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“Psychologist and author Jordan Peterson, who has developed a massive following among young men, told The Post he’s noticed a growing number of Gen Z boys like Elijah trending toward Orthodoxy — in part, he theorizes, because tradition makes it unquestionable,” wrote Rikki Schlott of the New York Post.
The increased membership of young men joining the Eastern Church is notable, but it is not the only movement being observed.
Candace Owens famously became Roman Catholic in 2024, writing, “Recently, I made the decision to go home. There is of course so much more that went into this decision and that I plan to share in the future. But for now, praise be to God for His gentle, but relentless guiding of my heart toward Truth.”
More recently, famed theologian and author Matthew Barrett left the SBC and Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary for Anglicanism and a faculty appointment at Trinity Anglican Seminary. He shared the following on X: “I am leaving Midwestern and the SBC. I am becoming Anglican…Our family is so happy.”
The growth of traditional denominations and classical teachings is notable.
With the Protestant Reformation, the oldest Protestant sects are often referred to as Lutheran, Reformed (German and Dutch), Anglican, and Presbyterian. Today, most of these exist in both liberal and more traditional forms. The traditional sects, often grounded in the original confessional statements of their faiths, are the denominations seeing a surge in interest and growth.
Anglicanism is the world’s largest Protestant sect outside of Roman Catholicism. The growth of Anglicanism in Africa is noteworthy.
Churches are rapidly departing from mainstream Protestant groups such as the United Methodist Church (due to schisms), the United Church of Christ and the PCUSA. New denominations are forming, while other churches and members are opting to return to more classical teachings.
Denominations such as the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod and the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod are also seeing a renewed interest.
While sharp differences and distinctions exist between Catholicism and Protestant Christianity, a new commonality is emerging: a shared desire to return to traditional, classical Christianity. This movement is increasingly seen as a safeguard for believers, helping them stay grounded in historic Christian thought and teaching.
In an era marked by extreme wokeism in the Western world, traditional faiths offer a clear alternative, centered in ancient tradition, doctrine and practice.
This movement toward orthodoxy is not new. Throughout church history, Christians have continually wrestled with a core question: as society progresses, should the Church conform or remain distinct?
Older faiths, including historic Protestant bodies, proclaim protection from doctrinal error through their confessional frameworks, whether it be the Book of Common Prayer, Luther’s Small and Large Catechisms, Westminster Standards, or the historic creeds: the Apostles’ Creed, the Nicene Creed, and the Athanasian Creed. In fact, neglecting the Nicene Creed was a key reason for Barrett’s departure from the SBC.
Students of church history know that prominent figures such as Polycarp, Augustine of Hippo, and many others revered in both Catholic and Protestant circles underscored the importance of tradition and Christian practice. Many modern believers are asking why certain practices were abandoned.
The Church is undoubtedly the body of Christ, made up of all genuine believers across denominational lines. Yet the modern movement toward historic Christianity is noteworthy. It seems centered on an appreciation for tradition and a desire to guard the Church from liberal theological trends.
Christians have long been criticized for their many denominations, especially when compared to Islam, the world’s second-largest religion, which often presents a more unified front. In America, new denominations form frequently. Still, many of the older sects remain tied to the historic creeds: the Apostles’ Creed, Nicene Creed, and Athanasian Creed.
In a world drifting further into secularism and cultural confusion, the return to classical Christianity offers something new, yet also historic, a system grounded in history, a doctrine rooted in Scripture, and a Church shaped by time-tested practices.
Whether through creeds, catechisms or ancient liturgies, this movement reminds believers that faith is not meant to evolve with the times, but times are to conform to the Church.
Amidst cultural upheaval, classical Christianity does not change. In its confessions, creeds and continuity, it points believers not to the trends of the age, but to Christ, the same yesterday, today and forever.
