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.



June 18, 2018

Saints and Feasts of June 18


On the eighteenth Leontios wounded gave up his spirit.

Holy Martyr Leontios and his companions 
Hypatios, and Theodoulos
 
 
 
Holy Martyr Aitherios

Synaxarion of the Holy Martyr Aitherios


Venerable Erasmus

Venerable Erasmus


Holy Two Martyrs of Cyprus

Holy Two Martyrs of Cyprus


Venerable Leontios the Shepherd 
 
 
 
Saint Leontios, Bishop of Neapolis
 

Saint Amand, Bishop of Bordeaux
 
 
 
Saint Alena of Belgium
 
Holy Hieromartyrs Gregory and Demetrios 
with the Venerable Kalogeros the Anchorite

Saint Kalogeros the Anchorite


Venerable Leontius the Canonarch of the Kiev Caves

Saint Leontius the Canonarch of the Kiev Caves Lavra


Venerable Leontios the Athonite and Myrrhgusher

Saint Leontios the Athonite and Myrrhgusher (+ 1605)


Synaxis of the Bogolyuboy Icon of the Mother of God
 
 
Synaxis of the Commander-in-Chief Michael 
next to Saint Julian in the Forum


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