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.



August 19, 2017

Large Crowds Gathering to Venerate a Bleeding Icon of Saint Nektarios in Rhodes


Hellas News published the following news report online on August 5th (see video below), which speaks about an icon of Saint Nektarios on the island of Rhodes that "bleeds", particularly from the hands, and has been doing so continuously for many months, bringing large crowds from all over the island to venerate it and become partakers of its wonderworking grace.

This awe-inspiring spectacle was first observed on December 19th of 2016, when the priest-theologian Fr. Spyridon Lingas went to the chapel of the Monastery of Saint Nicholas in the area of Psaltos in Lindos of Rhodes, and as he went to venerate the icon of Saint Nektarios, he saw that it was flowing with a red substance, called "blood", particularly from the hands. It was noticed the evening before by some ladies as well, when they noticed that the previously white hands of Saint Nektarios suddenly turned red. Metropolitan Cyril of Rhodes was informed that same day, and he advised them to keep him informed with whatever happens.


Since then thousands of faithful have come to venerate the icon, that continues to gush forth "blood", and light a candle before it. And though the faithful are saying, "It is a miracle! A sign that is telling us beforehand that something will happen," Fr. Spyridon tells them, "Do not be afraid, it is a good thing." Fr. Spyridon is parish priest of the nearby Church of the Dormition of the Theotokos in Lindos.


Doubters have speculated that this could be the result of humidity or it has been colorized, but these theories are easily debunked when one considers that it is a plasticized icon, and at some points the blood seems to be flowing and at other points it is thicker, and it looks like blood instead of any other substance. It also is giving forth fragrant myrrh randomly, the fragrance of which fills the entire church at times.

Fr. Spyridon points out, "There is no need to wait for something like this to obtain faith and do good deeds. Every day we have to offer ourselves, to be as God wants us to be, to not hate but to forgive." One commentator also laments the fact that it is unfortunate people need something like this to believe and to make their faith real, though it also strengthens the faith of those who believe already and gives them extra courage in these difficult times.



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