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.



July 31, 2013

Statement of the Canonical Esphigmenou Brotherhood on the Molotov Cocktails


July 29, 2013

The canonical Brotherhood of the Sacred Monastery of Esphigmenou (which is recognized by the Ecumenical Patriarchate) issued an announcement regarding the attack with molotov cocktails and an explosive device at Karyes.

The text of the announcement is as follows:

Karyes of the Holy Mountain on this day, 07/29/2013, experienced an attack with explosives and molotov cocktails.

One hundred meters from the most-sacred Church of the Protaton and the Sacred Community of the Holy Mountain, the occupiers of the buildings of our Monastery refused to relinquish the occupied section of the Representative Sector at Karyes to the judicial bailiff who had come to execute the final court injunction of a restraining order, and they threw three molotovs and an explosive device at him.

The day passed waiting for police reinforcement, which ultimately may not be sufficient to simply protect us.

We appeal to everyone, and especially to the well-governed State:

Finally understand what is happening. We are in danger. We do not know what the dawn of tomorrow will have in store for us, with fanatics possessing explosives in direct contact with the site of our home.

The Prosecutor of Thessaloniki requested any information on the arrest of the perpetrators. Will anybody listen to even the Prosecutor? Must the Holy Mountain grieve its victims before the mobilization of the State? The photographs say it all.

Translated by John Sanidopoulos.

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