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.



June 23, 2012

The Reclusive Hermitess Christina Has Reposed


According to Romfea.gr, today, Saturday 23 June 2012, at the age of 87 years old, the Eldress Christina reposed.

The Eldress was born in 1925 and was from Kilkis Akritas, though she lived a reclusive ascetic life for many years at the Hermitage she herself founded in Prasinada Paranesti.

She was tonsured a nun at the Holy Sepulcher by the Patriarch of Jerusalem Benedict, and received the Great Schema from the Archbishop of Sinai Damianos.

It should be noted that the Eldress lived the life of a hermitess at Sinai. She also helped established the Holy Monastery of Panagia Pangaiotissa, in the Holy Metropolis of Eleutheroupolis. From here she received the blessing from her spiritual father, the blessed Elder Eusebios Vittis, to live an eremitic life in Paranesti.

She was perhaps the only hermitess in Greece; a recluse nun who helped many people through her prayers and admonitions.

The funeral of Eldress Christina will take place today at 17:00 at the Holy Monastery of Panagia Pangaiotissa in Eleutheroupolis, presided by Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Eleutheroupolis.

Finally the Eldress will be buried at her own Hermitage, in a grave she has prepared for herself.

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