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.



August 7, 2022

Reflection on the Eighth Sunday of Matthew (St. Theophan the Recluse)

 
Eighth Sunday of Matthew

Matthew 14:14-22

By St. Theophan the Recluse
 
Before the miraculous feeding of the five thousand people, the disciples of the Lord wanted the people to be sent away; but the Lord said to them: "They need not depart; you give them something to eat." 
 
Let us learn this word, and each time the enemy suggests to us to refuse someone who asks for something, let us say from the person of the Lord: "They need not depart; you give them something to eat"—and let us give whatever we find at hand. 
 
The enemy destroys the desire to offer charity, and suggests that maybe the asker is not worthy of being given to; but the Lord did not investigate the worthiness of those sitting there: he served everyone equally, while of course, not everyone was equally devoted to Him; perhaps there were even those who later cried: “Crucify him.” 
 
Such is God’s overall providence toward us: "He makes His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust" (Matt. 5:45). If only the Lord would help us even a tiny bit to "be merciful, as our heavenly Father is merciful" (Luke 6:36).
 
 
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