The Lord of Spirits Podcast

Episode: Pantheon and Pandemonium XVIII Live Q&A (Ep. 122)

Hosts: Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick & Fr. Stephen De Young
Date: August 29, 2025
Main Theme:
A wide-ranging live Q&A focused on the union of the seen and unseen—spirits, angels, demons, traditions, and daily life—within Orthodox Christian understanding.

Overview

This live Q&A episode of The Lord of Spirits offers an engaging, sometimes humorous, and highly insightful exploration of questions from listeners about the spiritual world as seen in the Orthodox tradition. The topics range from the fate of animal souls and Old Testament covenants, to nuances of Orthodox liturgical calendars, contemporary pop culture's spiritual underpinnings, intricate biblical passages, and deep doctrinal divides such as Chalcedon. In classic style, Fr. Andrew and Fr. Stephen answer questions with a blend of scholarship, pastoral guidance, and banter.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Opening & Banter (00:00–09:00)

• Fr. Andrew opens with a reading from First Enoch, highlighting the longing for a spiritual reality beyond "secular materialism."
• Light-hearted banter around Fr. Andrew's birthday, joining the "AARP generation," and the perks (like yelling at clouds).
• Jovial introductions—establishing the relationship and playful rapport between the hosts.

2. Pop Culture and Demonology: K-Pop Demon Hunters (05:26–08:17, 84:17–87:23)

• Discussion about K Pop Demon Hunters—a hit Netflix film featuring a K-pop band fighting demons and soul-sucking hellmouths.
• Fr. Andrew is (begrudgingly) persuaded by his wife and friends to watch, only to discover "the soundtrack’s kind of a banger."
• This leads to a broader comment on finding spiritual themes in contemporary media:

  “If you do ever find it in your heart to watch this film...it’s almost like a Lord of Spirits fan decided to write a movie about K Pop...that hunts demons and is trying to avoid people getting their souls sucked into a hell mouth...that is literally what the plot is about.” —Fr. Andrew (05:51)

3. Q&A: Biblical Covenants and their Fulfillment

The Covenant with Phinehas

(09:36–14:53)

• Listener Dan asks about "the eternal covenant" with Phinehas (Numbers 25) and its fate.
• Fr. Stephen:
  • The high priesthood gets reckoned through Phinehas, then through Zadok, with the expectation it’ll serve in Ezekiel’s temple (understood as Christ himself per St. John).
  • The figure who fulfills this is St. John the Forerunner (John the Baptist) (13:17).

  "The temple in Ezekiel is actually Christ himself...who is the descendant of Levi, Phinehas, Zadok, who serves Christ? As St. Luke sets up...it’s St. John the Forerunner." —Fr. Stephen (13:08)

4. Q&A: Animal Souls and the Afterlife

(15:40–22:19)

• Listener Mark asks if animal souls persist after death.
• Fr. Andrew: Orthodox tradition posits animals have souls (St. Gregory Palamas), but fundamentally different souls from humans.
• Salvation is resurrection into new creation, not mere existence after death. There’s a Scriptural expectation of animals in the New Creation, but not necessarily your pet.
• Fr. Stephen introduces a speculative point:
  • Domesticated animals, being “humanized” through human love, might, hypothetically, return in the resurrection.
  • “If you wanted to argue that...at least some animals...through the love of humans...are resurrected, I wouldn’t be grumpy about it.” (21:12)

5. Q&A: Demon Reactions vs. Devil's Reaction to Christ

(23:11–29:40)

• Rory asks why demons immediately recognize and fear Christ, but the devil doesn’t (e.g., he tempts Christ; Gospel of Nicodemus).
• Fr. Andrew:
  • Demons know who Jesus is but not what he’s here to accomplish. Patristic tradition often portrays Christ as “bait” for the devil (Chrysostom: “Hell took a body and met God”).
• Fr. Stephen:
  • Notes a distinction between types—demons in the Synoptic Gospels are often the spirits of dead Nephilim; the devil is a fallen seraph—so different behaviors/reactions make sense.

