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PODCAST

Heavy Things Lightly

This “Enlightened” New World utopia isn’t turning out to be all it was cracked up to be. Society is disenchanting, but are the only alternatives hiding out in the hills or burying yourself in books? With an air of levity and a touch of humor, John Heers teaches how to examine the confusing New World by calling upon the mind and wisdom of oft-forgotten Old. Heavy Things, Lightly. johnheersftf.substack.com

society & culture non-profit

All Episodes

77:30

Demons, Deception, and Why Your Spiritual Practices...

Heavy Things Lightly ·

2026/10/02

Find this episode on YouTube: "Justine Alter" — a pseudonym — returns to chat with John Heers in a raw Heavy Things Lightly conversation you have to hear to believe.Justine worked for years as a professional psychic, deep in channeling, ceremonial magic, and occult community life. Baptized in 2018 and converted in 2019, she is now Orthodox and lives under obedience to her spiritual father. To stay clear of that past, she appears with no face on camera and a disguised voice.This episode was wrought

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94:49

The Fox News Reporter Who Quit to Live an Orthodox...

Heavy Things Lightly ·

2026/09/25

Find this episode on YouTube: Holly Hickman went from Columbia Journalism and Fox News Radio covering NASA and the 2008 election — to milking cows, making cheese, and converting to Orthodoxy.In this episode of Heavy Things Lightly, Holly tells John how news really works: 7am editorial meetings, White House press releases, assignment editors feeding you quotes, and how language in the AP Stylebook quietly frames everything. She talks Mike Huckabee and Chuck Norris, asking astronaut Tom Jones "where's

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61:42

Why They Left NASA to Start St. George's Classical...

Heavy Things Lightly ·

2026/09/21

Can you teach kids the truth AND prepare them for a secular world?On this episode of Heavy Things Lightly, host John Heers talks with James and Juliana Joyce, founders of St. George's Classical Academy in Boxford, Massachusetts — an Orthodox Christian classical school started from nothing in 2024.James went from astrophysicist at NASA to teaching kindergarten math at a little plastic table. Juliana went from public-school principal of 10 years to head of school, janitor, finance, and

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96:39

An Odyssean Tale: The Man Who Would Not Quit

Heavy Things Lightly ·

2026/09/04

Find this episode on YouTube: Crow walked America searching for his father — and found the Father.From West Virginia hollers to LA gangs, from wolves in the Mojave desert to an Orthodox cross, this is an Odyssean tale of wandering, regret, and becoming Lazarus. John Heers sits with Crow (baptism name Lazarus) for his full life arc — with surprise appearances by his childhood friend Jonathan Pageau and his spiritual father Fr. Turbo.Chapters:00:00 Intro: Crow's Life Is the Story of All of Us01:26

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111:01

From Broadway to the Supra: Carrie Manolakos on Life...

Heavy Things Lightly ·

2026/09/01

Welcome to the first episode of “Save Me a Spot at the Supra” on Heavy Things Lightly where John Heers hosts singer and Broadway performer Carrie Manolakos (best known for her performances in Mama Mia! and Wicked) at his restaurant after she attended a Supra, discussing how the tradition builds community, the role of the tamada, and ways to bring more music into American Supras. Carrie reflects on her early discovery as a vocalist, her training in the Syracuse Children’s Chorus, performing

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73:41

Why This App Designer Hides His Face | An Old-World...

