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 29, 2024

Sins That Cry Out To Heaven (Archpriest Rodion Putyatin)


Homily 24

By Archpriest Rodion Putyatin

"A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, refusing to be comforted, because they are no more" (Matt. 2:18).

You have certainly heard, listeners, that there are sins that cry out to Heaven. But do you know what kind of sins these are and who is guilty of them?

The chief sin that cries out to Heaven is unlawful murder: human blood cries out to Heaven louder than all, like the voice of the blood of Abel, killed by Cain. But this sin, too, cries out to Heaven: when someone wrongs a widow, oppresses the poor, and oppresses orphans. This is also a sin: when someone does not give or does not give back to his slaves and workers, his subordinates and subjects, what is due to them, and thereby forces them to suffer and be in misery. This is also a sin, too, which cries out to Heaven: when someone in extremity, in trouble or under judgment brings people to such an extent that they, the poor, with all their righteousness and innocence, are forced to give to him what they have gained through labor and sorrow, in order for himself to get out of the extreme, to get rid of misfortune or to be freed from judgment.

Now, listeners, you can understand somewhat what sins are which cry out to Heaven; these are the sins because of which our neighbors suffer extreme need for everything necessary for life, suffer, weep, cry out; sins from which it is too hard for them, it hurts to the depths of the soul, to tears, to blood. The lawlessness of these sins is so unlawful, unnatural, public, obvious, in no way excusable, that it is, so to speak, unnatural, impossible for them to remain long without punishment, and the just God, with all His mercy, cannot but punish people for them now, in this life, without postponing it until the future life.

So, Christian, remember whether some widow weeps for your sake, whether beggars wander about the world for your sake, whether little orphans have been wronged by you. Behold, this is a sin that cries out to Heaven, and God will punish you for it now, in this life. Remember whether your subordinate, your subject, suffers because of you, whether your slaves or workers are in poverty because of you; behold, this is a sin that cries out to Heaven, and God will punish you for it now, in this life. Remember whether you bring some poor or unfortunate people to the point that, out of fear of judgment or misfortune, or extremity, they give you their last piece of bread or their last mite, earned with sweat and blood; behold, this is a sin that cries out to Heaven, and God will punish you for it now, in this life.

And all of us, listeners, will be careful in every way that others do not suffer, weep, or cry out because of us; it is a terrible sin, a sin that cries out to Heaven, when someone suffers, weeps, and cries because of us, without any fault of their own. Amen.
 

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