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.



December 30, 2010

On the Eternal Reign of the Saints


By St. Nikolai Velimirovich

"But the saints of the Most High shall take the Kingdom and possess the Kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever" (Daniel 7:18).

Abased and oppressed in the kingdoms of the world, the saints will reign eternally in the Kingdom of Heaven.

The last on earth, they will rejoice as the first in heaven.

Hungry, thirsty, barefoot and naked in the transitory kingdoms, they will be like king's sons, satisfied and clothed in royal raiment in the enduring Kingdom.

Strangers in the kingdoms of decay, they will be lords in their Kingdom, the Kingdom of Incorruption.

This is the final Kingdom; in truth, the only kingdom that can be called a kingdom. All others are transitory, temporary schools of deceit and vanity. For the Eternal Kingdom, the saints were recruited on earth from the citizens of all earthly kingdoms through the ages. They are the sons and daughters of Christ the Savior, the children of the Living God. They are those who have passed from this life to the other life and who now reign. But all the splendor and all the majesty of their reign has not yet been revealed. This will be displayed after the Second Coming of Christ, the Judge of the living and the dead. Then will all the splendor and all the majesty of the Kingdom of the saints be shown.

This is the Eternal Kingdom of Christ our God. Of this Kingdom there will be neither change nor end for ever, even for ever and ever.

O Lord Jesus, the Builder of the Kingdom of the saints, have mercy on us sinners and prepare us for the Eternal Kingdom of Thy saints. To Thee be glory and praise forever. Amen.

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