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 27, 2017

The First Vigil in Honor of Elder Iakovos Tsalikes


The first festal all-night vigil in honor of Elder Iakovos Tsalikes took place from the 17th to the 18th of November 2017, ten days before he was officially recognized as a Saint by the Ecumenical Patriarchate. This was done by Metropolitan Neophytos of Morphou in the Church of Saints Barnabas and Hilarion in the village of Peristeronas in Morphou, Cyprus. The Service to Elder Iakovos had been composed by Nun Isidora of the Monastery of Saint John the Forerunner in Makrynos which is in Megara, with additions from a Service composed by Metropolitan Joel of Edessa.

This was done to honor Elder Iakovos on the anniversary of his repose, which took place on November 21, 1991. Though unaware of the coming official recognition of Elder Iakovos as a Saint of the Church, this can be seen as being done in anticipation of the event. Metropolitan Neophytos had known Elder Iakovos while alive since his student days, and simply wished to honor the man who in the conscience of the faithful was already a Saint of the Church, to whom icons had been painted and hymns composed, and whose miracles are known throughout the world.

Below are videos from the vigil, which includes a 30-minute reading of his life:





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