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.



January 14, 2021

Who Is Saint Sava of Serbia? (St. Nikolai Velimirovich)


By St. Nikolai Velimirovich

SAINT SAVA is the spiritual revivalist of the Serbian people.

SAINT SAVA is the founder of the national Church of the Serbian people, its first archbishop and organizer.

SAINT SAVA is the strengthener of the Orthodox faith in the Serbian people. He eradicated and rejected Western and other heresies from the Serbian people and established his people in Eastern Orthodoxy. Thus, he most powerfully influenced the determination of the historical destiny of the Serbian people.

SAINT SAVA is the smartest educator of the Serbian people, who inextricably linked the enlightenment and education of the people with a living faith in Christ the Lord.

SAINT SAVA is the greatest statesman of the Serbian people. He led the state assemblies, crowned the kings in Zica, and saved the Serbian state from enemies and wars in a peaceful way.

SAINT SAVA is the first establisher of monastic life in our country. He built Hilandar on the Holy Mountain with his father Saint Simeon. He acquired and built several Serbian monasteries in Palestine. He planted the seed of monastic life with Studenica and Zica. He is the first and primary rule maker of Serbian monasteries.

SAINT SAVA is the most elegant creator of Serbian folk culture. As the determinant of the Serbian folk religion, he thus became the determinant of the Serbian folk culture. Turning the face of our people to the East, he thus exposed them to Eastern cultural influences.

SAINT SAVA is the first Serbian writer. He wrote not books for entertainment, but only what was necessary and useful for strengthening the faith, for establishing order in the monastery, in society and the state, and what served for the spiritual salvation of the people.

SAINT SAVA was, and still is, the greatest intercessor for the Serbian people before the throne of the Creator during his earthly life.
 
 

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