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 27, 2025

Prologue in Sermons: November 27

 
Against Slander

November 27

(A Sermon on Not Condemning Monks)

By Archpriest Victor Guryev

In a church sermon on the 27th of November, the following is written, among other things, about slander: "Many of the foolish," it says there, "recklessly slander the monks. When they see one of them sinning, they say that this is not what the Lord commanded, yet they themselves sin in abundance, oppress others, and steal. And if they see any partaking of a sweet dish, they begin to slander even more; yet they themselves drink daily, thereby storing up eternal fire for themselves." Having heard this, many may very well ask: why have you brought us this sermon, and what does it signify?

To this we answer you as follows: we have cited the words of the Church so that you may understand from them that whoever speaks ill of another almost always is a bad person themselves and is almost always ten times worse than the one they slander. Are you surprised by this? Be not surprised. Listen to what the Venerable Ephraim the Syrian says about slanderers, and you will be convinced of the truth of our words. "Whoever takes delight," says the Venerable, "in the slander of others, clearly shows that they themselves are caught in the very fault for which they slander others. For whoever slanders another, condemns themselves. They are a worldly person, entangled in the snares of the world. In the slanderous person, there is everything: slander, hatred, intrigue; therefore, they are recognized as a fratricide, merciless and pitiless. And whoever always has the fear of God within them, and whose heart is pure, does not delight in speaking ill of others, does not take pleasure in others' secrets, and does not seek enjoyment in the downfall of others. Therefore, tears and weeping are truly justified for one who has accustomed themselves to slander. And what is more hated than this? That is why the Holy Apostle, forbidding sinful deeds, includes the slanderer among those who commit them: neither the malicious nor the avaricious will inherit the kingdom of God (1 Cor. 6:10)." Thus, brethren, we have spoken the truth: whoever slanders another is almost always a bad person themselves, and is almost always ten times worse than the one they slander. Therefore, when an evil thought comes to mind to say something bad about a neighbor, immediately say to yourself: "This is because the devil instills such a thought in me so that, by carrying it out, he may make me evil, merciless, and worse than the one I wish to slander, and ultimately destroy me." And when you reflect in this way, the evil thought of slandering your neighbor will depart from you, and you will restrain your tongue from evil. 

Moreover, in order to put an end to the sin of slander forever, listen in conclusion to one final word from the aforementioned Venerable Father of ours, Ephraim the Syrian. "Blessed," he said, "and thrice blessed is he who has not harmed his tongue with slander against others, who has not defiled his heart with his words, but understands that we are all subject to punishment, and does not take pleasure in the slander of others, but is grieved by this passion. For he who does not slander another has kept himself blameless. He has encountered no stumbling block, and his conscience is undefiled. He who flees from the spirit of slander has kept himself from close contact with evil people and has conquered the hordes of demons. Whoever does not acquire a slanderous tongue gains an imperishable treasure. Whoever is not inclined to speak ill of others avoids fratricide, and others will not slander him. Whoever is not caught by the spirit of slander has truly understood that he himself is a fleshly human, and he has kept himself unblemished. Whoever is not in fellowship with the slanderous will dwell among the Angels. Whoever has not poisoned his ears and tongue with slander is filled with the healing of love. Whoever does not defile his lips with slander has lips that exude the fruits of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, truly blessed, and I will say once more, blessed is he who has kept himself from slander.” Amen.

Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
 

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