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.



July 16, 2015

Eleven Anonymous Turkish Muslims Baptized Orthodox Christians


Eleven Turkish citizens, among them being a famous Turkish actor, were baptized a few days ago [in May 2015] Orthodox Christians. The Mystery was celebrated by the Metropolitan of Attica.

The [original] thirteen Muslim men and women (between the ages of 30 and 40) were impressed by the beauty of the Orthodox monuments of the island [of Chios], and on their return to Turkey, they decided to read and generally learn about Orthodoxy.

This led to them asking a priest to undertake their catechism with the intention of converting to the Orthodox religion.

The clergyman, with the blessing of the Metropolitan of Chios, invited a veteran priest from Attica with whom the Muslims jointly received catechism. The thirteen Turks made frequent trips to Chios, where the priests always awaited them for their catechism. This beautiful spiritual relationship lasted about three years!

And at a certain point came the fullness of time. The catechists determined the catechumen Turkish citizens were ready to formally join as members of the Orthodox Church.

So a few days ago, according to news sources, a church in Attica scheduled them for the Mystery of Baptism. Of the thirteen, however, only eleven made it to the font (five men, six women), after two failed to get a visa.

Dozens of the faithful followed the Sacred Mystery, and respected the request of the Bishop and the newly-illumined to not capture the ceremony photographically.

The name of the Turkish actor was not made public.

Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.

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