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 26, 2019

What Peter Should Have Said When He Denied Christ and Wept Bitterly (St. Maximos the Greek)


Discourse 44: An Account as to What Peter Should Have Said 
When He Denied Christ and "Wept Bitterly"

By St. Maximos the Greek

Woe is me! Woe is me! Woe, woe! With what rivers of tears will I purify my dishonor, wretch that I am? With what heavy sighs will I cleanse my injustice? Indeed, woe is me, for I denied Christ three times, woe is me! I was afraid of the insignificant servant girl and forgot all the gifts that I received from Him, He who is the light and life of all, my Creator, the Creator of Life and Lord, who came to save us and gave His life over to death for me. Woe is me! What unexpected thing happened to me? How great was the disbelief and ingratitude I showed towards You, O Savior, and I proved to be much worse than Your traitor! I was made worthy by You of much greater honor than all the rest of Your disciples, that You entrusted me even with the keys of the heavenly kingdom, and I was recognized by You, my Savior, as their leader and chief, and how will I now weep and what shall I say? Woe is me, the wretch! With what excuses will I beseech You to receive mercy from the strict Judge?

Yet I know Your great generosity, Lord, and that You immediately forgive all the sins of those who show fervent repentance. I know also that You were a generous benefactor towards the defiled woman and the prodigal son; to her because she wet with her tears Your all-immaculate feet and wiped them with her hair, and to him because he cried out: "I have sinned, I have sinned, and I am not worthy to be called Your son." I also know that the unjust publican was immediately acquitted, when he shouted: "O God, be propitious towards me, the sinner!" I also, Lord, shout out like him, I have sinned, be propitious towards me, the sinner. Accept me, my God, and grant unto me Your generosity and forgive the impiety of my heart. I beg of You! To You I offer my prayer with contrition, not with streams of water, but with a river of tears and bitter sighs. And I entreat: Do not disdain, Lord, the river of my tears and the most-bitter pain of my heart, which devours like fire my soul, my bones and my mind, because for the sake of sinners and the wicked You came down from heaven and accepted a torturous death.

Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.



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