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.



February 27, 2010

Exotic Birds Play a Good Missionary Role


Ostrich Eggs Served to Pilgrims in Kaliningrad Nunnery

It is the fourth Russian monastery to raise African birds

Moscow, 27 February 2010, Interfax – Nuns of St. Elizabeth Nunnery in the village of Priozerye not far from Kaliningrad raise ostriches in a special ostrich farm.

Nuns believe exotic birds play a good missionary role, the Rossiysskaya Gazeta reports. Many secular people come to the nunnery to see the ostriches and then go to worship shrines, visit the church and light candles.

Besides, nuns paint ostrich eggs and sell them as souvenirs. When there is no Lent, nuns have eggs for breakfast. One egg is enough to feed eight people. Ostrich omelet is served to pilgrims as well.

Ostriches are raised in some other Russian monasteries, for example in Kamenno-Brodsky Holy Trinity Monastery in Vologda and in Svyatoozersky Monastery in Valday. St. Nicholas Monastery in Shartom, the Ivanovo Region, even gave an African ostrich to a local Zoo as a present.
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