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 18, 2012

Five Foreign Prisoners in Greece Baptized Orthodox


By Alexander Kalliopoulos

After about a year of catechism, five foreign prisoners were baptized Orthodox Christian in the Chapel of Saint Eleutherios in the penitentiary in the industrial area of Patras.

Three were Nigerians, one was a Somali, and the other was Albanian. The catechism of the newly-illumined was done by the leading priest of the prison, Fr. George Chronopoulos, who in recent years has been ministering to our suffering brothers there, along with his tasks of the parish of Saint Nicholas in Sichena.

Fr. Gregory Kordas also participated at the Sacrament of Baptism, parish priest of the Church of St. Barbara in Aktaiou in the Municipality of Patras. The new Christian names given to the prisoners are: Angelo, Nicholas, Andrew, Michael, and George.

The Sacrament took place on Monday 8 October 2012, in the presence of the prison warden, the social workers, and the detention assistants.

It should be noted that those who are baptized Orthodox Christian do not enjoy any privileges, as Fr. George assured, and it was their choice. He also mentioned that from the first day the Albanian prisoner was incarcerated (the man named Angelo who was an atheist), he asked those responsible to meet with him. Finally, the three Nigerians were unbaptized Catholics and the Somalian had recognized the religion of his tribe.

Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos
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