  “Whereas the devil is a fundamentally different type of creature—he’s a seraph...there’s a kind of different relationship.” —Fr. Stephen (28:47)

6. Q&A: Elemental Spirits & Galatians 4

(32:08–37:39)

• Jonathan in Virginia asks if Paul’s “elemental spirits” (stoicheia) in Galatians 4 refers to titanic gods or spiritual teachers.
• Fr. Stephen:
  • Paul speaks to Gentiles from their own narrative (Acts 17, with reference to Plato et al.): at Babel, humanity was set under the “lesser gods” as shepherds, but through Christ, the Most High is calling all nations back.
  • There’s a “spermatikos logos”—seeds of truth among Gentile religions—Paul uses to draw Gentiles to Christ.

7. Q&A: Prayer, Exorcism & God's Will vs. Charismatic Practice

(38:27–45:49)

• Lisa asks about the "authority" to renounce the devil in prayer (esp. for healing), referencing charismatic practices.
• Fr. Andrew:
  • Orthodox practice is to pray for protection, not to wield words as “magic spells.” Demonic influence most often comes from persistent sin:

  “You can renounce Satan at baptism, but if you go back to your sin, you can bring that demonic activity right back.”

• Fr. Stephen:
  • Cautions against reading all tragedy as a victory for the devil. Even apparent evil fits within God’s economy, as in the story of Job; all is permitted for a salvific purpose, not as punishment:

  “Even when the worst from our perspective happens, God has some good purpose in it...He can bring good even out of that.” (44:18)

8. Q&A: Soul, Spirit, and Consciousness

(49:11–59:41)

• Paul from Texas wrestles with the soul/spirit distinction: “Why isn’t consciousness located in the soul?”
• Fr. Andrew:
  • The soul is the life of the body; the spirit is the animating force (can include soul, but also other influences: angels, demons, etc.).
• Fr. Stephen:
  • Spirit is always collective consciousness—your “I” is built atop a hodgepodge of subordinate mechanisms (heart, bacteria, brain stems, etc.).
  • “Anything that has a soul has some level of consciousness...spirit brings with it volition and communication.”

9. Q&A: Orthodox Calendar Debate

(60:40–73:33)

• Marcion from Nevada asks: “Should I use the Old Calendar or the New Calendar? Are visions about one or the other real or authoritative?”
• Fr. Andrew:
  • Historically, variety in calendars was normal in the Christian East (different month names, dating systems, etc. for Copts, Armenians, etc.)
  • Real issue is “Do what your bishop sets as the calendar”—that’s what guarantees ecclesial unity.

  “The overarching question isn’t which calendar you’re on, but that you are on the calendar your bishop is administering for you.”

• Fr. Stephen:
  • Yes, the calendar is weighty, but God holds the bishops to account for these decisions. We should trust and follow, not make salvation hinge on this.

  "You just have to follow the calendar your local Orthodox church is following. If there's a problem, God will deal with the bishop about that." (73:13)

10. Q&A: Origins of Sacrifice

(75:00–83:38)

• Joey asks: Did God instruct Cain and Abel on how to sacrifice? Are pagan sacrifices distortions of heavenly worship?
• Consensus: The text doesn’t record God instructing Cain and Abel; sacrifice is “in the structure of creation.” God’s Torah commandments (first fruits, Sabbath, etc.) are "built into the world," merely made explicit in the Torah.
• Pagan sacrifices reflect true insights but are distortions, hence some overlap but also corruption.

  "A good lie contains some level of truth." —Fr. Stephen (82:49)

11. Q&A: Mercy, Judgment, and ‘Getting Away With It’

(88:59–97:07)

• Nathan from Kentucky observes: Many people feel “bad guys” get away with things—not out of atheism but thinking “God is a big softy.”
• Fr. Stephen:
  • True repentance isn’t “saying sorry and getting off the hook.” David is the icon—he repents, suffers consequences, but also achieves reconciliation with God because he takes total responsibility ("mans up"). We should desire and pray for the repentance of others, not their destruction.

