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.



October 17, 2009

Ukrainian Prime Minister on Orthodox Pilgrimage


Ukraine's Yulia Tymoshenko Talks to God Before Running for President

Pravda.Ru
October 16, 2009

Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko is visiting the Vatican Friday, October 16. She will also visit Jerusalem before the presidential campaign in Ukraine.

"I will go to the Vatican at the invitation of Pope Benedict XVI. It is very important for me to hold all necessary discussions about cooperation between the government in Ukraine and the Council of Churches, and about what steps we have been making to help churches fulfill their mission. I think it is a very important discussion, because, in my opinion, only from spiritual revival can the country's economic revival begin," says a statement, posted on Tymoshenko's web blog.

The Ukrainian prime minister also plans to visit the holy sites in Jerusalem.

"I, as an Orthodox, want to see all the holy sites of great importance for the Orthodox believers, before a hard trial begins - the presidential elections and, most important, the restoration of order in the country after the presidential elections," Tymoshenko said.

“I want to worship the Lord’s Sepulcher, to visit the places connected with the name of Jesus Christ and just confess, commune, repent and go further, believing that the Lord has wonderful future in store for Ukraine,” she said.

As was reported, in July 2009 the Pope invited head of the Ukrainian government to visit Vatican, Interfax said.

The presidential campaign in Ukraine starts on October 19.

Below are photos of her meeting with the Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilus.



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