Ep. 394 - Will the Catholic Church Reunite with the Orthodox Church? with Fr Emmanuel Lemelson
Release Date: 12/31/2025
Ep. 399 - Child Trafficking & the Orthodox War for the Innocent, with Tommy Green
Counterflow with Buck Johnson
What does it mean to confront real evil without letting it destroy your soul? In this episode, I'm joined by Tommy Green, vocalist of the band Holy Name and an Orthodox Christian deeply committed to ending child and sex trafficking. Tommy and his wife have an organization that helps young people getting out of this terrible life of being trafficked. We talk about what it's like to look directly at the darkest expressions of human sin, and how the Orthodox Church, prayer, and the Holy Name of Christ provide a framework for fighting evil without becoming it. Tommy's organization: Sponsors:...
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Ep. 398 - Danzig, Darkness, and the Search for God, with Josh Lazie
Counterflow with Buck Johnson
In this episode, I talk with Josh Lazie, a former bassist for Danzig, to talk about a reality many of us live with but rarely name: the persistent sense that something is missing. For years, he tried to fill that void with music, drugs, success, and the constant noise of the rock-and-roll lifestyle. For a time, those things worked. Eventually, they didn't. We talk honestly about what that world gave him, what it cost him, and the moment he realized that nothing he was chasing would ever make him whole. We explore the restlessness beneath addiction and ambition, the fear of stillness, and why...
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Ep. 397 - Brotherhood, Temptation, and the Cost of Isolation, with Fr Hans Jacobse
Counterflow with Buck Johnson
In this episode, we sit down with Father Hans Jacobse to discuss the crisis facing men today, and why isolation, secrecy, and private struggle are not compatible with the Orthodox life. Fr Hans started the St Paisios Brotherhood where men have been able to have a safe brotherhood for many years now. We explore the role of brotherhood in confronting temptation, forming men for marriage and family, and grounding masculine identity in the life of the Church. This conversation addresses pornography, marriage, community, and the unique role Orthodox brotherhood plays in forming whole men capable of...
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Ep. 396 - Powers & Principalities: The Unseen War Against the Church, with Fr Turbo
Counterflow with Buck Johnson
In this episode, Buck sits down with Father Turbo Qualls for a wide-ranging and sobering conversation about spiritual warfare, ecumenism, and the modern pressure on the Orthodox to trade truth for comfort. Beginning with reflections from St. Mary of Egypt and the Synaxis of Hagia Sophia, the discussion moves into how external forces — political, cultural, and spiritual — have repeatedly targeted the Church, often in ways that are subtle, coordinated, and unseen. Father Turbo revisits a past conversation with Buck about the COVID era, exploring how major disruptions in Church life coincided...
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Ep. 395 - January 6th: Power, Lies, and the Cost of Truth, with Stewart Rhodes
Counterflow with Buck Johnson
In this interview, we speak with Oath Keepers founder and firsthand participant in the January 6 events, Stewart Rhodes, to explore what actually happened that day, from early morning intentions to the chaos that unfolded, the legal aftermath, and the long-term personal consequences. We examine the gap between mainstream media narratives and lived experience, discuss federal involvement, accountability, and political responsibility, and reflect on the mental, spiritual, and moral toll of becoming a symbol in one of the most polarizing events in modern American history. For more information on...
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Ep. 394 - Will the Catholic Church Reunite with the Orthodox Church? with Fr Emmanuel Lemelson
Counterflow with Buck Johnson
In this episode, Buck sits down with Fr. Emmanuel Lemelson to discuss a recent event widely framed as a historic step toward Christian unity, and why, from an Orthodox perspective, it feels anything but unifying. Drawing from firsthand experience and deep ecclesial memory, the conversation explores why language of "unity" often masks unresolved (and unresolvable) theological differences between Rome and Orthodoxy. Together, they speak candidly about papal authority, conciliarity, modern ecumenism, and why converts are often the first to feel the spiritual consequences of institutional...
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Ep. 393 - The Orthodox Family Life, with Christina Taylor
Counterflow with Buck Johnson
In this episode, we’re joined by Christina Taylor, founder of Orthodox Family Life, for a wide-ranging and honest conversation about marriage, parenting, education, and faithfulness in a desensitized modern world. Christina shares her personal journey into Orthodoxy, how her understanding of family life has deepened over time, and the unique pressures Orthodox parents face today—especially converts raising children without the support of extended Orthodox communities. We explore the tension between overprotective parenting and permissiveness, the roles of men and women within marriage, the...
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Ep. 392 - What is Knowledge, and How Do We Actually Know the Truth?
Counterflow with Buck Johnson
In this episode, I speak with Fr. Deacon Ananias about Orthodox epistemology and the claim that true knowledge is not grounded in autonomous reason but in God's self-revelation. Contrasting Athens and Jerusalem, this conversation explores why Orthodoxy understands truth not as an idea, but as a Person: Jesus Christ. We discuss revelation as theophany, the limits of philosophy, the apophatic tradition, and how knowledge in the Church is personal, communal, and transformative, not merely intellectual. Topics include: - East vs. West on knowledge and reason - Revelation as encounter, not...
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Ep. 391 - From Protestant Pastor to Orthodox Christian, with Ben from Cleave to Antiquity
Counterflow with Buck Johnson
My guest this week is Ben, host of Cleave to Antiquity. Formerly an associate pastor in a Protestant Evangelical church and active in online Protestant apologetics, Ben began to realize that many of the arguments he made against Orthodox theology and dogma didn't hold up. That realization forced him to confront some difficult truths and make major changes in his life. Today, Ben is a catechumen in the Orthodox Church. We talk about his journey, what led him to re-examine his assumptions, and the lessons he has learned along the way. Sponsor: Podsworth App: Code: BUCK50 for HALF off your...
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Ep. 390 - The Antichrist is a Nice Guy, with Fr Zechariah Lynch
Counterflow with Buck Johnson
In this episode, we dig into the idea that the Antichrist might not show up as some dark, terrifying figure, but instead as a really nice guy. The article we're discussing suggests he'll look peaceful, tolerant, reasonable, and even compassionate. In other words, the kind of leader most people would cheer for. We talk about why that kind of "niceness" can actually be the most dangerous form of deception. Modern culture often tells us that being a good person just means being kind, promoting unity, and making life comfortable, but the article points out that goodness without God slowly pushes...
info_outlineIn this episode, Buck sits down with Fr. Emmanuel Lemelson to discuss a recent event widely framed as a historic step toward Christian unity, and why, from an Orthodox perspective, it feels anything but unifying.
Drawing from firsthand experience and deep ecclesial memory, the conversation explores why language of "unity" often masks unresolved (and unresolvable) theological differences between Rome and Orthodoxy. Together, they speak candidly about papal authority, conciliarity, modern ecumenism, and why converts are often the first to feel the spiritual consequences of institutional ambiguity.
This is not a polemic but a sober conversation about truth, faithfulness, and what Orthodoxy cannot surrender without ceasing to be itself.
For more from Fr Emmanuel, check these links:
YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Lemelson
Substack: https://lemelson.substack.com
Connect with @Lemelson on social media:
https://facebook.com/lemelson
https://twitter.com/Lemelson
https://instagram.com/lemelson
https://tiktok.com/@fr_emmanuel_lemelson
https://www.linkedin.com/in/emmanuellemelson
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