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.



January 2, 2024

Saint Iakovos Tsalikes and Saint Seraphim of Sarov in the Land of the Meek


By Konstantinos Sympouras

There was a time when I was reading and reading, and I had not yet given up my intellectualism on spiritual matters.

One day the Holy Elder Iakovos Tsalikes said to me:

“When you read something in the scriptures, you should never try to understand what it means! Not everything is captured. You will understand all you can, and you will move on until God gives you to see and understand something more.”

And then he described to me one of his visits to Paradise.

"You see, I didn't understand what is said in the Beatitudes: 'Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth.' And I left it to God. And one day I find myself in a wonderful meadow with colorful fragrant flowers. I was with Saint Seraphim of Sarov. And he said to me:
 
'Let's go, Father Iakovos!'

And I answered him:
 
'Where shall we go, Father Seraphim? We will step on and ruin the flowers!'

And he said to me:
 
'Father Iakovos, these flowers are incorruptible, they do not ruin! Go without fear! Here is the Land of the Meek! And today I will show you around.'"

God is wondrous in His saints!

Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.


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