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.



June 19, 2019

Saint Barlaam of Shenkursk (+ 1462)

St. Barlaam of Shenkursk (Feast Day - June 19)

In the world he was known as Basil, was married and had two sons, though according to another version he had two daughters and eight sons. In 1456, having left his office as Novgorodian mayor, he left for the ancestral lands, the Vazhki country of the Arkhangelsk Province where he enlightened the Zavolochie with Christianity and constructed many temples. Within 15 versts [9.9 miles] from the city of Shenkursk, according to a special revelation of God, he constructed a monastery in the name of the Holy Apostle John the Theologian (which in the middle of the 15th century was destroyed), was accepted there into monasticism with the name Barlaam, being in this calling the strict executor of all monastic obediences and serving the brethren as if he was the last servant. Saint Barlaam died on June 19, 1462. In 1552 his relics were found incorrupt and became glorified for many miracles. They repose in the temple of his monastery, now a parish.


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