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 23, 2015

Saint Glykerios the Farmer of Nicomedia

St. Glykerios the Farmer (Feast Day - April 23)

When Saint George was locked up in prison, the fame of his miracles had reached across the city and its surroundings. Many people filled the prison every night, giving large gifts to the guards to see the Saint and to receive the spirit of strength, the spirit of joy, the spirit of faith and of love. Among them was the poor Glykerios. He only had one ox, which died while plowing his field. He thus fell on his knees before Saint George and begged him to help him. Upon his sincere confession that he believed in God, the Saint received him and told him that his ox was alive. When Glykerios confirmed this, he returned to the Saint to thank him, and he cried out: "Great is the God of George!" For this reason he was arrested and subjected to death by the sword.

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