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 10, 2019

Synaxarion of the Holy Martyrs James the Presbyter and Aza the Deacon

Sts. James and Aza of Persia (Feast Day - April 10)

Verses

To James.
I write of the decapitation of James,
And the decapitation brought the crown as a reward.

To Aza.
The head of Aza the Levite of Christ was cut off,
Shaming Leviathan the enemy of Christ.

These Saints contested during the reigns of King Shapur of the Persians and Emperor Constantine the Great of the Romans in the year 332. James the Presbyter was from a village called Pharnatha, and Aza the Deacon was from a village called Bithneora. Having been arrested they stood before the arch-magi Achoschargan, and because they boldly confessed Christ, a mixture of vinegar and mustard was poured into their nostrils. After this they were thrashed and suspended naked outdoors in the open, where the renowned ones were made stiff due to the coldness of the night. They were then brought down, and being unable to persuade them to sacrifice to the sun and to fire, the ruler ordered for their beheading, and in this way the blessed ones entered into the heavens bearing crowns.*

Notes:

* A service to these holy Persian martyrs was composed by St. Joseph the Hymnographer, which is found in the following codices: Lavra D 36, Q 87 and Paris 1564. More information about these martyrs is contained on the lives of the Holy Martyrs Akepsimas, Joseph and Aethalas commemorated on November 3rd.


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