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.



October 13, 2017

Saint Benjamin of the Kiev Caves

St. Benjamin of the Kiev Caves (Feast Day - October 13)

Saint Benjamin of the Kiev Caves lived during the fourteenth century, and before accepting monasticism was an important and wealthy merchant. Once at the time of divine services Saint Benjamin applied to his own case the words of the Psalmist about "the mouth that speaks lies and the tongue that has set forth deceit" (Ps. 11:3; 49:19). "Where is the merchant," he said to himself, "who has never told a lie and who will be able to escape punishment?" A little later he felt deeply in his heart the words of the Savior: "It is difficult for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God" (Mt. 19:23). After distributing his wealth to the needy, Saint Benjamin became a monk at the Kiev Caves Lavra, “pleasing the Lord by fasting and prayer and poverty and obedience even unto death.” He was buried in the Far Caves of Saint Theodosius.

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