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.



May 14, 2011

Foundation of First Orthodox Church In Iceland Consecrated


May 13, 2011
Interfax

The Head of the Moscow Patriarchate Administration for Foreign Institutions, Archbishop Mark of Yegoryevsk, consecrated yesterday the foundation stone of the first Orthodox church in Iceland.

Addressing the audience, State Duma Vice Speaker Lyubov Sliska said St. Nicholas was intentionally chosen as the patron saint of the Russian Orthodox community in Iceland. The holy patron of travellers and sailors is most popular in this country.

She expressed hope that the Russian business community supports the construction and the church put up by joint efforts of all people, and will unite the Russian community living in Iceland.

In his turn, President Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson said consecration of the Russian church foundation would "open a new page in the history of relations between Iceland and Russia" and promised to give further assistance to the parish.

The Russian Orthodox community has thrice grown to become the fastest growing (in percentage) religious organization in Iceland. Today the parish unites about 400 immigrants from Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Bulgaria, Byelorussia, Moldavia, Romania, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, the Czech Republic, Greece and other countries, as well as native Icelanders.

The Reykjavik municipal administration decided to assign a section of land for the construction of the church free of charge in November 2004. Church services are currently conducted in temporary premises.
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