ORTHODOX CHRISTIANITY THEN AND NOW: Holy Synod of Greece Reaffirms Its Condemnation of Freemasonry

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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.

March 19, 2014

Holy Synod of Greece Reaffirms Its Condemnation of Freemasonry

March 19, 2014
Dogma.gr

The Holy Synod of the Church of Greece in a statement issued today considers the Orthodox faith to be incompatible with membership in Freemasonry, making clear that it condemns Freemasonry and noting that there never was one its clergymen part of a Masonic Lodge.

"At the proposal of the Synodal Commission on Heresies, the Holy Synod decided to send an Encyclical, whereby the Holy Synod will renew its assurance to the Orthodox Faithful, that neither in the past nor today is there a Clergyman of the Church of Greece, who is a member of any Masonic Lodge," notes the synodal statement.

It concludes: "In this way the Holy Synod again condemns Freemasonry and considers it incompatible with the faith of Orthodox Christianity to be a member of Freemasonry."

At their last gathering they had seen publicity photographs come to light of clergymen participating in gatherings that included certain Masonic groups, and this brought on various comments.

Translated by John Sanidopoulos.