ORTHODOX CHRISTIANITY THEN AND NOW: The Flight of Saint Maximos the Kavsokalyvites

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 13, 2018

The Flight of Saint Maximos the Kavsokalyvites

By Hieromonk Nephon

(Biographer of Saint Maximos the Kavsokalyvites)

Two monks from the holy Monastery of Vatopaidi once went to the blessed one [Maximos]. And he was away from his hut; but he came to his hut, as though on wings, above the branches of the forest. When they saw this, they were astounded, and a great fear took hold of them, and they started trembling with fear.

After some time they approached the blessed one and, after prostrating themselves, sat down, receiving his blessing. And he asked them, "Where did you come from?" And they replied, "From Vatopaidi; and we came to be blessed and receive a blessing from your holiness; and we thank God that we've seen you." He asked them again, "You didn't see anything, did you?" And they said, "We didn't see anything."

Then they conversed with the blessed one and he taught them about their salvation. And after they had prostrated themselves, he dismissed them in peace. And on the way back they described what they had seen with their own eyes, amazed at how close the blessed man was to God.