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.



January 14, 2013

Los Angeles Lawyer Gives House To Homeless Family



January 2, 2012

A 51-year-old man is moving back in with his parents so a homeless family can live in his house instead.

Tony Tolbert’s offer is good for one full year. According to CBS, the spare bedroom in his childhood home in Los Angeles frequently went to people in need, which inspired his own version of the act.

"You don't have to be Bill Gates or Warren Buffet or Oprah," Tolbert, a Harvard-educated attorney, told CBS in the video above. "We can do it wherever we are, with whatever we have, and for me, I have a home that I can make available."

Tolbert had never met the recipients. He found them through Alexandria House, a shelter for women and children. Felicia Dukes, a mother of four, couldn't believe the deal when she heard it.

"They had a young man that wanted to donate their house to you for a year," Dukes recalled. "And I'm looking at her, like, what? Like -- are you serious?"

According to the news station, she and three of her children shared a single room at the shelter, whose rules prevented her adult son from joining them. Now they're back together.

CBS reported they have all arrived at Tolbert’s house, which will remain fully furnished for the duration of their stay. In the video, Dukes tearfully expresses her gratitude.

"My heart just fills up and stuff, um ... I'm just really happy," Dukes said.

The story comes days after we wrote about Grace McNulty, who like Tolbert, found inspiration to help the homeless from her father. He died in August, and so Mcnulty, 10, spent Christmas Day serving full turkey dinners to homeless people, honoring his wish to alleviate their suffering during the holidays.

Additionally, a barber in Salt Lake City has been helping the homeless for the past 19 years. Every Monday, he gives free haircuts to clean up their look or jumpstart a job search.

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