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.



October 28, 2019

Saints Firmilian, Archbishop of Caesarea, and Melchion the Sophist, Presbyter of Antioch

St. Firmilian of Caesarea and Melchion of Antioch (Feast Day - October 28)

Verses

The friends of peace died peacefully,
Firmilian together with Melchion.

Born to a noble family of Caesarea in Cappadocia, our Venerable Father Firmilian studied under Origen with his friend Saint Gregory the Wonderworker (Nov. 17). He became Bishop of Caesarea around 230. In 252 he took part in the Synod of Antioch, which condemned the schismatic Novatian and his followers, who denied all hope of repentance and restoration to the Church for those who had denied the Christian faith to avoid persecution.
 
Firmilian devoted much energy to defending the churches of Asia and Africa from unlawful domination by Pope Stephen of Rome. The Asian and African churches baptized heretics who returned to the Church; Rome reconciled them simply by the laying on of hands. Firmilian, supported by Saint Cyprian of Carthage (Sept. 16) did not condemn the Roman practice, but zealously opposed the local churches' right to keep their practice, rather than have the Pope dictate the practices of the entire Church.

The holy Bishop was then called upon to combat the heresy of Paul of Samosata, Bishop of Antioch. Paul taught that the Word of God is not one in essence with the Father, but is only a word of divine inspiration sent to the man Jesus. Seeing in this teaching a complete denial of our salvation in Christ, who is fully man and fully God, Firmilian called three successive Synods (in 263, 266 and 268) to deal with the heresy. The first two were undermined by Paul and his party; but at the third the heresy of Monarchianism was finally condemned, thanks to the skillful and well-informed refutation delivered by Melchion the Sophist, who was a presbyter of Antioch esteemed for his faith.

Saint Firmilian died in the city of Tarsus while traveling to this Synod in 268. Paul of Samosata managed to hold on to the see of Antioch with imperial support until 272, when Domnus finally replaced him.


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