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 28, 2010

Synaxis of All Saints of Achaea



The Sunday before the feast of the Holy Apostle Andrew is dedicated to the Saints who shined with holiness in the land of Achaea. Among these Saints are the following:

1. Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called (November 30), who was martyred in Patras in 62 AD.

2. Holy Apostle Luke the Evangelist (October 18), who preached in Achaea and according to tradition wrote Acts of the Apostles there.

3. Holy Apostle Herodian (November 10 and March 28), one of the seventy and bishop of Patras.

4. Holy Apostle Sosipater (April 29), one of the seventy and was born in Achaea.

5. Holy Martyr Myron (August 17), who served as a priest in Achaea.

6. St. Artemios the Great Martyr (October 20)

7. St. Ascholios (or Acholios), Bishop of Thessaloniki (January 23)

8. St. Paul, Abbot of the Rhaithou martyrs (January 14)

9. St. Athanasios, Bishop of Methoni (December 10)

10. St. Joseph the Hymnographer (April 3)

11. St. Elias Sikelaiotis (August 17)

12. St. Elias Spilaiotis and Arsenios (September 11)

13. St. Daniel of the Castle in Patras (June 23)

14. Holy Martyr Olympia (May 11)

15. St. Savvas of Vatopaidi (June 15)

16. St. Zachariah the New Martyr (January 20)

17. St. Joachim Notenon (July 3)

18. Righteous Martyr Paul (May 22)

19. Sts. Anastasia, Christodoulos and those New Martyrs with them (Tuesday of Bright Week)

And many others...

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