Holiday, Florida, September 18, 2025
Photo: Orthodox Ethos
Popular Protestant apologist Ben Merritt, known online as Cleave to Antiquity, has announced his intention to become Eastern Orthodox. Merritt, who until recently served as an associate pastor at a non-denominational church in Holiday, Florida, made the announcement on the Orthodox Ethos podcast with Protopresbyter Peter Heers.
According to Protestia, Merritt started his YouTube channel specifically to respond to Orthodox arguments. Over the past year, his channel grew to 11.3K followers.
His conversion decision came recently. Four months ago, he appeared on Ruslan’s channel for an episode titled “Before You Convert from Protestant to Orthodox, Watch This,” where he argued against converting to Orthodoxy. Three months ago, he joined the YourCalvinist podcast to discuss what he saw as problematic Orthodox views on justification. Just two months ago, he appeared on Gavin Ortlund’s Truth Unites to defend the Protestant Biblical canon against Orthodox challenges.
On his own channel, Merritt posted a video three months ago titled “QUICKLY Refuting Catholic + Orthodox Arguments Against Sola Scriptura,” and in June interviewed Orthodox apostate Joshua Schooping about joining the Lutheran Church.
During his announcement on Orthodox Ethos, Merritt described a transformative spiritual experience that led to his decision. He explained that a conversation with an Anglican priest friend about the intercession of saints prompted him to reconsider his position. The priest suggested asking God to request the saints’ prayers, which Merritt found thought-provoking.
“That night I prayed to God and I asked for the intercessions of the Theotokos over that particular issue,” Merritt shared. “The next day I felt like I don’t know, like something had changed, like scales had fallen from my eyes.”
He described a second experience days later: “I prayed to God and I asked for the intercessions of the Theotokos over this particular issue whether or not I should continue to do these debates against Orthodox, and I smelled incense very thick filled the room.”
Merritt also outlined several theological reasons for his conversion, including his acceptance of the Real Presence in the Eucharist, Apostolic Succession, and the deficiency of Sola Scriptura
Merritt has already resigned from his pastoral position, telling the Orthodox Ethos audience, “I can’t be disobedient to God.” He reported having a positive conversation with his senior pastor about the transition.
The family is now attending an Orthodox church weekly, and Merritt plans to speak with a priest about becoming a catechumen. He intends to continue his YouTube channel but with a different focus, inviting Orthodox priests and thinkers to help educate his audience about Orthodoxy from a learning perspective rather than a teaching one.
On his own channel, Merritt also posted a video explaining his decision to join holy Orthodoxy:
His conversion follows closely after an Evangelical pastor in England and dozens of parishioners recently converted to Eastern Orthodoxy.
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