ORTHODOX CHRISTIANITY THEN AND NOW: Holy New Martyr John Koulikas (+ 1564)

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.

April 8, 2019

Holy New Martyr John Koulikas (+ 1564)

St. John Koulikas (Feast Day - April 8)

Verses

How can I pass over Koulikas in silence,
Who died on iron hooks for the Lord?

John the New Martyr was a blessed soul and possessed profound wisdom and zeal. One day he became interested in the religion of Hagarenes, not out of any desire to convert but simple inquisitiveness. The Turks, being jealous of him, willfully misconstrued his intention and buffeted him. They took him to the judge and falsely testified that he had insulted their religion. The judge demanded John's renunciation of Christ in order to release him, but the martyr answered with great freedom of speech, "May God never permit that I should deny my Lord Jesus Christ, even if you subject me to ten thousand deaths!" Then the judge ordered that John be cast into prison and impaled on iron hooks. In this manner, he received the crown of martyrdom in the year 1564.*

Notes:

* The account of his martyrdom is taken from St. Nikodemos the Hagiorite, who lists his martyrdom as taking place on April 8, 1564, but in other places he is commemorated on April 18th.