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 11, 2010

Mixed Martial Arts Champion is a Pious Orthodox


World Champion in Mixed Martial Arts Observes Fasts, Listens to Church Music and Reads about Orthodox Ascetics

Moscow
10 February 2010
Interfax

World champion in mixed martial arts, Fedor Emelyanenko, confessed he loved to listen to church music and read Orthodox literature.

“I’ve read a book not long ago and I liked it very much, it was Ivan Shmelev’s The Summer of the Lord. Now I’m reading about great Orthodox ascetics of the 20th century,” the renowned fighter was quoted as saying by the Valetudo.ru.

The fighter also said he used Internet only to learn something new about the lives of saints and liked to eat when there was no fast. “Now it’s Maslenitsa and next week is a strict fast.”

According to the sportsman, he spares no effort to win in his profession and hopes for God’s will. He says he is happy and mentions that he lives “with God in my soul,” and goes to the Church.

Emelyanenko also stated he was concerned with the ideals of modern-day youth.

“There are real, nonfictional heroes like Alexander Nevsky, Dimitry Donskoy, Peresvet. They are great warriors and we have to be equal to them. They are not invented by cinematography, they are heroes who proved their heroism by their lives. They gave their lives for the honor of Russia,” the world champion stressed.

Official Webpage of Fedor Emelyanenko

Read more here.

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