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.



April 10, 2015

The Miraculous Healing of St. Porphyrios of Gaza by the Thief on the Cross


While living in asceticism in the Jordanian wilderness, Saint Porphyrios fell under a serious malady of paralysis. Unable to walk, he would have to crawl to the divine services. For healing he decided to go to the holy places of Jerusalem. His disciple and biographer Mark then describes what he saw when he met Saint Porphyrios in Jerusalem:

And straightway when he beheld me the thrice blessed man embraced me with joy and tears (for joy also can cause tears to flow); but I knew him not; for his body was very strong and his countenance ruddy. And I turned my eyes about looking often upon him; but he, seeing it, smiled pleasantly and said:

"Marvel not, brother Mark, seeing me whole and strong, but learn the cause of my being healed and then marvel exceedingly at the unspeakable loving­kindness of Christ, how the things whereof men have despaired are by Him made straight."

And I besought him to tell me the cause of his being healed and how he had cast out such a disease. And he answered me:

"About forty days ago when I was keeping the vigil of the holy day of the Lord, an unspeakable pain of the liver got hold upon me, and being unable to endure the anguish I went and lay down near the sacred Skull, and by reason of the great pain I fell as it were into a trance. And I see the Savior nailed upon the Cross and one of the thieves with him hanging upon another cross, and I begin to cry out and speak the words of the thief, 'Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom' [Luke 23:42]. And the Savior answered and said to the thief that was hanging, 'Go down from the cross and save him that is lying there, even as you were saved.' And the thief came down from the cross and took me in his arms and kissed me, and stretching forth his right hand raised me up, saying, 'Come to the Savior.' And straightway I rose up and ran to Him, and I see Him coming down from the Cross and saying to me, 'Take this wood and keep it.' And I took the same precious wood and lifted it up, and straightway I came to myself out of my trance, and from that same hour there was no more pain in me, neither is the place of the disease manifest."

But I, when I had heard these things, marvelled exceedingly, and glorified God, who ever shows mercy unto them that call upon Him, and much more unto them that truly and sincerely pray to Him.


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