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 5, 2025

Prologue in Sermons: December 5


 
Love Is Above Fasting

December 5 
 
(Hospitality is Considered by God to be Higher Than a Life of Fasting and Solitude)

By Archpriest Victor Guryev

No matter how good the various virtues by which a person pleases God, love conquers all. It's certainly good to pray, fast, not judge, be humble, and adorn oneself with other Christian virtues; but to love God above all else and to express this love in love for one's neighbors is above and beyond all else. Here, for example, is how this last point was vividly demonstrated, so to speak, during a meeting between two saints.

There was a certain elder in Syria who lived by the road leading into the desert. He always sat by the roadside, and whenever he saw a beggar or a monk coming from the desert, he would joyfully invite them to his place, comfort them, feed them, and give them something to drink. Then one day, a certain hermit came to him. The elder, as was his custom, offered him food, but he refused to partake, citing the fact that he was fasting. No matter how much the elder begged him to partake of the food, the hermit remained adamant. Then the elder said to him, "Let God Himself decide between us which is greater: your fasting or my love? Here is a tree: let us pray that it will bow down to either me or you. If it bows down to you, we will know that fasting is greater than love; if to me, then love is greater than fasting." The hermit agreed and, kneeling, began to pray. The tree remained motionless. The hospitable elder prayed, and it immediately leaned toward him. Both glorified God.

Therefore, brethren, adorn yourselves with all the Christian virtues, and especially with love. It is the foundation of the entire Christian law, and without it even faith itself is inactive and dead, and therefore cannot lead to eternal life, as it is said: "Faith without works is dead" (James 2:20-26). Love is so great that God Himself is called by it: "God is love," says the beloved disciple of Christ, "and he who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him" (1 John 4:16). Remember this, then, and above all else, hold fast to divine love. Amen.

Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
 

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