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 5, 2018

Synaxarion of the Holy Martyr Mamelchtha of Persia

St. Mamelchtha of Persia (Feast Day - October 5)

Verses

"Do now receive me washed O Christ,"
Mamelchtha declared, and she was struck with stones.

She was a Persian priestess of the Temple of Artemis, who had a sister that was a Christian. After seeing an Angel of God in a dream, who showed and taught her the Christian mysteries, she awoke frightened, and narrated what happened to her sister. Her sister brought her to the Bishop, who in turn baptized her.


When the Greeks learned of this they were enraged and stoned her to death, while the blessed one was still dressed in the bright clothing of Holy Baptism. After this they cast her into a deep pit, from which the Christians were forced to retrieve her holy relic.

Then the Bishop went to the king of the Persians, and received from him the authority to demolish the Temple of Artemis, in order to build a church dedicated to the Holy Martyr Mamelchtha. Upon doing this, he treasured within the newly-built church her honorable relic.


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