Orthodox Priest Who Left Orthodoxy: A Response to Dr. Gavin Ortlund and Joshua Schooping

Orthodox Priest Who Left Orthodoxy: A Response to Dr. Gavin Ortlund and Joshua Schooping

Two Protestants can sound airtight when they critique Eastern Orthodoxy together, until you ask a simple question: do they even agree on what a church is? Jeremy Jeremiah of Cloud of Witnesses pulls apart a popular interview between Dr. Gavin Ortlund and Joshua Schooping, author of Disillusioned, a former Orthodox priest who is now a Lutheran pastor, and we respond point by point from an Orthodox perspective with church history, theology, and plain logic. We spend real time on the practical consequences of Protestant ecclesiology, not just the slogans. If a Lutheran pastor shaped by the Augsburg Confession would refuse communion to a Reformed Baptist who follows the 1689 London Baptist Confession, what does that say about claims of easy unity in the “invisible church”? We talk Eucharist theology, baptism debates, and how sacramental disagreement turns into competing definitions of a “true church.” Then we tackle the biggest claims head-on: Has the Eastern Orthodox Church truly remained unchanged? What counts as doctrine versus liturgical development? How should Christians read Nicaea II and the language around icons and veneration? And when Marian prayers are quoted as proof that Mary replaces Jesus, we slow down and read them in context as devotional, poetic language about intercession, while keeping Christ’s saving work central. We respond to a now Protestant discussion critiquing and frankly attacking Eastern Orthodoxy and explain why its framing collapses when you examine Protestant disagreements on the sacraments, the church, and salvation. We also defend Orthodox claims about continuity by separating minor liturgical development from core doctrinal stability across church history. • framing the interview as a strictly Protestant critique of Orthodoxy • contrasting Lutheran and Reformed Baptist ecclesiology on communion, baptism, and sacraments • challenging the idea that Protestantism offers a unified “invisible church” solution • addressing “one true church” anxiety and how mercy and salvation are discussed • separating liturgical variation from doctrinal continuity over 2,000 years • defending icons with early church evidence and the witness of ancient apostolic churches • responding to Nicaea II claims about forced icon veneration • interpreting Marian prayers as poetic intercession language rather than replacement of Christ • pushing back on claims that the gospel is absent from Orthodox worship If you care about Eastern Orthodoxy, Protestant apologetics, apostolic succession, icons, Mariology, and what it means to belong to the historic visible church, this conversation is for you. Subscribe, share this with a friend who’s debating Orthodoxy, and leave a review telling us where you agree or disagree. Two Protestants critique Orthodoxy, but can they even agree on baptism or communion? We break down the hidden contradiction and what it means for “the true church” claims.  Questions about Orthodoxy? Please check out our friends at Ghost of Byzantium Discord server: https://discord.gg/JDJDQw6tdh Please prayerfully consider supporting Cloud of Witnesses: https://www.patreon.com/c/CloudofWitnesses Find Cloud of Witnesses on Instagram, X.com, Facebook, and TikTok. Audio: https://cloudofwitnessesradio.buzzsprout.com Please leave a comment with your thoughts!

The Spiritual Crisis Behind Modern Music: How Faith Should Shape Music | Graham Sparkman Our Guest

What counts as real music now? We talk faith, artistry, and the blurry line between authentic and fake. AI is rewriting the rules of music in real time and it’s forcing all of us to ask a blunt question: can you still tell what’s real? Jeremy Jeremiah of Cloud of Witnesses sits down with recording artist and producer Graham Sparkman (https://www.grahamsparkman.com/) to talk about how AI-generated vocals, prompt-written lyrics, and even “fake bands” are changing the music industry day by day, and why the glossy pop machine can feel less like creativity and more like a carefully managed false image. We sit down with recording artist and producer Graham Sparkman to talk about what AI is doing to modern music and why authenticity matters when image and technology can replace the real thing. We also share the stories behind Graham’s Orthodox and folk recordings, including how faith shapes his creative choices and why he keeps his work off the stage. • AI in the music industry and the growing real versus fake problem • Pop stardom as a false image and the pull of audience idolatry • How recording technology always changes what counts as “cheating” • Streaming platforms, licensing, and the loss of true music ownership • The Moravian nativity folk song from Nativity Fire and filming inside a parish • Finding repertoire, translating lyrics, and making a folk song his own • Recording vocals under pressure with family life in the background • Cherubic Hymn arrangement choices and balancing voices through overdubs • Lestovka as a concept album tracing a journey into Orthodoxy • Where to find Graham’s music and what he is producing next From there, we get honest about the spiritual stakes. We talk about worship, the temptation of pride on a stage, and why Graham chooses to focus on making records instead of chasing live shows. We also dig into the economics behind streaming platforms, how “owning music” has turned into licensing, and why that shift hits independent artists especially hard. Then the conversation opens into beauty. Graham shares the story behind a Moravian nativity folk song from his Nativity Fire release, filmed inside his Orthodox parish, and the very real recording process behind it including a time-crunched “one take” vocal captured between family logistics. We also touch on Orthodox hymn arrangements, studio decisions that shape how a choir feels in your headphones, and Graham’s concept album Listovka as a musical parallel to his journey into the Orthodox Church. He closes with where to find his work and a preview of a new liturgical recording project currently in the works. A nativity folk song from Moravia, filmed inside an Orthodox church, plus the wild story of a “one take” vocal recorded while the kids waited in the minivan. If you enjoyed this, subscribe for more conversations at the intersection of faith, culture, and craft, share the episode with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find the show. Find more of Graham's music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/graham-sparkman/1060209220 https://open.spotify.com/artist/1yw5b4vDjPt1oA5DSSxzp5?si=DI6p3dq7QpK6i_7vpAHZZA&nd=1&dlsi=a90ef59203ce4f85 Questions about Orthodoxy? Please check out our friends at Ghost of Byzantium Discord server: https://discord.gg/JDJDQw6tdh Please prayerfully consider supporting Cloud of Witnesses: https://www.patreon.com/c/CloudofWitnesses Find Cloud of Witnesses on Instagram, X.com, Facebook, and TikTok. Audio: https://cloudofwitnessesradio.buzzsprout.com Please leave a comment with your thoughts!

