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.



October 4, 2010

Patriarch Kirill Consecrates First Russian Church For Marriages


October 4, 2010
Interfax

On Sunday, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia conducted a minor consecration of a church dedicated to the heavenly protectors of Orthodox marriage Sts Peter and Fevronia in Kaliningrad.

This festival event took place after the patriarchal liturgy in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior situated nearby.

Speaking to the believers, Patriarch Kirill noted that this church is built especially for marriages "so that here people will receive blessings for setting up strong families, birth giving, bringing up children in the Orthodox faith and love for the Motherland."

Deputy head of the patriarchal press service deacon Alexander Volkov told journalists that Sts Peter and Fevronia Church is the only church in Russia built especially for conducting marriages. The church has two connected cupolas that symbolize two crowns and two loving hearts.



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