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.



May 20, 2020

Synaxarion of the Holy Martyr Asklas the Egyptian

St. Asklas the Egyptian (Feast Day - May 20)

Verses

The tongue of Asklas the Egyptian brought fire,
Tongues of fire through his divinely inspired preaching.

He was from the Thebaid of Egypt, and was accused before the governor Arrian for his faith in Christ. Having boldly confessed Christ, he was suspended and lacerated on his sides, and then put in prison.

When the governor went to cross the Nile River on a boat, the Saint prayed that he not be able to disembark on dry land, until he confessed the divinity of Christ in writing. For this reason the boat was held back, and was unable to sail. Knowing about this, the Saint sent a letter to the governor, which said that there was no other way to disembark on dry land, unless he confessed the divinity of Christ in writing. The governor then asked for some paper and wrote, that the God of the Christians is great, and beside Him there is no other. With this the boat began to move, and it sailed towards the dry ground.

When the governor disembarked his heart once again was hardened just like Pharaoh. He thus brought the Saint before him, and had his sides burnt with lit torches. He was then tied to a rock and cast into the Nile River, and in this way the renowned one received the crown of martyrdom.



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