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 28, 2013

Didactic Sayings of St. Raphael of Lesvos


The following teachings come from St. Raphael, the newly-revealed martyr of Lesvos, through revelations of his various appearances to residents in Lesvos.

- Donors to churches have the blessing of God. A donor to the house of God becomes a recipient of God's gifts.

- Work is a great precaution against temptations.

- Greed is a terrible sin.

- Temperance of the tongue always brings peace.

- Great evil to the person who lives with contaminated thoughts.

- Goodness of the soul is worth more than the beauty of the body.

- Beware of the condemnation of your fellow man.

- O man, protect yourself from sin in order to gain Paradise.

- Christian, all mornings are yours, but Sunday morning belongs to God. Do not forget this.

- Without Holy Communion there does not exist, there does not exist eternal life for man.

- The Holy Spirit is an air of love. He is the light that burns. He is a cool and cheerful breeze.

- Worldly glory does not lead God's children to heaven.

- Humility is a blessing that protects the soul from sin.

- The protection of God is the true assurance of man.

- Obedience to the words of the Gospel will give the soul eternity.

- If man does not suffer in life on earth then it is not easy to enter the gates of Paradise.

- Whatever happens to man in his life, it is because of his naughty life.

- When man prays, the evil one plummets.

- The study of the divine word, matures the thought of man.

- Fasting should be accompanied by a virtuous life.

- Spiritual formation is higher than anything.

- Do not hurt your fellow man, neither in word nor deed.

- Despair is the work of the evil one.

- Without affliction the Christian people cannot enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

- Money does not bring rest to the soul, but sinks it into darkness.

- Repentance resurrects man.

- When God blesses all is delightful, beneficial and prosperous.

- The medicines of the soul, are the divine words of the Gospel.

Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.

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