance, and redefining masculinity • What "keeping it real" actually means Sponsor: Podsworth App: https://podsworth.com Code: BUCK50 for HALF off your first order! Clean up your recordings, sound like a pro, and support the Counterflow Podcast! Full Ad Read BEFORE processing: https://youtu.be/F4ljjtR5QfA Full Ad Read AFTER processing: https://youtu.be/J6trRTgmpwE Donate to the show here: https://www.patreon.com/counterflow Visit my website: https://www.counterflowpodcast.com Audio Production by Podsworth Media: https://www.podsworth.com Leave us a review and rating on Apple Podcasts! Thanks!

What do silver crashes, sovereign power, Vatican banking scandals, and free cash flow have in common? In this conversation, Fr. Emmanuel Lemelson joins us to explore the moral psychology of markets and the spiritual dangers of fear-driven investing. From the 2026 silver collapse and what he calls the "Imperial Margin Call," to the collapse of the safe-haven narrative, to the deeper arithmetic behind margin-of-safety investing, this episode moves beyond headlines into first principles. This is not merely a conversation about investing; it's about anthropology, empire, illusion, and sobriety. It's about whether modern markets form disciplined stewards or anxious speculators. For more from Fr Emmanuel Lemelson, go here: https://lemelson.substack.com Sponsor: Podsworth App: https://podsworth.com Code: BUCK50 for HALF off your first order! Clean up your recordings, sound like a pro, and support the Counterflow Podcast! Full Ad Read BEFORE processing: https://youtu.be/F4ljjtR5QfA Full Ad Read AFTER processing: https://youtu.be/J6trRTgmpwE Donate to the show here: https://www.patreon.com/counterflow Visit my website: https://www.counterflowpodcast.com Audio Production by Podsworth Media: https://www.podsworth.com Leave us a review and rating on Apple Podcasts! Thanks!

What if the future of medicine looks less like a laboratory… and more like the life of the Church? In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Michael Christian Kuhn, author of Orthodoxy and the Medicine of the Future, to explore the deep connection between spiritual life and physical health. We discuss how modern society has become increasingly disembodied — separated from rhythm, stillness, fasting, and community — and how many of today's chronic health struggles may reflect that deeper fragmentation. This conversation is not about rejecting modern medicine. It's about recovering wholeness. If you're Orthodox — or simply curious about how faith shapes health — this episode will help you think more clearly about the unity of body and soul. For more from Dr Mike, go here: https://www.orthodoxhealth.com/orthodox-health-podcast Sponsors: Perfect Spiral Capital: https://PerfectSpiralCapital.com/counterflow Podsworth App: https://podsworth.com Code: BUCK50 for HALF off your first order! Clean up your recordings, sound like a pro, and support the Counterflow Podcast! Full Ad Read BEFORE processing: https://youtu.be/F4ljjtR5QfA Full Ad Read AFTER processing: https://youtu.be/J6trRTgmpwE Donate to the show here: https://www.patreon.com/counterflow Visit my website: https://www.counterflowpodcast.com Audio Production by Podsworth Media: https://www.podsworth.com Leave us a review and rating on Apple Podcasts! Thanks!

In this conversation, Kate DeGraide reflects on faith that rearranges a life rather than decorating it. We talk about making art without losing your soul, creating music with her husband, Neil, in Dirt Poor Robbins, raising children without turning belief into performance, and what it means to live in the world without being absorbed by it. This is a conversation about beauty and art that demands something of us—about choosing a whole life over an easy one, and learning to remain human in the process. We also discuss challenges for women coming into the Orthodox Church, Covid years, Kate's worship music background, and more. Sponsor: Podsworth App: https://podsworth.com Code: BUCK50 for HALF off your first order! Clean up your recordings, sound like a pro, and support the Counterflow Podcast! Full Ad Read BEFORE processing: https://youtu.be/F4ljjtR5QfA Full Ad Read AFTER processing: https://youtu.be/J6trRTgmpwE Donate to the show here: https://www.patreon.com/counterflow Visit my website: https://www.counterflowpodcast.com Audio Production by Podsworth Media: https://www.podsworth.com Leave us a review and rating on Apple Podcasts! Thanks!

