The Symbolic World

Fr. Stephen De Young is back on the podcast to discuss his latest book, St. Paul the Pharisee. St. Paul is at the core of many modern misunderstandings about Christianity; Fr. Stephen presents how we can understand St. Paul’s writings within the context of who he was, when he lived, and who he was addressing in his epistles, ultimately bringing us closer to the vision Christ Himself gave us.-Buy Fr. Stephen’s book on the Ancient Faith Store - Saint Paul the Pharisee: Jewish Apostle to All Nations: https://store.ancientfaith.com/saint-paul-the-pharisee-jewish-apostle-to-all-nations/ -On Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Saint-Paul-Pharisee-Apostle-Nations/dp/1955890706==========Book description==========The centuries after the Protestant Reformation brought about a radical reinterpretation of the epistles of St. Paul, disconnected from any historical reality. But Paul operated, during his entire life, as a faithful Pharisee within the Roman Jewish world. In Saint Paul the Pharisee: Jewish Apostle to All Nations, Fr. Stephen De Young surveys Paul’s life and writings, interpreting them within the Holy Tradition of the Orthodox Church. This survey is followed by De Young’s interpretive translation of St. Paul’s epistles, which deliberately avoids overly familiar terminology. By using words and ideas grounded in first-century Judaism, De Young hopes to unsettle commonly held notions and help the reader reassess St. Paul in his historical context.==========NEW SYMBOLIC WORLD COURSE==========Join us for Annie Crawford's course on C.S. Lewis' Till We Have Faces, starting live on January 17th, 2025. Register now: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/till-we-have-faces-with-annie-crawford==========Other links==========Lord of Spirits podcast: https://www.ancientfaith.com/podcasts/lordofspirits/Fr. Stephen’s talk at the Symbolic World Summit 2024, Friedrich Nietzsche’s Guide to the Bodily Resurrection: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4OVbxZJ463QDaily Wire The Gospels seminar: https://www.dailywire.com/show/the-gospels   💻 Website and blog: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/jonathanpageau 🗣 Join The Symbolic World Community for discussions about symbolism: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe 🔒 BECOME A PATRON: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe 📱 SOCIAL MEDIA  Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TheSymbolicWorld Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/pageaujonathan Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jonathan.pageau==========Timestamps==========00:00 - Coming up01:13 - Intro music01:38 - Introduction to St. Paul and Contextual Understanding06:16 - Settling the "works vs faith" debate13:06 - St. Paul and the Gospels: A Unified Message15:37 - Scholasticism vs Mysticism20:17 - The Transformation of Society through St. Paul's Vision24:19 - Slavery and Christian Ethics in St. Paul's Writings32:34 - The Kingdom of Heaven is already here38:15 - Hierarchy bad39:58 - The core of St. Paul's teachings: Faithfulness41:34 - The Call to Individual Purpose46:32 - The Nature of Christian Hierarchy51:32 - St. Paul: Context and Misunderstandings56:03 - Keeping Jewish practices01:04:56 - The Sabbath01:05:50 - Tradition preserves context01:11:08 - Understanding St. Paul: A Personal ConnectionOur website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/

Paul Kingsnorth gave a provocative talk for First Things' Erasmus Lecture of 2024, titled "Against Christian Civilization". In this episode, we discuss the essence of his argument, delving into the fundamental tensions between Christianity and civilization. How does faith interact with culture? What is the Biblical narrative around cities and governance? Are we misusing Christianity as a tool for cultural preservation over pursuing true spiritual transformation? Is Western Civilization as we know it even salvable at this point?-Paul Kingsnorth’s First Things talk: "Against Christian Civilization" | 2024 Erasmus Lecture: https://www.youtube.com/live/Y3hMSZqatHI?si=bmT1rqPyEF-LvR0_ -Written article version of his talk: Against Christian Civilization, January 2025: https://www.firstthings.com/article/2025/01/against-christian-civilization ==========NEW SYMBOLIC WORLD COURSE==========Join us for Annie Crawford's course on C.S. Lewis' Till We Have Faces, starting live on January 17th, 2025. Register now: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/till-we-have-faces-with-annie-crawford==========TIMESTAMPS==========00:00 - Coming up01:31 - Intro music01:56 - Introduction03:02 - The essence of Paul's talk07:13 - Civilization and Revelation12:02 - A Christian's challenge16:45 - The Biblical vision31:13 - What about the rulers?37:01 - Buildings42:10 - Brands and idols47:27 - The seed and the fruit49:24 - Celebrating stories💻 Website and blog: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/jonathanpageau 🗣 Join The Symbolic World Community for discussions about symbolism: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe 🔒 BECOME A PATRON: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe 📱 SOCIAL MEDIA  Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TheSymbolicWorld Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/pageaujonathan Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jonathan.pageauOur website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/

