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.



September 21, 2016

Saints Isaac and Meletios, Bishops of Cyprus

Sts. Isaac and Meletios of Cyprus (Feast Day - September 21)

Verses

To Meletios
The care of Meletios flowed with life,
So that in the end one could say he loved.

To Isaac
Isaac was sacrificed like a calf by the sword,
Because he did not sacrifice a calf to the gods.

The venerable and blessed Fathers Isaac and Meletios were Bishops of the Church of Cyprus at different times. Isaac was a Bishop earlier than Meletios. Both were pious and feared God, who served the people selflessly by giving all that they had to the poor and giving aid and consolation to orphans, widows and the destitute.

Not only did they distribute bread, but also words of faith, never ceasing to teach the people the divine words of Christ. For this they were granted by God to work miracles. After bringing healing to many, Isaac completed his life in martyrdom through beheading, while Meletios reposed in peace at an advanced age.*

Notes:

* It should be noted that the Menologion of Basil II commemorates both Saints together on September 21st, while the Synaxarion of Constantinople commemorates Meletios on September 20th and Isaac on September 21st. Both lived similar lives, except at different times and one reposed in peace while the other was martyred, though the Menologion of Basil II says they both reposed in peace.

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