ORTHODOX CHRISTIANITY THEN AND NOW: The Cross as a Balance Scale of Righteousness

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.

April 16, 2014

The Cross as a Balance Scale of Righteousness

KONTAKIA OF THE NINTH HOUR

(On Wednesday and Friday of Great Lent)

When the thief beheld the Author of life hanging upon the Cross, he said: If Thou wert not God, Who art here crucified with us, then had the sun not veiled its rays, neither would the earth have shaken with trembling. But do Thou, Who sufferest for all men, remember me, O Lord, when Thou comest into Thy Kingdom.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

In between two thieves was Thy Cross found to be the balance scale of righteousness; for while the one was led down to Hades by the heaviness of his blaspheming, the other was lightened of his sins, unto the knowledge of things divine. O Christ God, glory to Thee.

Both now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

When she who bare the Lamb, the Shepherd and Savior of the world, beheld Him on the Cross, she said with tears: The world rejoiceth at receiving redemption, but my bowels burn as I see Thy crucifixion, which Thou endurest for all, O my Son and my God.