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.



August 31, 2019

Holy Three Hundred and Sixty-Six Martyrs of Nicomedia

Holy 366 Martyrs of Nicomedia (Feast Day - August 31)

Verses

The decapitated multitude carries a leap year,
Binding to completion this year of writing.*

The Holy Three Hundred and Sixty-Six Martyrs of Nicomedia met their end by a sword.

Notes:

* The Synaxarion of Constantinople comes to an end with this commemoration, being the last day of the ecclesiastical year, equating the 366 Martyrs with a leap year, since in a leap year there are 366 days, and the calendar of the Church reflects the possibility of a leap year, since even in a leap year the extra day, which is February 29th, also requires a commemoration. Thus the year of the Lord has come to a completion.


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