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 7, 2017

Holy Martyrs Rufinus the Deacon, Aquilina and 200 Soldiers of Sinope

Sts. Rufinus, Aquilina, and the 200 Soldiers with them (Feast Day - April 7)

Verses

To Rufinus.
Rufinus was reckoned as a sheep to the slaughter,
Slaying the ancient devil wolf.

To Aquilina.
With hands tied behind her back,
Aquilina is burned in the front.

To the Two-Hundred Soldiers.
Twenty times ten men are snatched away by the sword,
Manly of mind, manly also of heart.

The Holy Martyrs Rufinus the Deacon, Aquilina (Akylina) and the 200 Soldiers with them suffered in around the year 310 in the city of Sinope on the coast of the Black Sea during the reign of Emperor Maximian (305-311). When Rufinus was put into prison for confessing Christianity, Aquilina showed concern by attending to him. Therefore, she was also placed under guard. In prison they converted two-hundred soldiers to Christ by their miracles. Rufinas was killed with a knife like a sheep to the slaughter, Aquilina had her hands tied behind her back while her stomach was burned which caused her death, and all two-hundred soldiers were beheaded by the sword.


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