In celebration of the Feast of Theophany I discuss the role of St. John the Baptist, or St. John the Forerunner, as he's known in the Orthodox tradition. Why does Christ need a forerunner? What is he actually doing, symbolically? And how does his appearance, behavior, and death participate in the pattern that's already being set up in the Old Testament?Original YouTube version: https://youtu.be/dvUQXKdpJy0💻 Website and blog: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/jonathanpageau 🗣 Join The Symbolic World Community for discussions about symbolism: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe 🔒 BECOME A PATRON: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe ==========NEW SYMBOLIC WORLD COURSE==========Join us for Annie Crawford's course on C.S. Lewis' Till We Have Faces, starting live on January 17th, 2025. If you register before Thursday, 8 pm EST, you can get 15% off with the discount code: LEWIS2025. Register now: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/till-we-have-faces-with-annie-crawford==========TIMESTAMPS==========00:00 - Introduction00:32 - Intro music00:57 - The role of St. John04:05 - Prefigurations of St. John04:21 - The flood of Noah05:15 - The Tower of Babel06:06 - The Exodus07:55 - Elijah09:37 - St. John in the wilderness12:36 - The voice in the desert13:51 - Wild15:58 - Stability in Logos17:55 - Elijah will return21:49 - Taken up before the end23:21 - Joseph in Egypt26:16 - Conclusion📱 SOCIAL MEDIA  Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TheSymbolicWorld Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/pageaujonathan Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jonathan.pageauOur website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson.

For this interview I have a great discussion with organist, pianist, conductor, arranger, and recording artist Matthew Wilkinson, who also happened to put together the Symbolic World intro music. We delve into the symbolism of music, particularly focusing on Bach's organ works. The discussion also touches on the evolution of musical styles from the Baroque period to the Classical, modern and postmodern eras, the historical context of music, from the music of the spheres to modern dissonance, and how these concepts reflect broader ideas about hierarchy and opposites.Support Matthew Wilkinson's wonderful work: Check out his website and buy his CD: https://matthewwilkinson.net/Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/24DSGAdbVt7by0JHEqTwMh?si=ZJlpdMkcSg6SfMvz7YbkFgYouTube: https://youtube.com/@matthewwilkinson2276?si=m1gbZgTSpOALVdq5Join us for Annie Crawford's course on C.S. Lewis' Till We Have Faces, starting live on January 17th, 2025. Learn more here: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/till-we-have-faces-with-annie-crawfordOriginal YouTube version: https://youtu.be/d-9FRODiDKM  Timestamps:00:00 - Coming up00:56 - Intro music01:21 - Introduction02:18 - The album on Bach05:38 - Trinitarian symbolism14:49 - Meaning in structure vs outside it20:15 - The hero's journey22:05 - Signatures25:06 - Subject and countersubject26:19 - The organ29:25 - Going through the entrances32:39 - Various subjects35:03 - Baroque36:37 - Counterpoint37:21 - Duality in music40:14 - Music of the spheres43:54 - Hierarchy in beats47:15 - Glenn Gould49:19 - The dialectic51:04 - Hierarchy in music55:16 - Music in the modern era01:07:45 - Postmodernism💻 Website and blog: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/jonathanpageau 🗣 Join The Symbolic World Community for discussions about symbolism: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe 🔒 BECOME A PATRON: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe 📱 SOCIAL MEDIA  Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TheSymbolicWorld Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/pageaujonathan Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jonathan.pageauOur website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson.

This is a repost of a talk given at St-George Antiochian Orthodox Church in Montreal, originally posted in 2018.The Nativity icon is not only the image of an event that happened two thousands years ago, but rather by its form and the hierarchy of its elements, shows us the inner working of how the Divine Logos creates the world and how His incarnation acts as the anchor, the fulcrum around which all manifestation holds together.  Original YouTube version: https://youtu.be/i8xow567P74Don’t forget to check out our Christmas Symbolism playlist of all the videos I made about Christmas over the years:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLVX4HUUPrIY9MeGP5IILeRzu62Q1NPT4CTimestamps:00:00 - Introduction01:10 - Intro music01:34 - Introducing the talk03:50 - The fast05:29 - Elements of the nativity icon08:04 - St. Joseph tempted by the devil10:44 - The bullseye13:24 - The ass and ox15:40 - Why born in a cave?20:31 - God with us25:44 - The real question32:44 - Q&A: The river gods35:20 - Q: The axe35:50 - Q: Early icons37:08 - Q: Children baptized38:12 - Q: Snakes under the door💻 Website and blog: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/jonathanpageau 🗣 Join The Symbolic World Community for discussions about symbolism: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe 🔒 BECOME A PATRON: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe 📱 SOCIAL MEDIA  Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TheSymbolicWorld Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/pageaujonathan Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jonathan.pageauOur website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson.

