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.



December 29, 2012

Financial Times Reports on Mental Health and Suicide in Greece

Greek Orthodox priest holds a Memorial Service for a man who committed suicide at Syntagma Square on April 4, 2012.

The Financial Times reported on the state of mental health in Greece on December 27th, and spoke of the rising rate of suicides in Greece, which rose by 37 percent from 2009 to 2011, as well as the large number of Greeks going to psychologists to be treated for anxiety, depression, abuses, somatisation, and antisocial behavior.

Regarding the position of the Greek Orthodox Church, it says the following:

"Public health experts caution that reporting is often imprecise in Greece because of the shame attached to suicide. For example, the Greek Orthodox Church has been known to withhold funeral rites from victims."

One would think the report would at least state the position of the Church of Greece on suicide accurately, mention how the Church is dealing with these mental health issues, and at least quote the recent statement of the Holy Synod from April 5th, which can be read here:


The Financial Times report can be read here:

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