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.



November 15, 2025

Prologue in Sermons: November 15

 
Even Sorrows Are Beneficial

November 15

(A Teaching of Saint John Chrysostom)

By Archpriest Victor Guryev

In one of the Church teachings, the Prologue (August 7) says, among other things: “Let us not be indignant, but rejoice in sorrows; for they are medicines useful for our wounds, and although on the one hand they are bitter, on the other they are sweet... Let us be grateful to God for sorrows; for He does not send them without reason, but rather He does through them what is useful to our souls.” Is this true, brethren, what is said in the Prologue about sorrows? Is it true that they are medicines useful for our wounds? Is it true that they are, on the one hand, bitter, and on the other sweet? Is it true, finally, that God does not send them without reason, but rather He does through them what is useful to our souls? Yes, all this is absolutely true, brethren, as we will now prove to you from the words of the ecumenical teacher Saint John Chrysostom.

“Whoever in this life,” he teaches, “does not want to endure sorrows and troubles and all kinds of misfortunes, is small before God; but whoever, living in faith and virtue, endures sufferings and troubles and accepts all misfortunes with joy, is great before God and is respected by men, and is glorified by the Angels. Those who sin here, but do not accept any troubles, they will receive greater torments. But those who endure and praise God for their troubles, they will receive an equal lot with the saints. You do not believe this? In order to be convinced, think about the troubles of Job, the sufferings of the Apostles, and especially about the sorrows of Paul. When Job gave alms and lived pleasing to God, then he was small before God; but when he accepted troubles, then he became great before God and glorious among the saints. Likewise, the Apostles, when they only worked miracles and lived virtuously, were not glorious; but when they endured many troubles and sufferings, they were greatly glorified. And Paul, because he bore more afflictions than anyone else, received the crown that is greatest of all. He is God's chosen one, and through him all the elect will attain salvation, and some already have. Remember, then, that just as gold is made lustrous by fire, so the saints are glorified through suffering. Let us endure afflictions, so that for them God may abundantly bestow upon us heavenly blessings."

Thus, it is rightly said in the Prologue that sorrows are a form of healing, beneficial for our wounds, that they are bitter on one hand, but sweet on the other, and that we should be grateful to God even for them, for He sends them with wisdom. Yes, as we have just heard from Saint John Chrysostom, sorrows weave crowns for us and lead us to eternal glory. Therefore, let us be cheerful even in sorrows, let us not be overwhelmed by them, let us abandon faint-heartedness and despondency, and always remember the truth that the harder the battle, the more glorious the victory, and the more arduous the deed, the more brilliant the crown that follows it. Amen.

Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
 

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