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.



September 22, 2012

23 Children Suffering With Tuberculosis Are Baptized in Siberia


In the sanatorium for children in Karasouk of Siberia no one is allowed any entrance for health reasons, but also because of the children suffering from tuberculosis. The mortality of children has increased significantly.

On September 13, however, Bishop Philip, Fr. Sergios and Hieromonk Moses celebrated in the sanatorium the Mystery of Baptism.

Here children are sent from the region of Novosibirsk suffering from pulmonary or bone tuberculosis. They are from very poor families and several of them are very young in age. The sanatorium has very gaps. The parents bring children here in September and pick them up again in May. Essentially they are like orphans.
 
His Grace Bishop Philip visited the children even before his ordination, and offered material assistance and had celebrated the Divine Liturgy. Many of these children are awaiting surgery, while others die, and so had to be baptized.

Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos
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