Heavy Things Lightly ·

2026/08/28

John Heers sits down with "Justin Smith" — an anonymous app designer you'll never see, only hear.His app, This Life, is audio-only and anonymous by design: you record your own voice, then get paired with a stranger for a day to hear three minutes of their life.In this episode John pushes back hard — is a phone app really the cure for the isolation it helped create? Is writing down your thoughts making us more ill, not less? And where does the whole thing come from — what's the "well" underneath

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90:23

Neil DeGraide: The West Has Forgotten Its Own Roots

Heavy Things Lightly ·

2026/08/12

Find this episode on YouTube: John Heers sits down with Neil DeGraide for a candid, wide-ranging conversation about why the modern Western church feels so untethered from its own roots — and what the angry internet has to do with it.They unpack:🕊️ How post-WWII culture pushed Christianity toward non-denominationalism and away from the liturgical, experiential faith of the early Church⛪ Why modern "ecumenism" often trades real theological depth for a thin, secularized unity🍽️ The "tablecloth"

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78:45

Jay Dyer on the Enlightenment, Americanism & the...

Heavy Things Lightly ·

2026/07/24

Find this episode on YouTube: Jay Dyer joins John Heers to discuss the decline of 2000s New Atheism, shifting internet culture, the Enlightenment, Americanism, Orthodox Christianity, and the political forces shaping the modern West.They examine growing skepticism toward claims of scientific neutrality and political objectivism, arguing that politics often functions as a substitute religion—complete with its own dogmas, sacred myths, and promises of salvation. The conversation also explores whether

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88:28

Marriage Humility: When Your Intensity Becomes Your...

Heavy Things Lightly ·

2026/07/04

Find this episode on YouTube: Dr. Philip Mamalakis says you'd take a bullet for your wife. But would you fix the light in the freezer she's been asking about for six weeks?That gap — between the heroic love we imagine and the ordinary love we're actually called to — is exactly what this conversation is about.Dr. Philip Mamalakis teaches the core courses in Pastoral Care at Hellenic College Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology, alongside electives in pastoral counseling, grief, marriage and

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60:53

The Orthodox Cure for Broken Young Men | Fr. Hans...

Heavy Things Lightly ·

2026/06/22

Find this episode on YouTube: Father Hans has spent years reaching young men on the edge — men who are economically stuck, spiritually fragmented, and slow to trust. In this conversation, he names what’s really going on: a generation that woke up inside a world already infected with “narcissistic spiritual cancer,” and a culture that gave them consumer identity instead of a soul.They go deep on:* What “boomerism” actually means — and whether the criticism is fair* Why resentment and resignation will

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43:03

Orthodoxy in Palestine

Heavy Things Lightly ·

2026/06/12

In this conversation recorded live at Symbolic World, John Heers sits down with Mother Agapia for a deep, unfiltered account of life on the ground in the West Bank: the building of the wall, the expansion of settlements, the targeting of Christian communities, and the complicated, often beautiful relationship between Orthodox Christians and their Muslim neighbors.Mother Agapia is an American Orthodox nun who spent decades living and working in Bethany, Bethlehem, and Jerusalem — running a school

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123:43

Race, Ethnicity & Nationalism: Is an Orthodox America...

Heavy Things Lightly ·

2026/06/05

Find this episode on YouTube: Is American Orthodoxy even possible? John Heers sits down with Ben Michael (Orthodox Luigi) to talk about race, ethnicity, what it means to be an American — and whether there's a future for Orthodox Christianity in a nation built on rootlessness.This conversation goes where most won't — deep into the tension between ethnic identity and faith, the rise of nationalism, and the hard question: can America — a country of immigrants with no single ethnic root — ever truly

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64:47

The Ancient Christianity That is Alive and Well in...

Heavy Things Lightly ·

2026/06/02

Georgia's ancient faith is still alive — and it demands more than just going through the motions.Professor Levan Gigineishvili joins John to discuss the importance of continuous personal growth as an Orthodox Christian, the ultimate answer to avoiding complacency and transforming our lives in Christ. A medievalist, philosopher, and one of Georgia's most respected public intellectuals — walks us through 1,600 years of Christianity that refuses to die.This conversation goes deep, we cover:✧ Why Ilia

