ORTHODOX CHRISTIANITY THEN AND NOW: Patriarch Kirill's Advice To Orthodox Bloggers

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.

March 26, 2012

Patriarch Kirill's Advice To Orthodox Bloggers

March 26, 2012
Interfax

Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia advises Orthodox bloggers to direct their "enhanced energy" to real work.

"It's enough to follow the discussions in blogs of believers, both laity and clerics. After reading them, you often think: if only they could use this energy for good purposes!" the Patriarch said at a session of the Coordination Committee on Promoting Social, Educative, Cultural and other Initiatives under Auspices of the Russian Church.

He asked a question to the participants in these Internet discussions: "You speak very decisively - but what are your real works and your real deeds? What are your practical actions?"

"I don't underestimate the importance and need of deep, serious discussion among Orthodox believers, but I want to remind its every participant, that the Savior speaks directly to you: 'By their fruits you will know them.' By their fruit, not by their chats, jokes, desire to look strong, clever, convincing, biting and so on," the Primate stressed.