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.



December 4, 2014

Why Does Saint Barbara Hold a Chalice in Her Icons?


In Orthodox iconography (originating in the 14th century in the West), Saint Barbara is sometimes depicted with a chalice in her hands because she is viewed as an intercessor against sudden death. While in prison for her faith in Christ and prior to her martyrdom, she prayed to the Lord that no faithful Christian should face sudden death if they honored her memory. This is why she holds the chalice, to remind the faithful to honor her memory so that they would not face sudden death, but instead to be given the chance to receive Holy Communion before death. In a prayer to Saint Barbara, we ask her not to die without Holy Communion to receive spiritual help at the hour of death.
 

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