ORTHODOX CHRISTIANITY THEN AND NOW: A Christmas Card from Elder Sophrony Saharov

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 30, 2013

A Christmas Card from Elder Sophrony Saharov

Archimandrite Sophrony

The Old Rectory,Tolleshent Knight

by Maldon, Essex

Christmas 1967

Beloved in Christ,

Sister Paraskevi!

May the grace and peace of the Lord multiply to you.

And first - I wish you a Good Christmas and a blessed New Year.

Pareskevi, has it ever occurred to you perhaps that you did something with my blessing, and the result was harmful? Or on the contrary, have you ever done something consistent with your ideas and having abandoned my words and my humble advice, that everything was done according to the good pleasure of God and successful? So also now listen to me like a crazy person, and do as I bless you to do.

The only way that will be beneficial to you and yours, is to complete your studies working as my monks work, from morning until evening - or rather night. Dispel now every care of life for [the third person the Elder speaks of here is left anonymous to not be known] and your family.

The unworthy Archimandrite Sophrony,

I send you the love of all who are to be found in our Monastery.

Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.