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Father Josif (Joseph)

Basic Information​

  • Full Name: Father Josif (Greek form of Joseph)
  • Title: Orthodox Priest/Monk
  • Current Location: Holy Archangels Greek Orthodox Monastery, Austin, Texas area
  • Background: Born and raised in South Africa
  • Ethnicity: Greek Orthodox (possibly Greek heritage despite South African birth)
  • Role: Monastic priest, spiritual teacher

Background & Ministry​

Geographic Background​

  • Born: South Africa
  • Current Ministry: Holy Archangels Greek Orthodox Monastery, Texas
  • Cultural Context: Brings perspective from South African Orthodox community
  • Language: Speaks English fluently, understands Greek theological terms

Monastic Life​

  • Setting: Lives at monastery with structured religious community
  • Daily Schedule: Includes cooking duties, liturgical services, spiritual direction
  • Accessibility: Available for conversations and teaching with visitors
  • Teaching Style: Direct, practical, uses analogies from everyday life

Theological Positions & Core Beliefs​

Orthodox Theology vs Other Denominations​

Catholic Church Critique:

"The Catholic Church doesn't follow the Bible anymore. The Orthodox Church follows it to the letter."

On Catholic Rhetorical Style:

"If you listen to Catholics, they're like Jews. The way they speak, unbelievable. They've got such rhetoric that they wangle their words and they use them to argue in ways that you can never come right with them."

Orthodox Directness:

"But the Christians are straight. What's this? Yes, that's one. One, two. Two, three... If you like it, you don't like it. This is what it is. If you like it, come to it. If you don't like it, do whatever you want. It's your free will. That's Christianity."

The Fall and Human Nature​

Pride as Root of Sin:

"The fall was out of pride. And that's why there was no obedience. You can't be obedient if you have ego and pride."

Obedience and Humility:

"If I say, do this for me. You say, yes, sure, I'll do it for you. How much would you like? A full cup? Half a cup? You're humbling yourself. You're sacrificing yourself. You're serving for the other person's will."

Christology and Salvation​

The Incarnation Explained:

"He came down on earth. And He took on skin and flesh and bones and will. Everything like we are. 100% like we are. So that He could suffer for us under the skin. Not as a God but as a human."

Two Natures of Christ:

"This human nature suffered completely like a human. But it's in one being... But only the human side suffered. And He suffered everything that was necessary to bridge that gap for us. But the divine side did not suffer."

Analogy of the Forge:

"It's like taking a metal. You take metal into the furnace. And you hit it to make a knife or a sword... The man was beaten to a pulp. God was not affected."

Essence vs Energies Doctrine​

Key Orthodox Distinction:

"We do not, and the Catholics don't have that separation... We say God is every present, fills all things, but it's his energies. His energy. Not his essence. His essence you cannot partake in."

Wood Stove Analogy:

"Think of a little wood stove... What are you going to feel from here, from this distance? The warmth that you ever wanted, right?... But you can't partake of God in his essence. But you can partake of God in his energies."

Views on Contemporary Issues​

Modern Christianity​

"There's so many Christians in the world. They have different denominations. And they've turned it into, like we said, mud. So that's why nobody cares."

Idolatry in Modern Society​

"The world is in a neo-paganistic state... They make idols of everything. Idols of their health. Idols of their money. Idols of their wives. Idols of their children."

Technology and Transhumanism​

On Palantir:

"Palantir is the most evil thing I've seen in my life... It's one of the most evil things they're doing. Because it's getting everybody connected into a new system that we have no idea about."

Digital Currency Control:

"Especially if they start doing digital currency and everything is... You're finished. What are you going to do?"

End Times and Antichrist System​

"Before he even comes, the system's going to be in through the forerunner of the Antichrist. In other words, he's going to come and have it ready."

Noahide Laws:

"Do you know that the Noahide laws from 1997 were signed in? And every single year, they're affirmed... And the Noahide laws are you don't follow, they cut your head off."

Modern Israel vs Biblical Israel​

True Israel Definition:

"Israel means we see God. We have the vision of God. The Israel of God is the one who follows God... It's Christ who's God and his followers. That's who Israel is."

Modern State Critique:

"The rest are not Israel. They're Khazarians. They're Ashkenazi Jews. Who migrated from like Ukraine."

Biblical Blessing Corrected:

"They say if you hate Israel, you're not blessed if you do. If you bless Israel, you're blessed. That's a total lie... It says you bless Abraham and his seed. And in the New Testament, in the book of Galatians, it says his seed is Christ."

Teaching Methods & Pastoral Approach​

Encouraging Investigation​

"If I were you, I'd test Orthodoxy. Test it. See, what's this? Why this? Why that?... Because that's the only way. Because when you do that, you'll come to Orthodoxy."

Practical Analogies​

  • Uses wood stove analogy for essence vs energies
  • Uses metal forging analogy for Christ's suffering
  • Uses everyday examples to explain complex theology

Direct Spiritual Counsel​

"The only way to clean yourself, Gary, is you've got to come to Christ... Christ can only heal our soul. That's what He came for. Nobody else can do it."

Notable Interactions​

With Gary Sheng​

  • First Meeting: August 1, 2025 at Holy Archangels Monastery
  • Context: Gary visiting Orthodox liturgy for first time, brought by Sofia
  • Recognition: Acknowledged Gary's spiritual searching and tech industry background
  • Counsel: Encouraged testing Orthodox claims, warned about technology/surveillance systems

Teaching Style with Seekers​

  • Encouraging Questions: Welcomes cross-examination of Orthodox claims
  • Historical Context: Explains Orthodox vs Catholic split with historical facts
  • Practical Application: Connects theology to contemporary issues and personal spiritual life

Assessment and Significance​

Father Josif represents traditional Orthodox monasticism with contemporary awareness of technological and geopolitical threats. His teaching combines rigorous theological precision with practical spiritual counsel, emphasizing the importance of testing religious claims while maintaining confidence in Orthodox truth. His background from South Africa provides unique perspective on Orthodox faith outside traditional Eastern European/Middle Eastern contexts.

His approach with seekers like Gary demonstrates Orthodox evangelical method: thorough explanation, encouragement of investigation, and connection of ancient theology to contemporary challenges. His warnings about technology, transhumanism, and political deception reflect traditional Orthodox eschatology applied to current events. ## Transcripts

Transcript IDDateSummary
2025-08-01-gary-sofia-father-josif-orthodox-monastery-theological-discussion2025-08-01Deep theological discussion at Holy Archangels Monastery with Gary and Sofia