In this episode, I explore a dark narrative aspect of the Christmas story: the Massacre of the Innocents at the hand of King Herod, connecting it to various Old Testament variations on the pattern: Joseph and the Pharaoh, Jacob and Esau, and David and King Saul. Christ brings all of these stories together in a unique and mind-blowing way, not just in the Gospels, but also in what happens in history afterwards…Original YouTube version: https://youtu.be/cGZn-hv7disCheck out my other videos on Christmas: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLVX4HUUPrIY9MeGP5IILeRzu62Q1NPT4C💻 Website and blog: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/jonathanpageau 🗣 Join The Symbolic World Community for discussions about symbolism: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe 🔒 BECOME A PATRON: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe 00:00 - Introduction01:42 - Intro music02:07 - The text03:39 - What's going on?03:59 - Pharaoh kills children in Egypt05:48 - Joseph son of Israel07:11 - Jacob and Esau09:22 - King Saul and David10:31 - The story of Jesus12:11 - A prophecy: killed by His brothers13:43 - The conversion of Rome14:47 - Going back in time16:38 - Why is this part of reality?📱 SOCIAL MEDIA  Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TheSymbolicWorld Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/pageaujonathan Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jonathan.pageauOur website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson.

This is a repost of the November 2024's patron video where I take a closer look into the restoration of Notre Dame de Paris. After a devastating fire in 2019, and 5 years of reconstruction, Notre Dame is now officially open. But did they get it right in how they rebuilt the church?🔒 BECOME A PATRON: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe 💻 Website and blog: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/jonathanpageau Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson.

I sat down with Fr. Josiah Trenham, archpriest at St. Andrew Orthodox Church in Riverside, California, and founder and director of Patristic Nectar Publications. With over 30 years of experience as a priest in America, Fr. Josiah has a wealth of knowledge about the state of Orthodoxy in the West and the challenges converts face. We discuss various aspects of Orthodox and contemporary life: beauty, money, politics, sexuality, the youth, psychedelics, artificial intelligence, and more. Enjoy.Support Fr. Josiah’s work at Patristic Nectar Publications: https://patristicnectar.org/ @PatristicNectarFilms  Original YouTube version: https://youtu.be/nSlZMeYD-PE==============Timestamps==============00:00 - Coming up01:07 - Intro music01:32 - Introduction03:06 - The state of Orthodoxy in America11:09 - What happened?18:07 - Change and the conversion of young men24:00 - Prioritizing beauty35:31 - Balancing the budget38:37 - Orthobros42:41 - Bear yourself50:16 - The ancient pagan world vs modern secular world55:15 - Psychedelics59:34 - The future is religious01:01:15 - Artificial intelligence01:07:38 - Intuition about what's coming💻 Website and blog: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/jonathanpageau 🗣 Join The Symbolic World Community for discussions about symbolism: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe 🔒 BECOME A PATRON: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe 📱 SOCIAL MEDIA  Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TheSymbolicWorld Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/pageaujonathan Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jonathan.pageauOur website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson.

