How the Orthodox Church Honors Womanhood

Orthodox Christianity is seeing a resurgence in popularity, especially among young men. In an age that often calls their very existence into question, the Orthodox Church provides them with validation, acceptance, and—in the words of Jordan Peterson—the “great adventure” they crave. The rituals and sacraments offer structure and discipline. It makes perfect sense that men are disenchanted with the lukewarm, “feminized” worship that’s typical of American Christianity. But while men find a home in the challenge of Orthodoxy, the same holds true for women. As a woman who returned to Greek Orthodoxy in 2023, I’ve found that the Church encompasses the complementarity of both the masculine and the feminine—and that media portrayals of Orthodoxy as overwhelmingly masculine do a disservice to the faith. 

I first returned to Christianity in 2021 after almost a decade of participating in a yoga cult. The church I attended encouraged expressive, emotional worship, such as lifting one’s hands and swaying with one’s eyes closed. After about a year, I found that it only exacerbated the emotional instability I had come to be so familiar with in my yoga circles. I became more and more uncomfortable with public displays of emotion. I longed not to be subject to every pull of my heartstrings. I craved stability and a solid foundation—a faith that would anchor me in reality and not judge my closeness to Christ by the passion I felt in the moment. I wanted a faith I could depend on day in and day out, that would remain unchanged and not acquiesce to the whims of the culture. I wanted a place where a congregation’s flourishing was not dependent on a cult of personality. 

I found the solid ground I was seeking when I returned to the Greek Orthodox Church in January of 2023. (I was baptized Greek Orthodox when I was six months old.) Along with this stability, I found a true expression of femininity and reverence for women—more so than any other spirituality I’ve encountered. Orthodoxy reveres the more feminine aspects of Christ—his compassion and tenderness—and thus his humanity. His mother is honored with the title Panagia, the “all holy one,” and we believe the Mother of God is worthy of our adoration, love, and honor. She brought God into the world to save us—there is no more special, sacred role in the divine pantheon. Though my Protestant friends warned me about “Mary worship,” I have found that giving Mary her proper veneration in no way detracts from Christ and instead gives glory to God and all women.

In Protestant theology, I’ve found that the rational, analytical mind generally takes precedence when understanding God, even when worship can feel emotive and feminized. But Orthodoxy impeccably balances the masculine and feminine modes of the rational and mystical. Its holistic approach to Christianity pairs stark truth with relentless grace. It is the perfect blend of the rational head and the emotional heart. It allows for the word or logos of God to rule alongside his unimaginable, unfathomable love without compromising either. It corrects me with the sternness of a father, but also the tenderness of the sweetest mother. 

Orthodoxy transcends the modern debates about contemporary “feminized” Christianity because its liturgy is timeless. It doesn’t cater to cultural trends or emotional highs; rather, it offers the stillness and mystery that the modern world has forgotten. The Church understands and accounts for the complexity and depth of man—body, mind, and spirit—and heals without fanfare. By participating in the life of Christ through the sacraments, transformation happens sometimes without us even knowing or really trying. Slowly and then all at once, we find we are healed of an affliction that used to plague us, or we are less tempted by a certain sin. We are made anew in the womb of the Church. 

Orthodoxy has not only restored my faith; it has also clarified my understanding of what it means to be a holy woman. Contra the performative feminism of our time—which regards femininity as a weakness and measures a woman’s worth by her ability to compete with men—Orthodoxy honors womanhood as a reflection of divine reality. Perfect worship is found in receptivity to God’s will, exemplified best of all by our beloved Mother. Both men and women are called to the mystery of holy surrender, as well as the demanding challenges of following Christ.