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.



February 16, 2018

Synaxarion of Saint Flavian the Hermit and Wonderworker

St. Flavian the Wonderworker (Feast Day - February 16)

Verses

In this vain life having passed his time,
Flavian lives in eternal time.

Our Venerable Father Flavian went to the summit of a certain mountain, where he built a small cell, shutting himself therein, and there he spent sixty years, without ever speaking to anyone, nor being seen by anyone. Instead he inclined his nous into his heart, making himself like God, and there he received every form of consolation, according to the prophecy that says: "Take delight in the Lord, and He will grant you the requests of your heart" (Ps. 36/37:4). There he had a place a dug out, from which he could put out his hands in order to receive the food brought to him. That he may not be seen to those outside, that place was dug out slanted in a circular form. His food consisted of soaked legumes, which he only partook of once a week.

In this manner the renowned one lived for sixty years, without ever changing even his food, nor his lofty conduct. For this reason he was enriched by God with the grace of miracle working. A large dragon was put to death through his prayers, and he killed a serpent. He banished a large number of locusts from a field, which they intended to devour. A young demonized man was liberated from the demon by him, and he healed the suffering of a woman hindered with breast cancer. Moreover, one who was struck by a bull and died, he raised up. In this manner the thrice-blessed one passed his life, changing the present much-toilsome and temporary life, for that eternal and blessed one, where he now is glad.


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