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Father Josiah Trenham

Basic Information​

  • Full Name: Archpriest Josiah Trenham
  • Role: Orthodox Christian Priest, Theologian, Author
  • Parish: St. Andrew Orthodox Church, Riverside, California (since 1998)
  • Ordination: 1993, Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America
  • Age: 58 years old (born 1967 in Glendale, California)
  • Family: Married for over 30 years, father of ten children
  • Ministry Duration: 33 years as of 2025

Educational Background​

  • B.A.: Social Science/History, Westmont College
  • M.Div: Westminster Theological Seminary, California
  • Additional Studies: Reformed Theological Seminary
  • Ph.D.: Theology, University of Durham, England
  • Dissertation: "Terrestrial Angels: Marriage and Virginity according to St. John Chrysostom"
  • Original Faith: Presbyterian and Covenant church communities (converted to Orthodoxy)

Professional Work​

Academic and Publishing​

  • Patristic Nectar Publications: Founder and Director
  • Teaching: Adjunct professor, Orthodox academic institutions
  • Publications: "Terrestrial Angels: Marriage and Virginity according to St. John Chrysostom"
  • Media: "The Arena" podcast, Patristic Nectar Films on YouTube
  • Specialization: Church Fathers, Orthodox theology, marriage and family life

Ministry Focus​

  • Pastoral Care: Over 1,000 active parishioners at St. Andrew Orthodox Church
  • Catechism: Currently instructing over 200 people for baptism (unprecedented numbers)
  • Conference Speaking: Keynote speaker at major Orthodox gatherings
  • Topics: Marriage, education, Orthodox life, cultural Christianity

Key Theological Perspectives​

On American Spiritual Crisis​

Diagnosis of National Apostasy:

"Don't call the secular nonsense that's going on in America pagan. That's an insult to the pagans. The pagans believed in the divine order... to call America, which has no reference, most of our leaders make no reference to God at all... that's far far worse than paganism."

Institutional Capture:

"All of our institutions have been captured by strict secularism. Our law is godless. Our universities exclude God... Our country has gone down a very very serious deep hole."

On Death and Mourning​

Traditional Christian Response:

"We Christians have a 2,000-year old tradition on how to respond to death. And we take our time... usually for 40 days we mourn very very seriously."

Spiritual Development Through Death:

"One of the great reasons we are so undeveloped spiritually speaking as a nation is because we don't face death... COVID... caused us to face death. We had been hiding it."

On Violence and Society​

Violence as Divine Offense:

"When you attack another man, when you attack another man, you attack God. Because every human being... is made in the image of God. And so to attack a human is a direct divine offense."

Cultural Connection:

"I'm not surprised that we have this level of violence in a culture that murders unborn children at the rate that we do and have sustained it for the decades that we have."

The Three Types of Life​

Comprehensive Anthropology:

"If you study the scriptures, there's three types of life... There's biological life. In Greek, it's called bios... There's the life of the soul... That's called psyche... And then there's something that's most important which is eternal life. Aionios Zoe... This is the life of God's kingdom."

Technology Limitations:

"If we are soulless and we have greater technology, then the soulless are going to use that greater technology to oppress us... technology is not going to save us."

Current Revival Documentation​

Unprecedented Conversion Rates​

Personal Parish Experience:

"I've never seen the radical interest in faith that we're seeing right now... maybe 20, 30, 40. A really great year would be 40 people. I have over 200 people in catechism right now. And this is happening all across the country."

National Trend:

"People are moving towards God, moving towards faith... people are becoming orthodox because they want something that is time-tested. They want something that's substantial. They want something that actually informs culture."

Historical and Cultural Analysis​

St. John of Damascus and Funeral Tradition​

Historical Expertise:

"In the Orthodox tradition the funeral service was written by one of the great theologians of the church his name is St. John of Damascus. He lived from 650 to 750... when it was taken over by Islam in the 7th century, the Muslims left the Christians in place for about 50 years because Muslims were Bedouin peasants."

European Christian Civilization​

Cultural Integration:

"You take a train through Europe. Every town you go through... has the best land given to the church. And the church is going to be the highest building because everyone knew if you don't enthrone worship at the center of your community... you're robbing yourself of significance."

Personal Characteristics and Approach​

Pastoral Style​

  • Theological Depth: Combines academic rigor with pastoral care
  • Cultural Engagement: Addresses contemporary issues through Orthodox lens
  • Historical Perspective: Uses 2,000 years of Christian tradition to inform modern problems
  • Family Focus: Emphasizes traditional family structures and values

Communication Method​

  • Media Savvy: Effective use of podcasts, YouTube, and modern platforms
  • Clear Teaching: Makes complex theology accessible to general audiences
  • Practical Application: Connects ancient wisdom to contemporary challenges
  • Prophetic Voice: Willing to deliver uncomfortable truths about cultural decline

Relationship with Contemporary Figures​

Charlie Kirk Connection​

Mutual Respect:

"Charlie was very interested in that... he actually got very much into the mind of us Orthodox Christians and explained why so many people are converting to holy orthodoxy."

Shared Understanding:

"He said people are becoming orthodox because they want something that is time-tested. They want something that's substantial."

Tucker Carlson Interview​

The September 2025 interview represents Father Josiah's most comprehensive public theological commentary, demonstrating:

  • Cultural Diagnosis: America's spiritual crisis as worse than paganism
  • Pastoral Wisdom: Traditional mourning practices as antidote to reactive politics
  • Revival Documentation: Firsthand testimony of unprecedented conversion rates
  • Theological Framework: Three types of life as foundation for human understanding

Ministry Impact and Influence​

Local Ministry​

  • Parish Growth: Significant expansion at St. Andrew Orthodox Church
  • Catechetical Success: Record numbers seeking Orthodox baptism
  • Family Ministry: Strong emphasis on marriage and child-rearing
  • Community Building: Creating Orthodox Christian culture in Southern California

National Influence​

  • Media Platform: Widespread distribution of Orthodox teaching through modern media
  • Conference Circuit: Regular speaking at Orthodox gatherings nationwide
  • Publishing Impact: Patristic Nectar Publications reaching global Orthodox audience
  • Cultural Commentary: Providing Orthodox Christian perspective on American decline

Assessment and Significance​

Father Josiah Trenham represents a significant voice in contemporary American Orthodox Christianity, combining deep theological education with practical pastoral experience and effective use of modern media platforms. His ministry demonstrates the growing appeal of traditional Orthodox Christianity to Americans seeking authentic spiritual grounding amid cultural chaos.

Key Contributions:

  1. Theological Bridge: Connecting ancient Christian wisdom to contemporary American problems
  2. Revival Documentation: Firsthand witness to unprecedented Orthodox conversion rates
  3. Cultural Critique: Sophisticated analysis of American spiritual decline from Orthodox perspective
  4. Pastoral Innovation: Using modern media to deliver traditional Orthodox teaching
  5. Family Ministry: Emphasis on marriage and child-rearing as foundation of Christian civilization

Historical Significance: Father Josiah's ministry occurs during what he identifies as the greatest spiritual revival in his 33-year priesthood, positioning him as both witness and catalyst for Orthodox Christian growth in America. His Tucker Carlson interview represents perhaps his most comprehensive public articulation of Orthodox Christianity as solution to American cultural crisis.

Prophetic Voice: His willingness to declare American secularism "worse than paganism" and call for national repentance positions him among the most forthright Orthodox voices addressing American spiritual decline, while his documentation of revival offers hope for Christian renewal.