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.



May 26, 2010

Icon of Christ "In Another Form"


The image of Christ "in another form" is a fresco by Manuel Panselinos (late 13th century) in the apse of the Prothesis of the Church of the Dormition of the Theotokos of Protaton "the mother of all athonite churches", in Karyes of Mount Athos.

The icon indeed bears an image quite different from other images of Christ in traditional Byzantine iconography. Despite signs of wear due to time, the image is very impressive. The head of the Lord is surrounded by a large halo-shaped Cross, His shoulders are broad, His hair lush and styled, and His eyes are piercing. Panselinos illumines the face with a bright red color to show a transforming in his form.

What is the source for such an image? Luke 24:13-33 relates the story of Christ's appearance to two men on the road to Emmaus. As the two men were talking about the events of Christ's crucifixion, we read: "As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognizing him." And towards the end of the conversation, as they broke bread and Jesus handed them a piece, it says: "Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight."

This image therefore is the resurrected Christ as He appeared on the road to Emmaus, "in another form".

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