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 1, 2009

The "Real Live Preacher" Visits An Orthodox Church...And Loves It!

Saint Anthony's Orthodox Church; San Antonio, Texas

I've been following this blog recently that I find quite fascinating. It is the blog of a man who calls himself the "Real Live Preacher". His name is Gordan Atkinson and he serves as a Pastor for a Baptist Church in San Antonio, Texas.

Apparently Pastor Gordan is on sabbatical and every Sunday is trying out new churches in the area to see how they worship. In late May of this year he stumbled upon an Orthodox Church on the internet named after Saint Anthony the Great and decided to try it out along with the rest of his family. It seems that his experience was so positive that he now has pretty much decided to only attend Orthodox worship services for the rest of his sabbatical.

As a cradle Orthodox myself, I find his initial "culture shock" during his first Divine Liturgy not only fascinating but a bit hilarious as well. Apparently Saint Anthony's has no pews or seats, so the rest of Pastor Gordan's family has dropped out of the whole Orthodox experience. They just could not take standing for over two hours. But Pastor Gordan has faced it all courageously and to the credit of the parish they have welcomed him with open arms and made him feel very comfortable. "Pews?" he writes, "We don’t need no stinking pews! Providing seats for worshippers is SO 14th century."

One thing I especially loved to read here was how Pastor Gordan describes the richness and depth of Orthodox worship, and how this made him feel like a child again - something apparently he has long sought for. He describes it this way:

"I don't think it was an accident that I felt drawn to the Orthodox Church in this short season. And I think I understand why these Sundays have been so meaningful to me. When I walk into an Orthodox Church, I don't know anything. I don’t know the theology. I don’t know the language. I don’t know the practice. I don’t know the deep meanings behind the symbols, icons, and worship movements. It’s like being a child again."

You can follow the rest of Pastor Gordan's Orthodox adventures here. So far he has made four postings and I look forward to the rest.
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