S11 E06: Haunted By Eden with Father Christopher Foley

Makers & Mystics

Father Christopher Foley is the priest at Holy Cross Orthodox Church in Kernersville, NC where he has been serving for 17 years. Fr. Christopher is a convert to the Orthodox faith from an Evangelical background. While studying missiology and art history in college, he became interested in Eastern Orthodoxy and went on to receive a Master of Divinity degree at Saint Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary in NY.

In addition to his duties as a parish priest, Fr. Christopher has been active in writing and recording music with his band, Luxury, for over 30 years. The documentary Parallel Love tells the story of the band and how three of its members each became Orthodox priests.

In this episode Fr. Christopher discusses art in sacred contexts, the tension between embracing tradition and the artist’s aversion to being labeled. Stephen and Fr. Christopher talk about what it means to be haunted by Eden and how the longing for transcendence stays with us even for those who have deconstructed their faith.

Patrons of the podcast can enjoy an additional interview segment on idols and icons.

Watch the documentary: Parallel Love

Fr. Christopher’s interview with Jonathan Pageau