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.



December 23, 2022

Saint Porphyrios and the Visit of Divine Grace Before Christmas: A True Testimony Similar to "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens

 
 
It was the days leading up to the Christmas of 1993. I was in a very difficult situation: physical sicknesses and horrible pains, revolts of the passions, warfare with the devil and through men.

I said: "My Christ, what kind of Christmas am I going to have this year?" Then I called upon the Elder [Porphyrios].

(Just before he reposed he said to me: "Call on me.")

On the night of December 22, as soon as I was able to fall asleep, he came.

At first I thought he was still alive, and he said to me:

"Come and take me for a ride."

I grab him and instead of taking him, he took me. We were together, I think, all night.

We traveled to many places, we also came to the Monastery, we also visited the children.

The next day in the morning everything went away: sorrows, melancholy, worries, intrusive thoughts, everything went away and there came serenity, peace, joy, good thoughts, humble and forgiving thoughts for everyone and for everything, and above all a preparation for my deeper lonely state.

It was a visit of Divine Grace through Elder Porphyrios. That's what my discerning spiritual father told me.

Source: From the book Θαυμαστά γεγονότα και συμβουλές του Γέροντος Πορφυρίου. Translation by John Sanidopoulos.
 
 
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