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 23, 2018

The 12th Century Church of Saint Polycarp in Tanagra of Boeotia


This church dates back to the 12th century, and originally it bore the name of some saint that is unknown to us. For unknown reasons the church suffered destruction, either naturally or from invaders. During the Ottoman occupation the Turkish pasha had a caretaker who was a Christian named Polycarp. Before Polycarp died, he ordered his son to rebuild the fallen church. Obeying his command, Polycarp's son rebuilt the church and dedicated it to Saint Polycarp of Smyrna, in honor of his father's patron. It's annual celebration took place on February 23rd.

Over time, unfortunately, the church fell into disrepair again, taking the form of what it was until recent restorations. It has been designated as a preserved monument according to the decision of the Ministry of Culture and Religious Affairs. Pious Christians today of the surrounding areas still celebrate here the memory of Saint Polycarp on February 23rd, as well as the memory of Saint Jerome on June 15th. The Arvanites who inhabited the area called the church in Arvanite Klisi Polykripi, ie Church of Polycarp, which in its present Byzantine form dominates the surrounding area of ​​Ancient Tanagra.





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