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.



December 16, 2016

Holy Martyr Marinos of Rome

St. Marinos of Rome (Feast Day - December 16)

Verses

The sword is made ready for the head of Marinos,
While his crown is made ready by the Lord.

The Holy Martyr Marinos lived during the reign of Emperors Corinus (283-285) and his younger brother Numerian (283-284). He was from Rome and at an early age shared in the deliberations and honor of the imperial senate. Accused of being a Christian, he was brought to trial. Choosing not to sacrifice to idols, he was suspended and beaten with wooden swords. He was then laid out over a fiery gridiron, then a heated frying pan, and then in a cauldron full of boiling water. From all these things he was kept unharmed, for the fire was amazingly changed into dew.

After these things he was thrown to the beasts to be devoured, but by divine grace they did not touch him. Then he deceived the emperor, saying he wanted to go to the temple of the idols to offer sacrifice, but when he arrived there the idols were demolished by his prayers. For this reason he was sentenced to decapitation. His parents accompanied him and encouraged him as he went to the place of his execution, blessing him for being found worthy of receiving such a blessed end. Thus he was beheaded, and received from the Lord the crown of martyrdom.


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