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.



May 14, 2018

Holy New Martyr Mark of Crete, Who Was Martyred in Smyrna (+ 1643)

St. Mark the New Martyr of Crete (Feast Day - May 14)

Verses

When Mark of Crete was led to the sword,
He looked towards the sword steadfastly as if it were a crown.

Mark was a native of the island of Crete, but moved to Smyrna at a young age. While still a child in Smyrna, he was forced to become a Muslim. From Smyrna he moved to Constantinople where he studied under the learned teacher and polymath Meletios Syrigos. It appears it was from this acquaintance that Mark desired to forsake Islam and suffer for Christ.

Upon his return to Smyrna, Mark began publicly preaching Christ as the true God. He was therefore apprehended and taken before the Turkish judge, who asked him: "Are you a Roman or a Turk?" He responded: "I was a Roman and again I am a Roman, and I worship and venerate my Christ and confess Him to be the true God. As for your faith, I deny and despise it."

Hearing this, the judge became very angry and ordered Mark to be mercilessly beaten and then thrown into prison where he was tortured again. No matter what happened to him, and despite flatteries and threats, Mark endured everything patiently. Seeing that Mark remained steadfast in his faith in Christ, the judge sentenced him to beheading. He was therefore beheaded in Smyrna on May 14 in the year 1643 and buried in the Church of Saint Photini in Smyrna. His martyrdom was recorded by the Jesuit Isaac I.


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