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.



October 23, 2025

Prologue in Sermons: October 23


Against Lying

October 23*

(Evagrius the Monk on Liars)

By Archpriest Victor Guryev

In order for you, brethren, to avoid the sin of lying, which is so widespread today, and to speak only the truth, we invite you today to listen to the following words of Evagrius the monk about liars.

“Since I see you care little about guarding your lips, I find it necessary to tell you a few words about how much evil lies bring us. Know that a liar is far from God and displeasing to Him, as the word of God says: 'Every lie stems from deceit' (cf. Prov. 12:17); and in another place: 'The devil is a liar and the father of lies' (John 8:44). From this it is clear that God is the Truth, and lies are from the devil. And this can be proven by the fact that God Himself calls Himself the Truth when He says: 'I am the way, the truth, and the life' (John 14:6). Having heard this, think about this: from Whom you are separating yourself by speaking lies, and to Whom you are drawing near; and then it will be clear to you that through lies you are moving away from God and drawing near to the devil. At the same time, consider whether you truly, sincerely desire to be saved. If so, then strive with all diligence and with all the strength of your soul to love the truth and in every way avoid the untruth that manifests itself in people's thoughts, in their words, and in their entire lives. Avoid this untruth in all its forms; and repent of your past lies, and, in order to avoid them in the future, often imagine the truth that tells us all that a bad tree will never bear good fruit."

Everything that Evagrius told you, brethren, about lying is absolutely true, for a liar truly distances himself from God and truly becomes close to the devil, as the word of God itself convinces us of. "You shall destroy those who speak falsehood; the Lord abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man" (Ps. 5:7). "Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord" (Prov. 12:22). In view of all this, brethren, let us avoid lying as a destructive wound; let us fear lying as a sin that darkens the conscience and is contrary to God; let us always respect the truth sincerely and hold fast to it as the foundation and principle of salvation; and finally, to guard our lips from lies, let us constantly reflect on the fact that God gave us the tongue so that we would speak only the truth and glorify with it the most holy name of God. "Lord, set a guard over our mouths and a door of protection over our lips" (Ps. 140:3). Amen.

Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.

Notes:

* In the original text, there is no entry for October 23rd. There this is the third entry for November 2nd.
 

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