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.



June 20, 2022

Synaxarion of Saint Nicholas Cabasilas


 By Monk Gerasimos Mikragiannanitis

On the 20th of this month [June] we commemorate Venerable Nicholas Cabasilas.

Verses

You clearly became a joint-partaker with the Saints,
Having lived a holy life Nicholas.
We celebrate the divine Nicholas with glorious praises.

He flourished in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, having been born in Thessaloniki. Raised in nobility and glory, he was nurtured with excellent morals and all manner of piety, with a grand education, attaining by this wide-spread and manifold wisdom and knowledge, and through his many discourses, he enriched our language with divine matters, inspired by the Holy Spirit. He was distinguished by his blameless way of life and God-befitting conduct, and was longed for with affection by kings and rulers. Venerable and temperate, he passed his life in all forms of virtue, and was transported to the heavenly mansions, where he is equal in honor with the Saints, worthy of eternal glory and life.


 
Apolytikion in the Fourth Tone
As a divine teacher and expounder of wisdom, the dogmas of the faith and sacred virtue, Venerable Nicholas, you shined in the world, through your life and words. Wherefore Thessaloniki, boasts in your glory, and with longing celebrates, your all-revered memory.

Kontakion in the Second Tone
Completing your life with inspired words, renowned for wisdom and grace, you became powerful through your words, which you expounded as a teacher of piety; hence we sing hymns to you Nicholas.

Oikos
From your youth wise one, you dedicated yourself to the Lord, walking the path, of the commandments of God, with a clean intellect; having come to know the extremes of wisdom, with both much prudence and great knowledge you showed yourself to the world; having put to death the mind of the flesh, you received the life-bearing energies of the Paraclete, and the brightness of the initiation into piety, and a virtuous life with exactitude, and the unbroken authority of the divine dogmas, as a divinely wise expounder of truth, and a true servant of Christ, hence we sing hymns to you Nicholas.

Megalynarion
With spiritual words and wisdom, you brilliantly distinguished yourself, being seen as distinguishing your life, as a divine teacher of the Church, all-blessed Nicholas, you who dwell with the Angels.
 
 

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