Re-Thinking Protestantism Through the Fathers: He's Leaving Protestant Evangelicalism Now What?

“If 10 people say the Holy Spirit told them 10 different meanings, how do I know who’s right?” A raw conversation on Protestantism, Catholicism, Orthodoxy, and the early Church. He tried to quit porn for the millionth time, sat down in silence, and opened the Bible at random. Proverbs 5 stared back like a warning with his name on it and that was the moment Tremayne Collins (https://www.instagram.com/tremaynecollins001/) stopped being a “fan” of church and started taking Christ seriously. What follows is a story of repentance, recovery, and rebuilding a life around Scripture, mentorship, and real spiritual discipline. Jeremy Jeremiah of Cloud of Witnesses talks with Tremayne Collins about leaving atheism behind, confronting a long battle with pornography, and finding a serious Christian life through repentance, recovery, and Scripture. Then we follow the questions that hit next when sincere Christians disagree on doctrine and church history starts pointing beyond modern Protestantism. • Tremayne’s background in Lutheranism, then years away from faith • A moment in Proverbs 5 that sparks repentance and change • Porn addiction recovery, mentorship, and building daily Scripture habits • Why theological disagreement in non-denominational churches creates an authority crisis • Early church fathers and what they teach about Eucharist, baptism, and holiness • Orthodoxy’s critique of Western innovations and why the Reformation happened • Purgatory, Mary, papal claims, and what Orthodoxy does and does not affirm • Why sola scriptura depends on later historical conditions and canon choices • A reading recommendation for comparing Protestantism, Catholicism, and Orthodoxy But a new problem shows up fast: theology. In a non-denominational world, smart and sincere Christians can read the same passage and still end up in opposite places on salvation, assurance, righteousness, and church practice. Tremayne asks the question many people are afraid to say out loud: if everyone claims the Holy Spirit, how do you tell which interpretation is true? That question pushes us into church authority, the limits of private interpretation, and why “Bible alone” can feel impossible to live out without a coherent guide. From there we head into early church history, the church fathers, and the surprising discovery that writers like Irenaeus and Ignatius don’t sound like modern Protestantism on the Eucharist and baptism. We also dig into Catholic vs Orthodox differences, the Great Schism, “innovations” in the West, and why Orthodoxy rejects purgatory. Along the way, we recommend Rock and Sand by Father Josiah Trenham for anyone who wants an Orthodox perspective on the Reformation and a grounded introduction to Eastern Christianity. If you’re sorting through Protestantism, Roman Catholicism, and Eastern Orthodoxy or you’re searching for the historic Christian faith, this conversation will give you better questions and clearer next steps. Subscribe, share this with a friend who loves church history, and leave a review with your biggest sticking point: authority, Mary, purgatory, or something else? Questions about Orthodoxy? Please check out our friends at Ghost of Byzantium Discord server: https://discord.gg/JDJDQw6tdh Please prayerfully consider supporting Cloud of Witnesses: https://www.patreon.com/c/CloudofWitnesses Find Cloud of Witnesses on Instagram, X.com, Facebook, and TikTok. Audio: https://cloudofwitnessesradio.buzzsprout.com Please leave a comment with your thoughts!

