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 8, 2014

The Muslim Woman Who Dove To Retrieve the Holy Cross


The following event was reported in the Turkish media in February of 2003.

Nick Magginas
February 2003
Hurriyet Daily

This years Theophany in Constantinople had a surprise to it. The incident occurred in the historic suburb of the City called Yesilkoy, in the area of the airport. In this suburb the Treaty of San Stefano (03/03/1878) was signed between the Ottoman Empire and Russia.

On the day of Theophany, therefore, at the Greek Orthodox Church of Saint Stephen there, after the Divine Liturgy which was officiated by Metropolitan Constantine of Derkon, a sacred procession was formed, with the participation of many faithful of the Greek Diaspora, Turks, Armenians, etc., and they were directed to the nearby beach on the Sea of ​​Marmara.

There the Metropolitan, after celebrating the Service of the Sanctification of the Waters, threw as usual the Cross into the water. Four people fell into the sea, three young Greeks of the Diaspora and a Turkish woman who was dressed and even brought her hijab.


The Cross was retrieved by Christos Benlisoi. The unprecedented fact of the participation of a Muslim woman in the ceremony presented by the Turkish press positive comments. Moreover, the Muslim woman, Suna Yavuz, in statements reported that she did this in order to contribute to the dialogue between religions and to emphasize that love is above all. "In the building where I live," she said, "I have people that I live with that are Christian Romioi, who visit us during our religious observances. Despite the differences in our religion, I think we may well remain friends and to prove it I fell into the sea to retrieve the Cross."

Suna Yavuz notes that all religions teach love and invite people to friendship and brotherhood. "For friendship I do everything I put my hands to. I like to help others. Without being discriminatory I support all and share my love. Besides, all people should be generous with similar feelings and if it was in my hands I would try to spread around the world love and friendship by all means and all ways."

Suna Yavuz is also a winter swimmer.

Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.



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