ORTHODOX CHRISTIANITY THEN AND NOW: Elder Paisios and the Hashish Addict

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.

March 27, 2014

Elder Paisios and the Hashish Addict

The Testimony of Lemoni Euthymiou of Thessaloniki,

former officer of Mount Athos

After two months I returned to Mount Athos and to Elder Paisios, with three other friends. Next to me sat a friend who would drink hashish. He even had a "tree" in his house.

This friend was unfamiliar with the Church. This was his first visit to Elder Paisios.

Without him saying anything, the Elder asked him:

"Perhaps you drink hashish?"

He lied, saying: "No, Elder."

"Look", the old man said to him affectionately, "I will hang you from that tree! You know the one!"

When we arrived at Thessaloniki, at the home of my friend, that "tree" was dried up! He was stunned when he saw it. Afterwards he went to confession, and he "entered" the Church and took the path of God.

Source: From the book ΓΕΡΟΝΤΑΣ ΠΑΪΣΙΟΣ Ο ΑΓΙΟΡΕΙΤΗΣ 1924 - 1994, ΜΑΡΤΥΡΙΕΣ ΠΡΟΣΚΥΝΗΤΩΝ (Elder Paisios the Athonite 1924 - 1994, Testimonies of Pilgrims) by Nikolaos Zournatzoglou. Translation by John Sanidopoulos.