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.



March 21, 2010

Elder Moses of Hilandari Monastery Has Reposed


According to Romfea.gr, Elder Moses, the abbot of the Holy Monastery of Hilandari Monastery on Mount Athos, has reposed today. In the world he was known as Stanislav Zarkovich. He was born in 1923 at Zorka, Serbia. On Mount Athos he was seen as a spiritual giant, yet was always a very humble and sweet elder. He was tonsured in Serbia in 1947 and came to the Holy Mountain in 1964. On Novemeber 22, 1992 he was elected to be the abbot of Hilandari Monastery and enthroned. In his last years, due to health reasons, he lived outside of Hilandari Monastery and the Metochion of Kakavos in Ierissos of Halkidiki. His funeral will take place tomorrow after the Presanctified Liturgy by Metropolitan Amphilochios of Mavrovouniou.
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