Something unheard of is going on in Orthodox Churches across America: The pews aren’t just full, they’re crowded.
Until recently, attendance in the Orthodox Church – by far the smallest of the three branches of Christianity – had been waning. In many churches, immigrants from countries with heavy Orthodox presence made up the lion’s share of parishioners, and their American-born children tended to drift towards Protestantism, or away from religion entirely.
But all of a sudden, young men are showing up in droves.
The rapid influx is being called the largest growth in attendance in the history of Orthodoxy in America. What’s behind the massive surge?
The Rise of the "Orthobro"
Some experts speculate that the renewed interest in Orthodoxy is being driven by a perceived masculinity crisis facing Gen Z men.
The difficulties facing young men have been well documented in recent years, from struggles in the job market to romantic troubles with women. Many have reported a sense of malaise and listlessness stemming from these problems.
Orthodoxy, some converts say, gives them purpose in an explicitly masculine tradition. This trend was reported on most recently in the New York Times, where journalist Ruth Graham visited an Orthodox Church in Pennsylvania to understand what's driving young men to join.
“The Orthodox Church is the only church that really coaches men hard, and says, ‘This is what you need to do,’” explained Josh Elkins, a 20-year-old Orthodox man. The faith “appeals to the masculine soul,” he stated.
Longtime church attendees say that their new converts are attracted to the unabashed masculinity of the church. Priests (who must be male) wear beards, they’re married, they have robust families. Whereas many Protestant churches offer feel-good sermons and sing-a-long worship, Orthodoxy promotes stoicism through practices like fasting.
It’s being driven by influencers like Rev. Josiah Trenham, a frequent face on conservative podcasts and YouTube shows. Trenham and others like him speak on perceived threats to traditional masculinity – feminism, the LGBTQ+ community, pornography – in ways that are resonating with Gen Z.
In Orthodoxy, he says, these wayward men will find a home.
A Generation in Crisis?
For some observers, this trend is cause for concern.
Many of the online spaces feeding the "Orthobro" pipeline overlap heavily with right-wing influencer ecosystems where ironic jokes about women, LGBTQ+ people, and racial minorities often blur into full-blown hateful ideology.
What begins as light-hearted memes or edgy commentary can gradually escalate into more explicit misogyny, homophobia, and even racism, because the platforms where these Orthodox influencers exist are designed to reward ever-more provocative content.
On the other hand, what’s happening in Orthodox churches right now could be viewed as a window into the anxieties, hopes, and identity struggles shaping Gen Z.
For some, the appeal of Orthodoxy is ancient beauty and ritual. For others, it’s a structure they feel modern life has failed to provide. And for a certain subset of converts, it’s a return to a type of stoic masculinity much of the rest of society has moved away from.
What do you think? Is the surge we’re seeing in Orthodox pews across America a sign of renewed faith, a search for identity, or a symptom of broader cultural tensions? Are we seeing a genuine revival, a cultural reaction… or something else entirely?
4 comments
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James Riggle-Johnson
I’m glad they’re finding something that helps them feel more confident, but I still don’t understand why so many young men suddenly decided they were “less masculine” to start with. It’s sad, honestly. Gen Z is the first generation that grew up with the internet in their pocket 24/7 and then had the pandemic hit them hard — isolating them, cutting off milestones, and even taking away things like graduation. That would shake anyone’s sense of identity.
But blaming that loss on women’s rights or LGBTQ people is way off the mark.
The pandemic is over. Go out and socialize in person. Step away from the screens, talk to people face-to-face, and see what the world actually looks like instead of what the algorithm tells you it is. If going to church gives them community and lifts them up, I genuinely hope it does.
Just remember: you don’t need to perform some outdated stereotype to be a man. Show kindness, take responsibility, and treat people well — that’s masculinity that actually lasts.
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Father Frederick
Let's not forget that the opinions of Rev. Josiah Trenham are HIS views. I doubt that the church interest in general is due to perceived threats to traditional masculinity/feminism. That doesn't me one can be, but to paint with a broad brush is rather ignorant. From my view in the upper midwest, the attraction to the Orthodox church seems to be for structure and practice. I can't help but notice that in some of Russian Orthodox churches, mostly catering to Ukrainian refugees, American men expect an order; like how the military has specific ways of doing something without deviation. They appreciate that week to week the service does not deviate, and that the priest's actions are predictable and standard. Maybe not a bad thing?
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J. Anderson
...and when was 'Lysistrata' written? The pendulum swings eternal...
Interesting 🤔 they describe the attitude I was raised in what is a true manly man. And every thing they believe is the exact opposite of everything Yeshua the Messiah teaches in the scriptures they claim to follow. This neither support or bashes the alternate life style fad plaguing the planet in last few decades. Yes, scriptures say the Male is to be "Head of house" Our Father never said be a tyrant over your family. The fourth Commandment states "Honour thy Father AND thy Mother." And only one with a promise attached. What the article failed to relay to the people is they teach masculinity and leave out what mother can teach the men. My mother taught me to be a man and respect my wife, "she's your wife and helper not your slave and sex toy." And she taught me "Jesus wept" showing loving compassion.