Course Description
This five-week course, led by Dr. Zachary Porcu, author of Journey to Reality: Sacramental Life in a Secular Age, invites participants to explore a profound shift in worldview essential to understanding Orthodox Christianity. Instead of focusing solely on doctrine or practice, Dr. Porcu will guide you through the transformative process of moving from a secular mindset to a sacramental way of seeing the world—embracing reality in its fullest, as the Orthodox faith reveals.
Each week, Dr. Porcu will deliver an insightful lecture followed by an open discussion, providing space for questions, reflections, and community engagement. Designed to resonate with Western Christians, those new to faith, and anyone seeking a deeper, holistic view of life, this course illuminates the path to living in harmony with the sacramental nature of reality. Join us to experience a journey of discovery that goes beyond intellectual understanding, inviting you to see and live in reality as it truly is.
Course Details
Dates: 15 July 2025 through 12 Aug 2025.
Length of course: 5 weeks
Time: 3:00pm Pacific Time
Class length: 3-4 hours with a break halfway.
Prerequisite: Open to all people, no prerequisites
Course Modules
Model I: Introduction and Fundamentals (no reading).
Module II Religion, God, and the Fall (Chapters 1, 2, 3, and 4).
Module III: Thinking Orthodox (Chapters 5, 6, 7, and 8).
Module IV: The History of Secularism (Chapters 11, 12).
Module V: Becoming Human and the Journey to Reality (Chapters 9, 10, and 13).
There may be additional assignments in the form of pre-recorded video lectures and/or additional reading; this will always be announced in class the week before it’s due.
Required Text
Journey to Reality: Sacramental Life in a Secular Age (Amazon link here).
Instructor
Zachary Porcu is the author of Journey to Reality and the host of the podcast The Roots of Everything. He earned his PhD in Church History at the Catholic University of America and holds additional degrees in Philosophy, History, and Classics. He has taught at private schools and universities on both the East and West coasts and is a catechist at St. Andrew’s Orthodox Church in Riverside, CA. You can follow his work at zacharyporcu.substack.com.
