ORTHODOX CHRISTIANITY THEN AND NOW: Russians Save Zacchaeus' Sycamore Tree

Having entered the Christmas season, we ask those who find the work of the Mystagogy Resource Center beneficial to them to help us continue our work with a generous financial gift as you are able. As an incentive, we are offering the following booklet.

In 1909 the German philosopher Arthur Drews wrote a book called "The Myth of Christ", which New Testament scholar Bart D. Ehrman has called "arguably the most influential mythicist book ever produced," arguing that Jesus Christ never existed and was simply a myth influenced by more ancient myths. The reason this book was so influential was because Vladimir Lenin read it and was convinced that Jesus never existed, thus justifying his actions in promoting atheism and suppressing the Orthodox Church in the Soviet Union. Moreover, the ideologues of the Third Reich would go on to implement the views of Drews to create a new "Aryan religion," viewing Jesus as an Aryan figure fighting against Jewish materialism.

Due to the tremendous influence of this book in his time, George Florovsky viewed the arguments presented therein as very weak and easily refutable, which led him to write a refutation of this text which was published in Russian by the YMCA Press in Paris in 1929. This apologetic brochure titled "Did Christ Live? Historical Evidence of Christ" was one of the first texts of his published to promote his Neopatristic Synthesis, bringing the patristic heritage to modern historical and cultural conditions. With the revival of these views among some in our time, this text is as relevant today as it was when it was written.

Never before published in English, it is now available for anyone who donates at least $20 to the Mystagogy Resource Center upon request (please specify in your donation that you want the book). Thank you.

April 13, 2010

Russians Save Zacchaeus' Sycamore Tree

12 April 2010
Interfax

Russian botanists have saved one of the most famous trees in history - the ancient Gospels sycamore tree.

The tree was dying, termites lived there and its branches were dry. The experts got rid of the termites, cut down dry branches and the tree has become green again, even small fruit appeared on it.

According to St. Luke's Gospels, when Christ was passing through Jericho where Zacchaeus lived, the latter sought to see the Savior and climbed up a sycamore tree. Christ saw him and decided to stop in his house. Zacchaeus was deeply touched and promised to give fourfold to those whom he offended when he collected taxes.

The land lot where the Biblical sycamore tree grows has recently been transferred to Russia for building a cultural center.

"Russia is not just coming back to the holy places. Russia is coming back with new offers, new projects. The Russian House that is to be built here witness to the fact that hopefully Russia is coming back here forever," head of the Presidential Property Management Department of the Russian Federation Vladimir Kozhin told the Pervy Canal.