In USA, number of Orthodox Christians among young Republicans rises sharply

President of the New York Young Republicans Club Stefano Forte. Photo: UOJ

Stefano Forte, the new President of the New York Young Republican Club (NYYRC) and an Orthodox Christian of Greek descent, stated in an exclusive interview with the Union of Orthodox Journalists in America (UOJ-America) about the significant increase in the number of Orthodox believers within the ranks of the conservative youth organization.

NYYRC is the largest and oldest conservative youth organization in the USA. Recently, the club celebrated reaching a membership milestone of 1776 members, with the total number of participants approaching 1800.

Orthodox Christians in the Organization's Leadership

Many Orthodox Christians work in the club's leadership structures: executive committee secretary Alexis Winters (who took the name Zoe at Baptism), and Forte's fiancée Theodora holds the position of design chair. Additionally, Orthodox Christian Katherine Whiteford serves as Co-Chair of the National Federation of Young Republicans.

Forte explains the rise in popularity of the conservative movement among Orthodox believers with religious principles. “As Orthodox we are called to be not of this world, but likewise to live in it. When we see the world ablaze around us, we have to do our part, both through prayer— which is deeply, deeply important— but also with actions,” he stated.

Theological Justification for Political Activity

The President of NYYRC refers to the words of St. Paisios of Mount Athos, who advised believers when choosing candidates to “look at who loves the country more and who loves God more”.

Forte criticizes the position of some Orthodox who call for complete withdrawal from politics. “If we were supposed to remove ourselves from politics, there would be no St. Constantine the Great, there'd be no St. Justinian the Great or St. Stephan, these kings who were so involved in the day-to-day affairs of their country and did so to the glory of God,” he believes.

Religious Motives for Political Choice

Speaking about President Trump, Forte notes: “.... he is truly somebody who loves their country and loves God; it's just very obvious. You don't take a bullet like he did without having some convictions. And God doesn't spare your life like that—believe me. God’s fingerprints were all over that bullet when it barely grazed his ear.”

According to Forte, “the Left has become completely godless”, “with the LGBTQ propaganda and the things they’re doing in schools, just no respect for human dignity”.

Orthodox Priest at a Republican Event

In December 2024, at the annual NYYRC gala, Father Josiah Trenham from the Antiochian Archdiocese offered a prayer that became the first in the organization's history to receive a standing ovation.

Several attendees approached the priest after the prayer to learn more about Orthodoxy, which indicates a growing interest in Eastern Christianity within conservative circles.

Personal Journey to Faith

Forte himself has gone from childhood faith through an agnostic period in college to a revival of spirituality. “Coming out of college during COVID and all that stuff, I realized, you know, my faith is so much more beautiful than anyone could imagine,” he shares.

Forte emphasizes that his “politics are downstream of faith”, and believes that “if you have a deep love for Christ, then your politics should stem from that.” This example demonstrates the influence of religious beliefs on the political preferences and activism of American youth, which may be of interest for analyzing religious-political trends in Western society.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that, according to a priest from the USA, there is an unprecedented growth of interest in Orthodoxy in the country.

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