ORTHODOX CHRISTIANITY THEN AND NOW: Holy and Great Saturday: Scripture Readings

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 18, 2020

Holy and Great Saturday: Scripture Readings

Holy and Great Saturday

Lamentations Matins, Prophecy: Ezekiel 37:1-14
Lamentations Matins, Epistle: 1 Corinthians 5:6-8
Lamentations Matins, Epistle: Galatians 3:13-14
Lamentations Matins, Gospel: Matthew 27:62-66

First Resurrection Vespers, 1st Reading: Genesis 1:1-13
First Resurrection Vespers, 2nd Reading: Isaiah 60:1-16
First Resurrection Vespers, 3rd Reading: Exodus 12:1-11
First Resurrection Vespers, 4th Reading: Jonah 1:1-4:11
First Resurrection Vespers, 5th Reading: Joshua 5:10-15
First Resurrection Vespers, 6th Reading: Exodus 13:20-15:19
First Resurrection Vespers, 7th Reading: Zephaniah 3:8-15
First Resurrection Vespers, 8th Reading: 3 [1] Kings 17:8-24
First Resurrection Vespers, 9th Reading: Isaiah 61:10-62:5
First Resurrection Vespers, 10th Reading: Genesis 22:1-18
First Resurrection Vespers, 11th Reading: Isaiah 61:1-9
First Resurrection Vespers, 12th Reading: 4 [2] Kings 4:8-37
First Resurrection Vespers, 13th Reading: Isaiah 63:11-64:5
First Resurrection Vespers, 14th Reading: Jeremiah 31:31-34
First Resurrection Vespers, 15th Reading: Daniel 3:1-23; Song of the Three 1-66

First Resurrection Divine Liturgy, Epistle: Romans 6:3-11
First Resurrection Divine Liturgy, Gospel: Matthew 28:1-20