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.



September 4, 2025

Prologue in Sermons: September 4


Not Only in Monasteries, But Everywhere You Can Be Saved

September 4*

By Archpriest Victor Guryev 

In the Prologue, for the 3rd day of September, in the homily of Saint Basil, among other things it is said: “Do not think that all are saved in monasteries. For many come to the virtuous life, but few of them accept its yoke.” What does this mean? That those are mistaken who, doing nothing for their salvation, think that if we lived in a monastery, only then would we be saved. And they are mistaken; for we repeat, although, according to the word of Saint Basil, many come to the monastery for the virtuous life, however, only a small number of them accept its yoke. From this it is obvious that the lazy man is bad everywhere: he was bad in the world, but it must be thought that he will be no better in a monastery. So, what should he do? First of all, give up his laziness, and wait to consider about a monastery. Give up laziness and you will be saved in the world; don’t give it up and you will perish both in a monastery and in the most distant desert.

One city dweller, in a conversation with the Venerable Nephon, said that anyone who wants to be saved must certainly go to a monastery, but in the world you can’t be saved in any way. What did the Venerable One answer him? He said: “Child, a place will neither save a person nor destroy him, only deeds save or destroy. There is no benefit from either a holy place or a holy rank to someone who does not fulfill the commandments of the Lord. Saul lived in the midst of royal splendor, and perished; David lived in the midst of the same splendor and received a crown. Lot lived among the lawless Sodomites and was saved; Judas was among the Apostles and inherited Gehenna. Whoever says that it is impossible to be saved with a wife and children flatters his own foolishness and vices. Abraham had a wife and children, three hundred and eighty male and female servants, a lot of gold and silver, however, this did not prevent him from acquiring the name of friend of God. How many servants of the Church and desert-lovers have been saved! How many nobles and warriors! How many artisans and farmers! How many in the midst of noisy capitals and silent villages! On the other hand, in the same ranks and classes, in the same places and at the same time, countless numbers of people have perished. From kings to slaves there are children of the Kingdom of Heaven, and from kings to slaves there are children of perdition. Son of the Church of Christ! Do not turn away in mind and heart to the temptations of the world: in every place is found the salvation of our God, if you fulfill His holy will. The Lord receives into His embrace a righteous soul equally - from the throne, and from the plough, from the altar and from the battlefield. So, does anyone live in the world? Let him not despair. Will he sin? Through repentance he can again draw near to God. Each one fulfill the deeds of his calling, in which God has placed you. Be pious and philanthropic, and you will be saved. On the contrary, even if someone withdraws into a silent desert, but does not abandon his evil deeds and evil will, he will inevitably perish.”

So, do you hear, lazy ones? “Even if someone withdraws into a silent desert, but does not abandon his evil deeds and evil will, he will inevitably perish.” Thus, it is clear as day that you have no business going to a monastery with your laziness, but first, while living in the world, you must part with it, crucify your flesh with its passions and lusts, serve God with all your heart and with all your zeal; and then, as God wills, perhaps it will be possible to talk about a monastery. But in any case, both after serving God in the world and after erasing laziness with good deeds, more often cite the words of Nephon, who says that “in every place is found the salvation of our God, if you fulfill His holy will. The Lord receives into His embrace a righteous soul equally - from the throne, and from the plough, from the altar and from the battlefield.” And therefore, to please God through your exploits, live where you lived, and seek, according to the proverb, happiness and salvation not in the village, but in yourselves. Amen.

Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.

Notes:

* In the original text, there is no entry for September 4th. There this is the second entry for September 3rd.
 

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