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 16, 2017

Saint Thomas II the New, Patriarch of Constantinople (+ 669)

St. Thomas II of Constantinople (Feast Day - November 16)

Verses

Thomas departed this measured life,
Fittingly finding life without measure.

Thomas II was elected Patriarch of Constantinople six months and sixteen days after the death of his predecessor, Patriarch Peter. He ruled for three years (according to Theophanes), or two years and seven months (according to Nikephoros), or four years and seven months (according to the Leoglavious list).

He was ordained on the Holy Saturday (April 17) of 667 (according to others 665), and fell asleep on November 15, 669 (according to others 668). Previously, he was Deacon and Chartophylax. Nikephoros Kallistos writes that Thomas II came from the Diaconate and was a scribe, a refendarius, a chancellor of the Patriarchate, and director of the Skala Gerokomeion (old age home) and of the Neapolis Ptochotropheion (poor house).

He sent his synodal letter to Pope Vitalian, but it never reached Rome, because of the war raging at the time in the Mediterranean between the Byzantine Romans and the Arabs. This letter was read on March 28, 681 during the thirteenth session of the Sixth Ecumenical Synod, and its content was considered orthodox. During this same session, it was established that he had left no written evidence of any adherence to Monothelitism. Thus he escaped the condemnation for heresy that struck his four predecessors, and was later counted among the saints.

We know little more about Thomas II, other than he was pious, as was his successor. The Orthodox Church celebrates his memory on the 16th of November (though some celebrate him on either the 14th or 15th of November).

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