What does it mean to confront real evil without letting it destroy your soul? In this episode, I'm joined by Tommy Green, vocalist of the band Holy Name and an Orthodox Christian deeply committed to ending child and sex trafficking. Tommy and his wife have an organization that helps young people getting out of this terrible life of being trafficked. We talk about what it's like to look directly at the darkest expressions of human sin, and how the Orthodox Church, prayer, and the Holy Name of Christ provide a framework for fighting evil without becoming it. Tommy's organization: https://www.irunagainsttraffic.com Sponsors: Harmony Icons: https://harmonyicons.com/counterflow Podsworth App: https://podsworth.com Code: BUCK50 for HALF off your first order! Clean up your recordings, sound like a pro, and support the Counterflow Podcast! Full Ad Read BEFORE processing: https://youtu.be/F4ljjtR5QfA Full Ad Read AFTER processing: https://youtu.be/J6trRTgmpwE Donate to the show here: https://www.patreon.com/counterflow Visit my website: https://www.counterflowpodcast.com Audio Production by Podsworth Media: https://www.podsworth.com Leave us a review and rating on Apple Podcasts! Thanks!

In this episode, I talk with Josh Lazie, a former bassist for Danzig, to talk about a reality many of us live with but rarely name: the persistent sense that something is missing. For years, he tried to fill that void with music, drugs, success, and the constant noise of the rock-and-roll lifestyle. For a time, those things worked. Eventually, they didn't. We talk honestly about what that world gave him, what it cost him, and the moment he realized that nothing he was chasing would ever make him whole. We explore the restlessness beneath addiction and ambition, the fear of stillness, and why silence can be more confronting than chaos. Now a catechumen in the Orthodox Church, he reflects on how faith didn't simply distract him from emptiness, but began to heal it—through discipline, repentance, and a reorientation of what it means to live fully. Sponsors: Harmony Icons: https://harmonyicons.com/counterflow Podsworth App: https://podsworth.com Code: BUCK50 for HALF off your first order! Clean up your recordings, sound like a pro, and support the Counterflow Podcast! Full Ad Read BEFORE processing: https://youtu.be/F4ljjtR5QfA Full Ad Read AFTER processing: https://youtu.be/J6trRTgmpwE Donate to the show here: https://www.patreon.com/counterflow Visit my website: https://www.counterflowpodcast.com Audio Production by Podsworth Media: https://www.podsworth.com Leave us a review and rating on Apple Podcasts! Thanks!

In this episode, we sit down with Father Hans Jacobse to discuss the crisis facing men today, and why isolation, secrecy, and private struggle are not compatible with the Orthodox life. Fr Hans started the St Paisios Brotherhood where men have been able to have a safe brotherhood for many years now. We explore the role of brotherhood in confronting temptation, forming men for marriage and family, and grounding masculine identity in the life of the Church. This conversation addresses pornography, marriage, community, and the unique role Orthodox brotherhood plays in forming whole men capable of serving their families, parishes, and the world. For more on this, go here: https://www.stpaisiosbrotherhood Sponsors: Harmony Icons: https://harmonyicons.com/counterflow Podsworth App: https://podsworth.com Code: BUCK50 for HALF off your first order! Clean up your recordings, sound like a pro, and support the Counterflow Podcast! Full Ad Read BEFORE processing: https://youtu.be/F4ljjtR5QfA Full Ad Read AFTER processing: https://youtu.be/J6trRTgmpwE Donate to the show here: https://www.patreon.com/counterflow Visit my website: https://www.counterflowpodcast.com Audio Production by Podsworth Media: https://www.podsworth.com Leave us a review and rating on Apple Podcasts! Thanks!