  “By the time David gets to the Day of Judgment, it's not that he didn't have any sin...but it was all dealt with. That's why he's the image of repentance.”

12. Q&A: Council of Jerusalem—Why 'Blood' and 'Strangled'?

(98:36–106:02)

• Ian from Mississippi: Why does Acts 15 (Council of Jerusalem) add “abstain from blood and food strangled” to Christian Gentiles?
• Fr. Stephen:
  • Forbidding blood consumption traces back to Noah (Genesis 9), as a limit on human predation/cannibalism.
  • Sacrifice and eating are tied: animal life/blood isn’t for human consumption but for atonement. The Eucharist is the unique exception, because Christ voluntarily offers himself.

13. Q&A: Paying Taxes & Secular Authority

(111:06–117:06)

• Christian from Australia: “Is it moral to pay taxes if government uses the money for evil?”
• Fr. Stephen:
  • Jesus relativized the value of money: "Give to Caesar what's Caesar's, to God what's God's—everything is God's."
  • Christians must pay taxes honestly, though not more than needed, even if the state does evil; use democratic means to influence justly.

  "You got to pay your taxes." (117:06)

14. Q&A: Joshua’s Long Day—"Sun Stands Still"

(120:58–125:15)

• Jennifer from North Carolina: What does “the sun stood still” (Joshua 10) mean in an Orthodox reading?
• Fr. Stephen:
  • Ancient view: Created elements (sun, moon, stars) are spiritual beings who can, under God’s direction, participate in His warfare.
  • Phenomenon is a sign—the sun cooperates with Israel, part of the broader theme of creation joining God against evil.

  "It's God making war against them. Israel is part of God's army, but so is the sun, so is the wind..." (124:28)

15. Q&A: Liturgical Time and Ancient Clocks

(125:30–131:04)

• Jennifer (continued): How did ancient people handle time, especially with seasonal changes?
• Fr. Andrew:
  • Time reckoning was relative (hours from sunrise to sunset), not clock-based.
  • Old liturgical books (Horologion) reflect changing “hours” per season/month.
  • Ancient society marked events by the sun’s position, not standardized hours.

16. Q&A: America, Saints and “Sanctifying the Land”

(132:22–141:09)

• Joe from Oklahoma: To cure “Americanism,” do we need more saints buried here, as the ancient Church did with pagan sites?
• Fr. Andrew:
  • Yes, sanctified ground matters—but living like saints is the first step.

  “How do you change your country? You change it by making it holy... If just 10 of us lived the Christian life for real in this city, we would light the place on fire.” (135:24)

• Fr. Stephen:
  • Burying saints comes after making saints; culture war is less effective than actual conversion and sanctification.

  "Your will has been frustrated...you're looking for a way to grab the mechanisms of power and do that. But it is of no spiritual benefit to anyone..." (139:45)

17. Q&A: Benjamite Wives in Judges 21

(141:45–145:40)

• Anosh from Wisconsin: What’s the point of the dark story about the Benjamite wives?
• Both: Judges arcs downward into chaos and intra-Israelite violence; stories late in the book (like Judges 21) illustrate the depth of civilizational and covenantal breakdown.

18. Q&A: Neanderthals and the Image of God

(147:52–153:19)

• Scott from Grand Rapids: If some of us have Neanderthal DNA, did Neanderthals bear the image of God?
• Fr. Stephen:
  • “Everything in genus homo is a human.” Neanderthals were human, they buried dead, made art, had souls.

  “Our ancestors in Doggerland were humans, meaning they’re made in the image of God.” (152:06)

19. Q&A: Leviticus 12—Purification After Childbirth

(172:58–183:52)

• Tim from Minnesota: Why is purification longer after daughters than after sons?
• Fr. Stephen:
  • Not punitive. Ancient societies had gendered spheres; the practice corresponds to forming stronger bonds between mother/daughter vs. mother/son, marking different socialization trajectories.

