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In this powerful talk, Fr. Seraphim Cardoza challenges us to see religion as more than just a philosophy—it’s a way of life rooted in repentance and healing. He addresses the dangers of turning church into mere entertainment or intellectual pursuit, reminding us of the true purpose of faith: to meet God and transform our lives.
An honest and heartfelt conversation between Orthodox Priest Fr. Seraphim Cardoza and Evangelical Pastor Perry Atkinson. Rev. Archpriest Seraphim Cardoza was a former evangelical pastor of a hippie church who found his way to Eastern Orthodox Christianity. In 1995, he was ordained and assigned to minister to a small ROCOR congregation in Medford, Oregon, US. Fr. Seraphim Cardoza passed away in October 2023.
Watch the full interview here: https://youtu.be/HeoFTwtTDLs
Special thanks to theDoveTv for allowing this translation.
Fr. Seraphim Cardoza:
Why do we try to make religion a philosophy, instead of a way of life? It’s a way of life and a way of life for us is a way of repentance…
It doesn’t mean that I’m negative, “poor me, I’m bad, I’m rotten”… but a way of life…
It is a means, a way of repentance. How are we working up to our [Feast of] Nativity?
Well, we’ve had five weeks of prayer, fasting and repentance.
And you know, I think the problem, Perry, is… maybe our churches…
I don’t want to sound negative, but we’ve made it a place of entertainment, a place of filling your brain and filling your brain and more teaching and more teaching and more teaching and more teaching… rather than a place where we go and meet God, rather than a place that…
There always was ‘a place’. Yes, under the tree, in a boat, in my car, but there always was ‘a place’ where the kingdom of God moved and dwelled. And I think until we, as Orthodox, this has been our tradition, every pastor, every priest… I think it’s nice to have a doctorate, it’s nice to have this, it’s good to have that, until we can realize the enemy that we fight he doesn’t care if you have a doctorate. In fact, I think he likes it. He will puff you up, will puff you up…
Well, we know we fight not against flesh and blood, but against thrones and powers and dominions, you know the Scripture, as well as I do, and Jesus did not come as a philosopher.
He didn’t come as a teacher necessarily, He did, but He came as a Healer and until our churches become healing… see the Orthodox Church it’s always called ‘the hospital’.
We call our places to worship a hospital, an emergency ward and the priest, the surgeons, the doctors, they get sick also… I’ve been listening and I too listen to Fox and I listen to you and I too listen to your Christian radio, and I’m disappointed myself because I’m not the man I want to be, number one.
But I’m disappointed also… we fight not against flesh and blood so why are we using fleshly weapons, why are we trying to acquire a doctorate so we can combat the devil?
“Confess your faults one to another, then you will be healed” [James 5:16]. Right. That’s what it says…
