The Ancient Christianity That is Alive and Well in Georgia
From Heavy Things Lightly by John Heers
June 2, 2026 · 1h 5m
About this episode
Professor Levan Gigineishvili discusses the enduring nature of ancient Christianity in Georgia and its implications for personal growth and faith.
Georgia's ancient faith is still alive — and it demands more than just going through the motions.Professor Levan Gigineishvili joins John to discuss the importance of continuous personal growth as an Orthodox Christian, the ultimate answer to avoiding complacency and transforming our lives in Christ. A medievalist, philosopher, and one of Georgia's most respected public intellectuals — walks us through 1,600 years of Christianity that refuses to die.This conversation goes deep, we cover:✧ Why Ilia Chavchavadze (philosopher, national hero, and saint) believed good ritual isn't good enough✧ The Golden Age of Georgia: Rustavelli, Neoplatonism, and the "Second Athens"✧ How Georgia kept the faith when empires — Byzantine, Persian, Ottoman, Russian, Soviet — tried to erase it✧ Why Sola Scriptura and the Reformation never took root in the Caucasus✧ Levan's own journey from Soviet atheism to Orthodox Christianity✧ The Georgian Supra: why Americans are falling in love with this ancient feast tradition✧ And one unforgettable story about a panic attack, a monastery, and a phone call🕯️ "Be perfect, as your Heavenly Father is perfect." — That's the Christianity Georgia has been living for…
People in this episode
Host: John Heers
Guest: Levan Gigineishvili
Topics covered
- Orthodox Christianity
- personal growth
- Georgia's history
- medieval philosophy
- cultural traditions
- faith and ritual
Keywords
- Christianity
- Georgia
- Ilia Chavchavadze
- Orthodox
- medievalist
- faith
- ritual
- Sola Scriptura
- Reformation
- Georgian Supra
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Orthodox Christianity, Byzantine, Persian, Ottoman, Russian, Soviet
Books & works: Rustavelli, Neoplatonism
Places: Georgia
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