There are certain headlines that reawaken one’s faith in the strange unpredictability of American spiritual quests, and “Young US men are joining Russian churches promising ‘absurd levels of manliness’” is certainly among them. Drawing from a recent BBC report, it appears that the pursuit of old-fashioned masculinity is sending a steady trickle of disenchanted young American men—not to the local gym, or a cabin in the woods, but instead straight into the incense-laden naves of Russian Orthodox churches. It’s like Eat Pray Love but with fewer yoga retreats and more opinions about Taylor Swift concerts.

From Roofers to Priests: A Brood Awakening

The BBC details the transformation of Father Moses McPherson, a former roofer now serving as a priest in the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (ROCOR) in Georgetown, Texas. As noted in the article, McPherson has seen his congregation triple in size over the last eighteen months, with many of these new parishioners turning up via his online presence. These days, parish growth seems tied as much to viral content as to theology—Father Moses is described championing “absurd levels of manliness” in YouTube videos, dismissing everything from skinny jeans to soup as markers of insufficient masculinity, and starring in weightlifting clips set to heavy metal.

The report weaves in the story of Theodore, a software engineer and recent convert, who recalls feeling empty despite having a “dream job and a wife he adored.” He argues that in today’s America, men are criticized for traditional roles like breadwinning or supporting a stay-at-home wife. Indicating a broader trend, most converts interviewed by the BBC have chosen to homeschool their children, partly from a belief that women should prioritize family over career and to avoid topics they consider “too progressive,” like gender identity.

Old Rites and New Algorithms

Throughout the BBC’s article, it’s clear that digital media are fueling the surge. Father Moses’s pregnancy announcement posts routinely garner thousands of likes, while a cottage industry of Orthodox clergy podcasts and follower channels—primarily run by men—has sprung up alongside. According to data from the Pew Research Center cited in the BBC piece, the percentage of Orthodox Christians in the US who are male has jumped from 46% to 64% since 2007. A smaller study referenced in the report, led by the Orthodox Church in America, reinforces the gender skew and notes that the pandemic period saw a notable uptick in converts.

Scott Kenworthy, a professor specializing in the history of Eastern Orthodox Christianity, tells the outlet his Cincinnati OCA parish “is absolutely bursting at the seams”—with a flood of new catechumens since the Covid lockdown. He points out that this influx isn’t isolated to Texas or individual parishes, but is happening across the country. It’s a wave riding on Instagram, podcasts, and the algorithmic tides of the internet as much as on inherited faith.

Soup, Masculinity, and the Russia Connection

A closer look at the BBC’s description of Father Moses’s sermons reveals a deep emphasis on traditional gender roles and a biting critique of “feminized” Western churches. At one point, he declares, “I don’t want to go to services that feel like a Taylor Swift concert,” taking aim at what he sees as emotion-driven, contemporary Christian worship styles. In terms of personal conduct, his guidance extends to topics as granular as eyebrow shaping and as sweeping as family planning—insisting, for example, that birth control and what he terms “self-abuse” are both spiritually and masculinely deficient.

Some who’ve observed this movement from within see it in somewhat theatrical terms. Elissa Bjeletich Davis, interviewed for the BBC’s piece, characterizes the mindset among some converts—especially those aligned with the Russian jurisdiction—as military and authoritarian, likening their fervor to a resurgence of Puritan rigidity in American life.

ROCOR’s own history—founded by clergy fleeing the fallout of the Russian Revolution—only deepens the irony. As highlighted by the BBC, contemporary converts cite everything from Russia’s refusal to legalize same-sex marriage or civil unions to its thousand-year Orthodox lineage as attractions. Meanwhile, figures like Archpriest John Whiteford, also quoted in the article, attempt to contextualize the Moscow Patriarch’s widely publicized support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which remains a polarizing topic even within the Church.

Relocation Fantasies and Irony in Abundance

The impulse to seek a more “authentically” Orthodox land sometimes goes beyond Texas. The BBC spotlights Father Joseph Gleason, a former Texan priest now living with his wife and eight children in rural Russia. Gleason touts the ability to homeschool and the country’s conservative social landscape, positioning Russia as a safe harbor for those fleeing Western liberalism—a sentiment that gained enough traction to inspire Russia’s offer of a fast-track visa to value-aligned Westerners.

For many, as Buck Johnson (a firefighter-turned-convert featured in the BBC article) explains, this new faith is as much about resisting American consumer culture and “instant gratification” as about liturgical rites. He frames his journey in terms of “love for your family, love for you community, love for neighbours.” Arguably, it’s a selective embrace of tradition—filtered through the lens of more familiar American longings for belonging and anti-modern resistance.

Is This the New Old-Time Religion, or Just a Passing Fad?

The scale of this surge remains small in relative terms, and it’s difficult to forecast its future. There’s no denying the conviction or devotion of its adherents: parishes are swelling, and ancient traditions are claimable at the cost of familiar cultural comforts. Yet one can’t help noticing the performative edge—the Instagrammed milestones, sermon soundbites about soup, and flexing for followers online. As chronicled by the BBC, the Orthodox revival in America comes with as many hashtags as incense clouds.

So, is this movement a profound religious revival, or another episode in America’s unending series of spiritual reinventions? Will “absurd manliness” become a permanent fixture of Orthodox Christianity in the West, or will the algorithm move on to another, equally unlikely fascination? In the endless search for meaning, Americans never seem to choose the most predictable road.