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.



November 27, 2010

A Debate On Ecumenism In the Metropolis of Beroea


According to Romfea.gr, an internet debate has been ensuing in the Metropolis of Beroea between Archimandrite Paul Dimitrakopoulos and the clergy of the Metropolis. Fr. Paul has been criticizing Metropolitan Panteleimon publicly for being an "Ecumenist", that is, a heretic who believes the various Christian bodies should unite, dialogue and pray with one another. The clergy of the Metropolis as well as the Metropolitan himself are in turn criticizing Fr. Paul for his "scandalizing the faithful", anachronistic views, fanaticism, etc.

The link below contains the two letters (in Greek) written by Fr. Paul stating his case, which he claims to base his arguments on such eminent contemporary Holy Fathers, such as Elder Paisios the Athonite, St. Justin Popovich and Elder Sophrony of Essex. Below that in the same link is the text by the Clergy of the Metropolis of Beroea dated from October 29th, 2010 in which they clarify their position against Fr. Paul's text which is being distributed over the internet. They make clear that the clergy of the Metropolis respect Fr. Paul for his zeal for Orthodoxy, but that they cannot accept his fanaticism. They explain that they have never participated in any form of heretical Ecumenism, but that the measures of Fr. Paul have more to do with the fact that the Metropolitan of Beroea has not been outspoken against Ecumenism. Because of the unfounded harsh criticism issued against his hierarch and the scandalous messages he has been vocalizing throughout the Metropolis which have troubled many people, the clergy have asked Fr. Paul to take down his text from the internet, but he has not listened and thus been removed from the Metropolis.

The full text is here.

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