ORTHODOX CHRISTIANITY THEN AND NOW: First Lady Of Ukraine Makes Time For Church and Philanthropy

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.

October 7, 2011

First Lady Of Ukraine Makes Time For Church and Philanthropy

October 7, 2011
Interfax

The Ukrainian President's spouse, Lyudmila Yanukovych, is going to visit the church on her birthday, October 9.

"On this day there's a great church feast - the passing away of the Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian. So I want to go to church in the morning to confess and to take communion. After the church, if we have time, we'll have a family meal," Yanukovich said in her interview with the Ukrainian edition of the Komsomolskaya Pravda daily.

She said she had 17 godchildren, not taking orphans in the account.

When asked if she has a charitable organization, Yanukovych said she preferred to help people directly.

"My mail box is always full, almost all ask for help. I answer all the letters myself - I can spend the night writing responses. If there are telephone numbers, I call and speak with people," she said.

"We have to find time for help. Father Zosima from Nikolskoye, I respect him so much, said: 'Be in a hurry to do good deeds.' I'm in a hurry. I afraid to be late," Yanukovych said.