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 28, 2023

Parable of the Travelers Who Wanted to Know the Ocean


An elderly monk once told the following parable:
 
Once upon a time, three brave and courageous people who lived far from the ocean wanted to know what the ocean is. They asked knowledgeable old men how to get there, and immediately set off. They walked for a long time and finally reached the ocean.  
 
“It turns out that the ocean looks like a big field!” exclaimed the first of the brave pioneers.  
 
“But it seems to me that the ocean resembles an endless forest!” said the second traveler enthusiastically.  
 
“But in my opinion, the ocean is a huge desert!” - the third traveler expressed his opinion. 
 
A fisherman passed by and said to them: “You shouldn't argue among yourselves, looking at the ocean from the shore, but rather dive headlong into the water, and what you see there will be the ocean!”  
 
The travelers did just that - they followed the advice of the fisherman. Soon they emerged from the water and caught their breath. “Well, what does the ocean look like now?” the fisherman asked with a smile.
 
The ocean explorers looked at each other and said, "We don't know what the ocean is, but it's very salty!"
 
With this the elderly monk concluded: "Never let your mind confuse you - know God by experience."
 
 

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