From Pentecostal Roots To Orthodox Faith: Tony’s Journey Through Schism, Doctrine, And Healing (Uncut Edition)

Orthodoxy Ended Church Shopping: When Church History Won My Heart.  Special Uncut Edition. What if the ache you feel on Sunday isn’t a lack of passion, but a hunger for roots? Tony Nektarios Vasquez joins us to share how a Pentecostal upbringing, a non-denominational season, and eventually a Calvinist-leaning church plant still left him asking where the first 1,500 years fit in. His story is not a theory lesson—it’s a family saga: a praying father discovering the Desert Fathers, a brother slipping out to Vespers, a wife and children encountering reverence for the first time, and a co-pastor who realized that history, Scripture, and worship belong together. We trace Tony’s path from Pentecostal roots and a non-denominational church plant to a sober look at church history, liturgy, and apostolic succession. Family doubts, online study, and the beauty of Vespers turn hesitation into conviction as Scripture and tradition align. • questioning charismatic altar practices and emotionalism • moving from Reformers to the first 1,500 years • parish visits to St James and first Vespers • answers on icons, relics, and intercession from Scripture • liturgy as continuity with Old Testament worship • apostolic succession and the promise that the Church endures • closing a young church to enter Orthodoxy • finding healing and stability in the sacraments We walk through the uncomfortable questions most avoid. Are altar manifestations genuine or coached? Does sola fide stand when held beside James and the early Church? How do relics, icons, and the intercession of the saints square with the Bible? Tony takes us inside St. James Orthodox Church in Modesto, where incense and chant weren’t novelty, but a doorway to Christ-centered prayer. He shares the moment his daughter said the hymns made her want to cry, the way Revelation reframed prayer as a communion of heaven and earth, and how apostolic succession answered the authority problem that haunted his independent church. This conversation is a guided tour from system to story, from proof texts to a living tradition. We touch on the continuity between Old Testament worship and the Divine Liturgy, the claim that the Church Christ founded never paused or rebooted, and the quiet courage it took to close a young church for a faith that felt both ancient and alive. If you’ve wondered where the dots connect—Scripture, history, and sacrament—this is an honest map drawn in real time. If this resonates, share it with a friend, subscribe for more thoughtful journeys into the ancient faith, and leave a review to help others find the show. Your questions and stories shape future episodes—drop them in the comments and say hello to Tony. Questions about Orthodoxy? Please check out our friends at Ghost of Byzantium Discord server: https://discord.gg/JDJDQw6tdh Please prayerfully consider supporting Cloud of Witnesses: https://www.patreon.com/c/CloudofWitnesses Find Cloud of Witnesses on Instagram, X.com, Facebook, and TikTok. Please leave a comment with your thoughts!

"America Will Become Orthodox!" Saintly Prophecy or How To Read the Church Fathers in Context?

A single sentence from a saint can inspire a whole generation, or mislead it. We open with the line many Orthodox Christians have heard, “Saint Paisios said America will become Orthodox,” then slow the story down to ask the question most of us skip: what was actually said, to whom, through what translation, and with what intent? That one case becomes a clear window into how patristic quotes and saint sayings spread online, especially when memes replace sources and confidence replaces context. Translations shape theology. We dig into why older patristic translations can smuggle in legalistic language, and why terms like “atonement” and “substitution” carry baggage. Cloud of Witnesses, Jeremy Jeremiah, Mario Andrew, and James St. Simon talk with Father Joseph Lucas about how patristic quotes get distorted and how to read the Church Fathers in context without turning memes into theology. We trace how the Orthodox Church leans on consensus, careful sourcing, and prayerful practice so our reading leads to repentance rather than argument. • the Saint Paisios “America will become Orthodox” quote and why its original context is more tentative • why unsupported “floating quotes” should not shape doctrine or spiritual decisions • authority in tradition through ecumenical councils and the consensus of the Fathers • reading individual Fathers through the lens of the wider patristic tradition • why Saint Augustine needs careful, contextual reading alongside the Greek Fathers • the difference between modern online apologetics and patristic apologetics with oversight • why ancient rhetorical attacks do not translate well to today’s debates • how translation choices can import legalistic or forensic connotations • why “the theologian is one who prays” matters and how Saint Mary of Egypt models it Please, if you haven't already, give this video a like. Let us know your thoughts down below. Subscribe if you want more content like this. If you haven't bought the book yet please go check it out I would recommend it highly. You can find this entire conversation at our Patreon right now. Father Joseph Lucas, author of How To Read The Holy Fathers, helps us build a practical framework for reading the Church Fathers and the wider Orthodox tradition responsibly. We talk about patristic consensus, why ecumenical councils carry unique weight, and why later “compiler” saints can guide ordinary readers toward what the Church has truly received. We also tackle tough edges like how to approach Saint Augustine carefully, how to think about figures like Origen, and why you cannot build a full Orthodox theology on one favorite author. We then turn to Orthodox apologetics today: what it gets right, what it risks, and why ancient debate tactics do not map neatly onto modern online arguments. We close with translation and theology language, including how certain English terms can carry legalistic baggage, and we return to the heart of the Fathers: theology that forms prayer, repentance, and transformation, beautifully embodied in Saint Mary of Egypt. That “famous” Church Father quote might be fake or twisted. We talk with Fr. Joseph Lucas about reading the Holy Fathers in context, spotting meme theology, and staying inside the Church’s consensus. Questions about Orthodoxy? Please check out our friends at Ghost of Byzantium Discord server: https://discord.gg/JDJDQw6tdh Please prayerfully consider supporting Cloud of Witnesses: https://www.patreon.com/c/CloudofWitnesses Find Cloud of Witnesses on Instagram, X.com, Facebook, and TikTok. Audio: https://cloudofwitnessesradio.buzzsprout.com Please leave a comment with your thoughts!