20. Q&A: Chalcedonian/Non-Chalcedonian Divide

(184:44–194:20)

• Samuel (Washington): Is the break between Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox a theological difference or just expression?
• Both:
  • Goal: Communion on the basis of shared faith.
  • Real obstacles: significant Christological variation among Oriental Orthodox churches and saints anathematized on both sides; also deep historical memory of persecution complicates dialogue.

  “Step one is going to be...those [internal Coptic] divisions have to be resolved...and hopefully in a positive way...” —Fr. Stephen (193:45)

Notable Quotes & Noteworthy Comments

• “Hell took a body and met God.” —St. John Chrysostom, quoted by Fr. Andrew (25:44)
• “You just have to follow the calendar your local Orthodox Church is following. If there's a problem with that calendar...God will deal with the bishop about that. You don't have to worry about it.” —Fr. Stephen (73:13)
• “If just 10 of us lived the Christian life for real in this city, we would light the place on fire.” —Fr. Andrew, paraphrasing St. John Chrysostom (135:24)
• “By the time David gets to the Day of Judgment, it's not that he didn't have any sin...but it was all dealt with. That's why he's the image of repentance.” —Fr. Stephen (95:04)

Memorable Moments & Humor

• “Monster mashers. I’m not sure if we’ve used that one before.” —Fr. Andrew (02:27)
• Banter about the K-Pop Demon Hunters movie including crowd-sourced recommendations, skepticism, then surprising delight.
• Canadian wrestling and Bret Hart/Stu Hart references (30:00–31:51).
• Ongoing teasing about being Dutch, joining the AARP, and “Pentagenarian Class.”
• “Pith is your byword.” —on keeping jingles short for Samuel from Virginia (155:34)
• Fr. Stephen: “It was ineffable. It could not be effed.” — On meeting William Shatner (161:33)

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Time | Content | |------|---------| | 00:00–09:00 | Introduction, hosts' banter, birthday jokes, movie talk (K-Pop Demon Hunters) | | 09:36–14:53 | Covenant with Phinehas, St. John as fulfillment | | 15:40–22:19 | Animal souls, afterlife, pets in resurrection | | 23:11–29:40 | Demons’ vs Satan’s reaction to Christ | | 32:08–37:39 | Elemental spirits in Galatians 4 | | 38:27–45:49 | Spiritual warfare, praying against the devil, charismatic trends | | 49:11–59:41 | Soul vs. spirit vs. consciousness | | 60:40–73:33 | Orthodox calendar (Old/New); variety and practical guidance | | 75:00–83:38 | Sacrifice origins, pagan parallels | | 88:59–97:07 | Mercy & accountability, "getting away with it" | | 98:36–106:02 | Council of Jerusalem’s bans (blood, strangled, etc.) | | 111:06–117:06 | Taxes, Caesar, public authority | | 120:58–125:15 | Joshua’s long day, sun stands still | | 125:30–131:04 | Daylight savings, ancient reckoning of hours | | 132:22–141:09 | Saints’ relics sanctifying America | | 141:45–145:40 | Benjamite wives story—Judges as decline narrative | | 147:52–153:19 | Neanderthals, image of God in archaic humans | | 172:58–183:52 | Leviticus 12, purity after childbirth| | 184:44–194:20 | Chalcedon, “quick” question on reunion |

Conclusion

A spirited, funny, and theologically rich Q&A that demonstrates the breadth of Orthodox thought as it meets classic biblical exegesis, contemporary challenges, and personal, practical concerns. Whether tackling ancient controversies or helping callers process grief and suffering, Fr. Andrew and Fr. Stephen model wisdom, humility, and the pastoral heart of Orthodox Christianity.

For full details, visit Ancient Faith Radio or the Lord of Spirits podcast archive.