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 27, 2010

Serbia To Celebrate 1700 Years Since the Signing of the Edict of Milan in 2013


December 26, 2010
B92

It would be good to launch talks between churches in 2013, Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC) Patriarch Irinej stated on Saturday.

“It is good for church representatives to gather and launch a humane and friendly dialogue, while other issues between churches can be left for a later time,” Irinej said during signing of a contract on the construction of a complex commemorating the Roman Emperor Constantine the Great (306-337) in Niš.

Constantine the Great was born in the vicinity of today's southern Serbian city of Niš.

Partiarch Irinej and Niš Mayor Miloš Simonović signed an agreement on the transfer of city-owned land on Vinik Hill to the SPC, which would use it to build a religious complex devoted to the memory of Constantine the Great.

The signing of the agreement was also attended by Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Božidar Đelić.

“A dialogue between Christian churches is a process, and it is important to initiate it,” the patriarch noted.

Construction works at the site will start early in 2011, and are due to be completed by the 1.700th anniversary of the adoption of the Edict of Milan.

The Edict of Milan was the legal act which proclaimed religious toleration and marked the end of the exile of Christians in the Roman Empire.

A cross which will be visible from all parts of Niš will be built on Vinik Hill, at 400 meters above sea level.

The cross will be 80 meters high and 40 meters wide, made of metal, with an elevator and two platforms.

The complex will span across 13 hectares and will comprise a hotel, a museum dedicated to Emperor Constantine, an amphitheatre, a cinema, a media centre and a souvenir shop.

Read more here.
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