In this episode, Buck sits down with Father Turbo Qualls for a wide-ranging and sobering conversation about spiritual warfare, ecumenism, and the modern pressure on the Orthodox to trade truth for comfort. Beginning with reflections from St. Mary of Egypt and the Synaxis of Hagia Sophia, the discussion moves into how external forces — political, cultural, and spiritual — have repeatedly targeted the Church, often in ways that are subtle, coordinated, and unseen. Father Turbo revisits a past conversation with Buck about the COVID era, exploring how major disruptions in Church life coincided with key feasts, fasts, and liturgical moments — not as a matter of human conspiracy, but as part of a deeper "powers and principalities" reality that operates beyond individual actors. For more from Fr Turbo and to see his hand-painted icons, go here: https://www.desertwisdombookstore.com/shop ...and his parish : https://stmaryofegypt.net ...and here: https://www.skool.com/synaxisofsophia Sponsors: Fox n Sons Coffee: https://www.foxnsons.com Code: BUCK15 Harmony Icons: https://harmonyicons.com/counterflow Podsworth App: https://podsworth.com Code: BUCK50 for HALF off your first order! Clean up your recordings, sound like a pro, and support the Counterflow Podcast! Full Ad Read BEFORE processing: https://youtu.be/F4ljjtR5QfA Full Ad Read AFTER processing: https://youtu.be/J6trRTgmpwE Donate to the show here: https://www.patreon.com/counterflow Visit my website: https://www.counterflowpodcast.com Audio Production by Podsworth Media: https://www.podsworth.com Leave us a review and rating on Apple Podcasts! Thanks!

In this interview, we speak with Oath Keepers founder and firsthand participant in the January 6 events, Stewart Rhodes, to explore what actually happened that day, from early morning intentions to the chaos that unfolded, the legal aftermath, and the long-term personal consequences. We examine the gap between mainstream media narratives and lived experience, discuss federal involvement, accountability, and political responsibility, and reflect on the mental, spiritual, and moral toll of becoming a symbol in one of the most polarizing events in modern American history. For more information on Stewart, go here: https://oathkeepers.info ...and here: https://givesendgo.com/Oath Sponsors: Perfect Spiral Capital: https://PerfectSpiralCapital.com/counterflow Podsworth App: https://podsworth.com Code: BUCK50 for HALF off your first order! Clean up your recordings, sound like a pro, and support the Counterflow Podcast! Full Ad Read BEFORE processing: https://youtu.be/F4ljjtR5QfA Full Ad Read AFTER processing: https://youtu.be/J6trRTgmpwE Donate to the show here: https://www.patreon.com/counterflow Visit my website: https://www.counterflowpodcast.com Audio Production by Podsworth Media: https://www.podsworth.com Leave us a review and rating on Apple Podcasts! Thanks!

In this episode, Buck sits down with Fr. Emmanuel Lemelson to discuss a recent event widely framed as a historic step toward Christian unity, and why, from an Orthodox perspective, it feels anything but unifying. Drawing from firsthand experience and deep ecclesial memory, the conversation explores why language of "unity" often masks unresolved (and unresolvable) theological differences between Rome and Orthodoxy. Together, they speak candidly about papal authority, conciliarity, modern ecumenism, and why converts are often the first to feel the spiritual consequences of institutional ambiguity. This is not a polemic but a sober conversation about truth, faithfulness, and what Orthodoxy cannot surrender without ceasing to be itself. For more from Fr Emmanuel, check these links: YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Lemelson Substack: https://lemelson.substack.com Connect with @Lemelson on social media: https://facebook.com/lemelson https://twitter.com/Lemelson https://instagram.com/lemelson https://tiktok.com/@fr_emmanuel_lemelson https://www.linkedin.com/in/emmanuellemelson Sponsors: Fox n Sons Coffee: https://www.foxnsons.com Code: BUCK15 Perfect Spiral Capital: https://PerfectSpiralCapital.com/counterflow Podsworth App: https://podsworth.com Code: BUCK50 for HALF off your first order! Clean up your recordings, sound like a pro, and support the Counterflow Podcast! Full Ad Read BEFORE processing: https://youtu.be/F4ljjtR5QfA Full Ad Read AFTER processing: https://youtu.be/J6trRTgmpwE Donate to the show here: https://www.patreon.com/counterflow Visit my website: https://www.counterflowpodcast.com Audio Production by Podsworth Media: https://www.podsworth.com Leave us a review and rating on Apple Podcasts! Thanks!