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.



June 4, 2009

Why are Ethnic Russians Converting to Islam?

[I thought this was an interesting question in todays news published by The Georgian Daily. Various answers are given that I would agree contribute to these conversions, but there was another story published today that I also think is contributing to this factor. I wonder how much they relate. Could the article below be one reason people in Russia are leaving Orthodoxy for other religions? -J.S.]

Patriarch Kyrill Calls for Eliminating Crude Behavior from Parishes

Patriarch Kyrill called for eliminating crude behavior, which sometimes takes place in the parishes of the Russian Orthodox Church, and deters people from Orthodoxy, reports Interfax-Religion.

"I've spoken with people who had completely lost their faith, because upon entering the church for the first time, they encountered brutality, anger, irritability," - said Patriarch Kyrill on June 3 when presenting diplomas to graduates of the Sretensky Theological Seminary in Moscow.

According to the leader of the Russian Orthodox Church, the blame for the rudeness and lack of civility of church staff often rests with the priest, who is unable to live in such a way as to be an example for others. "

"Personal example - this is something without which the priest can not carry out his service", - underscored the Patriarch.

In our time, "when people no longer believe in spoken words, the life of the priest must be a constant sermon by its acts", - believes the head of the Moscow Patriarchate.

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