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.



November 20, 2017

Forefeast of the Entrance Into the Temple of the Most Holy Theotokos


The Feast of the Entrance of the Most Holy Theotokos into the Temple has only one day of forefeast on November 20th. The hymns for today praise Saint Anna for bringing her three year old daughter, the living temple of God, to the Temple in Jerusalem.

The three Old Testament readings at Great Vespers refer to the Temple. The first lesson (Exodus 40:1-5, 9-10, 16, 34-35) refers to the arrangement of the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation (a portable sanctuary which was carried by the Israelites in their wanderings). The second lesson (III Kings/I Kings 7:51; 8:1, 3-7, 9-11) describes the dedication of Solomon’s Temple. The third lesson (Ezekiel 43:27-44:4) speaks of the gate of the sanctuary which faces east. God enters through this gate, which is shut so that no one else can enter by it.

It is believed the Feast of the Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple began to be established during the reign of Emperor Justinian, who built a grand basilica in honor of the Mother of God in Jerusalem near the site where the Temple of Solomon once stood. This church, called the Basilical of Saint Mary the New, was consecrated on November 20th of the year 534, and since then the annual celebration of this church took place on November 21st, which perhaps became associated in the seventh century with the Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple and became widely celebrated annually on November 21st, though the feast seems to have been first celebrated in Constantinople at this time. This is why the Epistle Reading for this feast speaks of the Temple of Jerusalem (Hebrews 9:1-7).


Apolytikion in the Fourth Tone
Today Anna betroths us to joy instead of grief, having blossomed forth a fruit, the only Ever-Virgin. She brings her with gladness into the temple of the Lord, in fulfillment of her vow. She is the Mother and Temple of God the Word.

Kontakion in the Fourth Tone
Today the world is filled with gladness, at the feast of the Mother of God, and cries out: She is the heavenly tabernacle.

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