A clip has been circulating from the upcoming Christianities movie, hosted by John Heers, of Tucker Carlson recounting a terrifying experience he had where he woke up with bleeding claw marks on his sides and is convinced it was a demonic attack. In this video I discuss such experiences. How is it possible that a spiritual entity can physically manifest?Support the Christianities movie and check out the sneak peak clip of Tucker Carlson recounting his experience of a demonic attack: https://www.christianitiesmovie.com/sneak-peak YouTube version: https://youtu.be/YJAWgfCJv8E======SYMBOLIC WORLD COURSES: 50% OFF BLACK FRIDAY SALE======Did you miss out on a Symbolic World course this year? Here’s your chance! This Black Friday, enjoy 50% off six of our Symbolic World courses and 25% off my carving courses.Use the code BLACKFRIDAY2024 at checkout between 12:00 AM EST on Friday, Nov. 29 and 11:59 PM EST on Monday, Dec. 1.Courses on Sale:-Universal History: Beowulf with Richard Rohlin and Jonathan Pageau-Inferno: The Symbolic World Goes to Hell with Richard Rohlin and Jonathan Pageau-Purgatorio: The Symbolic World Ascends the Mountain with Richard Rohlin and Jonathan Pageau-Symbolic World Metaphysics with JP Marceau-C.S. Lewis and the Cosmic Trilogy with Annie Crawford-The Symbolic World Summit 2024 Video Package (includes all lectures and breakout sessions)Carving Courses (25% Off):Use the same code, BLACKFRIDAY2024, to get discounts on my Thinkific carving courses:-Carving an Icon of the Holy Virgin-Carving St. John the BaptistPlease note: The discount applies to one-time purchases only. Ensure you're logged into the Symbolic World Circle platform before making your purchase.==============CHRISTIAN WONDER TALES==============Join Dr. Martin Shaw for his first ever online course on Christian Wonder Tales! This is our most highly anticipated course yet, with more sign-ups than any other we’ve hosted on The Symbolic World. Don’t miss out on this unique opportunity to participate live, with Martin’s awe-inspiring storytelling and insights now part of the growing initiative for re-enchantment. Register today and fall in love with stories that will bring symbolism to life: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/christian-wonder-tales Dates: Tuesdays, November 12 - December 10, 2024 (no class November 19)Time: 2 - 4 pm ESTWhere: The Symbolic World Circle Community Platform Cost: $190 (4-installment payment option & 10% Involved supporter discount available, apply code at checkout)Get immediate access to a recommended reading listAll lesson recordings will be made available to participants with downloadable audio==============LINKS==============💻 Website and blog: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/jonathanpageau 🔒 BECOME A PATRON: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe 📱 SOCIAL MEDIA  Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TheSymbolicWorld Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/pageaujonathan Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jonathan.pageauOur website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson.

Rod Dreher and I had a great discussion about his latest book, Living in Wonder. We discussed re-enchantment, UFOs, AI, attention, the internet, and more. Enjoy!Get Rod's book - Living in Wonder: Finding Mystery and Meaning in a Secular Age: https://www.amazon.com/Living-Wonder-Finding-Mystery-Meaning/dp/0310369126YouTube version: https://youtu.be/KvNM1AefXN0 ===========Book description===========The West has become "disenchanted"--closed to the idea that the universe contains the supernatural, the metaphysical, or the non-material. Christianity is in crisis. People today are leaving the Church because faith has become dry and lifeless. But people aren't leaving faith for atheism. They are still searching for the divine, and it might just be right under their noses.In Living in Wonder, thought leader, cultural critic, and New York Times bestselling author Rod Dreher shows you how to encounter and embrace wonder in the world. In his trademark mixture of analysis, reporting, and personal story, Dreher brings together history, cultural anthropology, neuroscience, and the ancient Church to show you--no matter your religious affiliation--how to reconnect with the natural world and the Great Tradition of Christianity so you can relate to the world with more depth and connection.He shares stories of miracles, rumors of angels, and outbreaks of awe to offer hope, as well as a guide for discerning and defending the truth in a confusing and spiritually dark culture, full of contemporary spiritual deceptions and tempting counterfeit spiritualities.The world is not what we think it is. It is far more mysterious, exciting, connected, and adventurous. As you learn practical ways to regain a sense of wonder and awaken your sense of God's presence--through prayer, attention, and living by spiritual disciplines--your eyes will be opened, and you will find the very thing every one of us searches for: our ultimate meaning.===========Other books mentioned===========- Passport to Magonia: https://www.amazon.co.za/Passport-Magonia-Folklore-Flying-Saucers/dp/0987422480 - Free version: https://archive.org/details/passporttomagoni0000vall_m8g5- American Cosmic, by D.W. Pasulka: https://www.amazon.com/American-Cosmic-UFOs-Religion-Technology/dp/019069288X - The Mountain of Silence, by Kyriacos C Markide: https://www.amazon.co.za/Mountain-Silence-Search-Orthodox-Spirituality/dp/0385500920 ===========Christian Wonder Tales course===========Sign up for Dr. Martin Shaw's first-ever live online course, Christian Wonder Tales. This 4-week, 8-hour course is hosted on the Symbolic World Circle Community. Patrons at the Involved level or higher get 10% off, apply your discount code at checkout: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/christian-wonder-tales ===========Timestamps===========00:00 - Coming up01:13 - Intro music01:38 - Enchantment is having a moment06:54 - A strange enchantment21:20 - A positive aspect of this23:19 - Psychedelics and the Californian Buddhist25:37 - Rod's journey to Christianity30:23 - What's on the horizon? AI33:01 - UFOs and the great religious deception38:39 - UFO spiritual influences40:37 - Pay attention46:04 - Rod's book's reception49:35 - Propositional vs being in person52:24 - Embodiment55:08 - Christian re-enchantment💻 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.