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.



February 3, 2017

Holy Martyrs Adrian and Eubulus of Caesarea

Sts. Adrian and Eubulus the Martyrs (Feast Day - February 3)

Verses

To Adrian
Adrian rejoices, at his beheading by the sword,
Rejoicing at the murderous hands, of the executioner that cut.

To Eubulus
By the Lord's grace Eubulus is killed by the sword,
With determined resolve pleasing to the Lord.

By Eusebius of Caesarea

The History of the Martyrs in Palestine

The Confession of Adrian and Eubulus

In the Seventh Year of the Persecution in our Days (310 A.D.)


When the consummation of Pamphilus and of those martyrs who were with him was published abroad by the mouths of all men, both Adrian and Eubulus, from a place which is called part of Batanea, had hastened to the rest of the martyrs at Caesarea. And when they drew near to the gate of the city, they were interrogated as to the cause for which they were come, and having stated the truth, they were taken before Firmillianus; and he at once, without any delay, ordered them, in the first place, to have their sides torn with claws, and punished them in a peculiar manner, as if they had been enemies and were hated by him; and not being satisfied with this, he condemned them to be devoured by wild beasts. And after an interval of two days, the confessor Adrian was cast before a lion on the fifth of Adar (March 5), and bravely accomplished his contest, and after having been torn by the beast, he was at last put to death by the sword. Eubulus, also, on the second day following, the seventh of Adar (March 7), when the judge had made many attempts with him, and said to him, "If you will sacrifice to devils you shalt be set at liberty in peace," both despised the whole existence of this passing time, and chose for himself everlasting life rather than this fleeting and transitory life. He was then cast to a lion, and after he had been torn by the teeth of the lion, he suffered in the same manner as those who were gone before him. He was the last of all that suffered martyrdom and finished his conflict in Caesarea. 


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