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 9, 2009

Orthodox Businessmen Find Heavenly Protector in St. Joseph of Volotsk


December 8 2009
Interfax

St. Joseph of Volotsk is proclaimed a heavenly protector of Orthodox enterprises and management.

Patriarchal Council for Economics and Ethics requested to give a heavenly protector to business activities. Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia blessed the initiative, his press service said.

St. Joseph of Volotsk (secular name Ioann Sanin, 1440-1515) went down to history as an ardent advocate of Orthodoxy and defender of church and state unity in struggle against heresies and church schisms, an inspirer of the teaching about the Holy Russia as the keeper of ancient ecumenical piety.

He is also famous for his business activities aimed at strengthening church authority and influence on society, enhancing the Church financial capabilities for carrying out the charity.

It'll be 500 years since the Holy Father deceased in 2015. 
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