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.



October 15, 2018

Church of Saint Nikephoros the Leper Consecrated in the Town of His Birth


On 2 October 2018 the consecration of the Church of Saint Nikephoros the Leper took place in his hometown of Sirikari, a small mountain village located in western Crete, in the regional unit of Chania, Greece. It is part of the municipality of Kissamos. The consecration was officiated by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem, Archbishop Chrysostomos of Cyprus, Archbishop Irenaeos of Crete, as well as representative Bishops and Clerics from throughout the world. The church is located a short distance from the house the Saint grew up in, which was recently restored and has become a place of pilgrimage.

A Divine Liturgy will take place in this church every Saturday and a Supplication Service will be chanted to the Saint every Sunday evening. The church will be opened every Saturday, Sunday and Wednesday for pilgrims, and his paternal home will be open then as well.














Labels: ,

BECOME A PATREON OR PAYPAL SUBSCRIBER


Patreon!