Made to Be a Kingdom
Built on the Anointed Rock: Christ, the Church, and the Gates of Death
In this episode of Made to be a Kingdom, Fathers Harry Linsenbigler and Anthony Perkins return
to Christ’s words in Matthew 16–18 to explore what Scripture reveals about the nature of the
Church. Reading the Gospel through its original biblical and Septuagint context, they reflect on
Christ as the anointed Petra, the gathering of the scattered people of Israel, and the Church as
the place where God restores His flock from among the nations.
Drawing on Micah’s prophecy (2:6-13), the language of gates and mountains, and the Paschal
victory over death, the conversation shows how Orthodox ecclesiology is rooted not in abstract
authority, but in Christ Himself—the Anointed Rock who leads His people through the gates of
hell into life. Along the way, they highlight how Scripture interprets Scripture, why the Church
understands herself as the restored Israel, and how Pascha stands at the heart of what it means
for the Church to be built, gathered, and led by Christ.
Friday, February 27, 2026
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