140. Touring St. Paul Antiochian Orthodox Church | Saints, Spiritual Warfare & the Ancient Faith140. Touring St. Paul Antiochian Orthodox Church | Saints, Spiritual Warfare & the Ancient Faith
Raised & Redeemed
Michaela joins parishioner Theophan and priest Father Paul for a spirited tour of an Antiochian Orthodox church, unpacking icons, saints and spiritual warfare. The conversation contrasts Western spiritual habits with Orthodox practice, touching on conversion, counterfeit spirituality and the search for genuine healing.
1:09:07•7 Oct 2026
From Missionary to Orthodox: Saints, Spiritual Warfare and a Living Church
Episode Overview
- Spiritual experiences can feel powerful yet still be counterfeit, so testing them against the ancient Christian tradition is crucial.
- Orthodox worship spaces are designed to let people "breathe" theology through icons, architecture and liturgical actions.
- The Theotokos is presented as the door through which Christ entered the world and through whom believers are led to her Son.
- Saints are seen as humans who have returned to paradise in their souls, offering living examples and intercession for the faithful.
- Honest confession and patient endurance in family and community life are portrayed as key paths toward real spiritual healing.
“In the West, theology is something you intellectualise, but in the East, theology is something you breathe.”
Curious about how others find genuine spiritual healing? This episode follows Michaela as she visits St. Paul Antiochian Orthodox Church in Naples, Florida, guided by parishioner and church tour regular, Theophan. Instead of a dry history lesson, you’ll get an energetic walk-through of a living worship space, packed with stories, symbolism and some honest humour. Theophan shares his unexpected path from Pentecostal youth pastor and Protestant missionary in Romania to becoming Orthodox, including the moment he realised, “I’ve screwed up.
I’m really screwing up right now,” standing in vespers and feeling both panic and deep attraction to the ancient faith. His frank reflections on yoga, charismatic spiritual experiences and what he later saw as counterfeit spirituality offer food for thought for anyone who’s chased intense experiences and still felt empty.
You’ll hear vivid explanations of icons, saints and the dramatic chandelier that, as he puts it, shows how “the unseen God became seen.” He contrasts Western habits of over-intellectualising faith with the Eastern experience of breathing theology through art, architecture and worship. There’s also plenty on spiritual warfare, the role of confession, and why Orthodoxy is described as “the hospital for hurting humanity”. Family life isn’t hidden in the background either.
With kids running around, the conversation touches on how noisy children, tired parents and supportive parishioners all share the ascetic effort of learning patience, prayer and community. Later, priest Father Paul joins in to clarify what saints are, why they’re seen as truly healed humans, and how physical suffering can still become “to the glory of God” when the soul is rightly oriented.
If you’ve ever wondered whether there’s a difference between holy Christian spirituality and the counterfeits, or how ancient practices might meet modern wounds, this episode might leave you asking: where would you place yourself in this story?
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