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.



November 10, 2015

St. Gabriel the Fool for Christ and the Photo of St. Nektarios

St. Gabriel the Confessor

A spiritual daughter of St. Gabriel narrated:

One day the Elder surprised me with his words:

"God told me that he loves you very much. 'If I did not love her, what kind of God would I be?' Remember well: when I die, bury me there."

And he showed me the place where his grave is today. Then it was a garbage dump, and I thought I misunderstood him, but Fr. Gabriel repeated:

"No! There, there! Remember well whatever I tell you: St. Nina is now in Bodbe where she is incorrupt and there gushes myrrh. Yet I will be here."

He bent his head and continued:

"When I die, half of Georgia will gather here."

The Elder spoke as if his grave already existed, and he left us his testament:

"First they must open the grave of my spiritual child. They will find him as I buried him, with the Gospel at his heart. Then they will open my grave. I will remain incorrupt."

St. Nektarios in his coffin

And he showed us a photograph of St. Nektarios, who seemed very similar in his face with Fr. Gabriel. This photograph hung over his bed and many who saw it thought that it was Fr. Gabriel in his coffin.

Source: From the book Saint Gabriel (1925-1995) the Fool for Christ and Confessor. Translated by John Sanidopoulos.

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