Why Men in General Are Looking for Faith — and Why Orthodox Men Love Church
By Frederica Mathewes-Green
Reflection from St Nicholas Orthodox Books
Across our society, many men are searching for meaning, purpose, and faith that feels real — something deeper than self-help slogans or sentimental spirituality. At St Nicholas Orthodox Books, we often meet men who have felt spiritually adrift, yet rediscover faith, strength, and a renewed sense of calling through the life of the Orthodox Church.
Frederica Mathewes-Green’s essay, “Why Orthodox Men Love Church,” captures this experience with honesty and depth. In a time when many churches struggle to engage men, Orthodoxy stands apart. It calls men — and all believers — to transformation through worship, self-discipline, and spiritual struggle. Here, faith is not about comfort or emotion alone, but about effort, humility, and perseverance in the presence of Christ. Fasting, standing in prayer, and enduring long services are not burdens but spiritual challenges that awaken the soul. Orthodoxy does not adapt itself to our convenience; rather, it shapes us into Christ’s likeness through the living tradition of the Church.
The men Frederica interviewed speak of a faith that is serious and demanding, yet deeply life-giving — a faith that calls them to holiness through courage and self-mastery. They find in Orthodoxy a continuity with the early Church and a community that honors both strength and compassion in balance.
At St Nicholas Orthodox Books, we recognize this same calling in the books, icons, and resources we offer. Each work — from the Holy Fathers to modern writers — invites believers to the same path of courage and devotion, to “be kept ever warriors invincible” for Christ.
May this article remind us all that Orthodox Christianity is not a refuge from challenge, but the high adventure of holiness — a journey of courage, endurance, and love for our Lord Jesus Christ.
— St Nicholas Orthodox Books (stnick.ca)