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76:24

Online and American Orthodoxy w/ Fr. Paul Girgis

Heavy Things Lightly ·

2026/05/08

Find this episode on YouTube: Fr. Paul Girgis joins HTL to talk about American Orthodoxy, what's happening culturally, Lebanon and the Hezobollah question among many more.Discover more about Fr. Paul here: @Floridoxy -----------------------Conrad's Deli - The best jerky you'll ever have: https://conradsdeli.com/ use promo code "FIRST THINGS" for 10% off.-----------------------✒ Substack: https://johnheersftf.substack.com/ⓧ https://x.com/johnfromftf🍷The best dinner party you've ever experienced -

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75:10

Time and Despondency w/ Nicole Roccas

Heavy Things Lightly ·

2026/04/30

Find this episode on YouTube:Dr. Nicole Roccas has been researching and writing about time from both a historical and theological perspective for nearly ten years. In addition to being a writer and editor, she lectures at the Orthodox School of Theology at Trinity College (Toronto). You can find more of her writing on her Ancient Faith podcast and blog, Time Eternal.Discover more about Nicole: https://www.nicoleroccas.com-----------------------Conrad's Deli - The best jerky you'll ever have:

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45:02

Pageau talks Hegseth, Pulp Fiction, Clown World, and...

Heavy Things Lightly ·

2026/04/24

Jonathan Pageau is back for a short chat, because we have to talk about clown world and Hegseth, and what in the world is going on in American politics. BUT! Also, we have to mention Symbolic World and especially the upcoming conference. Hope to see you all in Ohio, follow the link below for more info!Symbolic World Summit: https://symbolicworldsummit.com/-----------------------Conrad's Deli - The best jerky you'll ever have: https://conradsdeli.com/ use promo code "FIRST THINGS" for 10%

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45:02

Pete Hegseth, I'm not sure that was a prayer.

Heavy Things Lightly ·

2026/04/21

Find this episode on YouTube: Jonathan Pageau is back for a short chat, because we have to talk about clown world and Hegseth, and what in the world is going on in American politics. BUT! Also, we have to mention Symbolic World and especially the upcoming conference. Hope to see you all in Ohio, follow the link below for more info!Symbolic World Summit: https://symbolicworldsummit.com/-----------------------Conrad's Deli - The best jerky you'll ever have: https://conradsdeli.com/ use promo code

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37:43

Old Testament or No Testament War?

Heavy Things Lightly ·

2026/04/15

Find this episode on YouTube: Let's take a look at what's happening in Iran, Israel, Ukraine. How are we 'waging' war? Well, the answer is more nuanced than you think. And St. Basil has a couple of words for us near the end.-----------------------Conrad's Deli - The best jerky you'll ever have: https://conradsdeli.com/ use promo code "FIRST THINGS" for 10% off.-----------------------✒ Substack: https://johnheersftf.substack.com/ⓧ https://x.com/johnfromftf🍷The best dinner party you've ever

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61:03

Frederica Mathews Green | Art of the Tamada Talks

Heavy Things Lightly ·

2026/04/01

Find this episode on YouTube (subbed in Russian as well): Frederica Mathews Green on what it means to be a guest or a host at the Art of the Tamada event in Greenville, SC 2025."The Art of the Tamada" by the First Things Foundation (FTF) is a transformational cultural experience and fundraising event modeled on the traditional Georgian Supra (a feast led by a toastmaster or Tamada). It is designed as a weekend-long, intimate event that explores the philosophy of true hospitality, community, and the

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81:00

State of Reality (oh wait, Union) with Uncle Seth

Heavy Things Lightly ·

2026/03/24

Find this episode on YouTube: Let's all be calm and cool and watch the recent State of the Union address with Uncle Seth, because obviously that is a good idea. -----------------------Conrad's Deli - The best jerky you'll ever have: https://conradsdeli.com/ use promo code "FIRST THINGS" for 10% off.-----------------------✒ Substack: https://johnheersftf.substack.com/ⓧ https://x.com/johnfromftf🍷The best dinner party you've ever experienced - Supra Dinner Society: https://supradinner.com/🏖️

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