Most people have been sold a version of marriage that's either a power grab or a slow sacrifice into nothing. This conversation dismantles both.
Adam Lane Smith sits down with Jonathan Pageau, symbolic artist, Orthodox Christian thinker, and author, to go deep on what Biblical marriage actually asks of a man, what it gives a woman, and why the model most people are running has nothing to do with Christianity.
What you'll learn in this conversation:
→ Why hierarchy in a Christian marriage looks nothing like the Roman model most people are reacting against
→ What it actually means for a husband to "die to self" and why it's not what you think
→ The covenant framework God uses with Israel and what it reveals about secure attachment in marriage
→ How oxytocin, the nervous system, and masculine sacrifice are biologically connected
→ Why women become contemptuous of men who collapse into the home and what a wife actually needs
→ The undervalued power of the feminine private sphere and why dismissing it is destroying families
→ What repair looks like inside a covenant and why so many Christians don't believe it's available to them
→ How the seasons of a woman's life create a different kind of contribution than a man's and why that's worth honoring
If you've been told that submission means suffering, or that self-sacrifice means disappearing, this conversation will give you a language for something you've felt but couldn't name.
📚 WORK WITH ME
🫂 RELATIONSHIP MASTERY INTENSIVE April 23–26, 2026 | San Diego, California 3 days of real skill-building with people who understand exactly what you're going through.
Apply here: https://adamlanesmith.com/retreat/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=retreat
💬 1:1 COACHING Work directly with my team: https://adamlanesmith.com/private-coaching/
📋 FREE ATTACHMENT QUIZ Find out your attachment style in under 5 minutes: https://adamlanesmith.com/attachment-assessment/
📬 NEWSLETTER Get weekly insights on attachment patterns: https://adamlanesmith.com/newsletter-signup/
---
Jonathan Pageau's website: thesymbolicworld.com
Jonathan's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/jonathanpageau
Connect with Adam on your second preferred platform:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/attachmentadam/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@attachmentbro
X: https://twitter.com/adamlanesmith
Threads: https://www.threads.com/@attachmentadam
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AdamLaneSmith/
I Wish You Knew Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCh_uRUnpQwNZb_WG76TxTTw?sub_confirmation=1
