ORTHODOX CHRISTIANITY THEN AND NOW: Saints and Feasts of January 25

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.

January 25, 2018

Saints and Feasts of January 25

On the twenty-fifth Gregory who spoke of divine things died.

Saint Gregory the Theologian,
Archbishop of Constantinople

Saint Gregory the Theologian Resource Page

Venerable Publios

Saint Publios of Zeugma in Syria

Venerable Theodotos

Saint Publios of Zeugma in Syria

Venerable Gregory

Saint Publios of Zeugma in Syria

Venerable Maris

Saint Maris the Recluse of Cyrus

Venerable Apollo

Holy Abba Apollo of the Thebaid

Holy Martyr Medula with her Companions

Holy Martyr Medula with her Companions

Venerable Kastinos, Bishop of Byzantium

Saint Kastinos, Bishop of Byzantium

Venerable Demetrios the Skeuophylax

Venerable Demetrios the Skeuophylax

Holy New Martyr Auxentios at Constantinople

Holy New Martyr Auxentios of Bellas in Ioannina (+ 1720)

Holy Martyr Felicitas of Rome and her Seven Sons

Holy Martyr Felicitas of Rome and her Seven Sons

Saint Moses, Archbishop of Novgorod

Saint Moses, Archbishop of Novgorod (+ 1362)

Venerable Anatole I of Optina

Saint Anatole I of Optina (+ 1894)

Saint Gabriel, Bishop of Imereti

Saint Gabriel, Bishop of Imereti (+ 1896)

Holy New Hieromartyr Vladimir,
Metropolitan of Kiev and Gallich

Saint Vladimir, Metropolitan of Kiev and Gallich (+ 1918)