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 16, 2015

The Crazy Monk


By Nicholas Voinescu

There was a certain crazy monk in a monastery. Not that he was really crazy, but others considered him crazy in whatever he said or did. One night the abbot of the monastery called for him and asked him how his day went and what he did in its duration. And the monk replied:

"I had many jobs, holy abbot, like the other days, and if Almighty God didn't help me, my little strength would not be enough to cope with all these jobs."

"But what did you do, what issues preoccupied you?" asked the puzzled elder abbot to his monk.

"First of all," continued the monk, "I had to watch over two falcons, then hold two deer and exercise two hunting dogs. And besides this I had to defeat a snake and tame a bear. And as if all this wasn't enough, I had to take care of a sick man."

"What are you talking about?" asked the bewildered abbot. "We don't have such jobs at this monastery. Now I know why some people call you crazy."

"That's fine, holy abbot, let them consider me crazy," replied the monk humbly. "But these jobs daily take place in our monastery, and with your blessing I do them all."

"Blessed one, you're gonna drive me crazy," said the bewildered abbot, who couldn't understand what the monk was saying. "What jobs are these and who told you to do them?"

"God told me to do them, holy abbot, and I'm being obedient to His command. As for the jobs you are asking about, the two hawks, my Father, are the eyes, and we must keep watch over them constantly to not see things that will hurt them. The two deer I'm holding are my two feet to not lead me to do some evil. The two hunting dogs are my hands which I exercise only to do good. While the snake I am defeating is my tongue, and I must defeat this snake, to not speak unnecessarily and not pour out poison against others. Lastly, the bear to tame is my heart, so that it won't have pride and vainglory within. As for the sick man I am taking care of, it is my body, which I take care of so as not to fall into the illness of great sensuality. Do you understand now, holy abbot, what I did?"

"You, my child, are not crazy, as they say, but truly wise, the wisest of us all. God always be with you and help you in your good work. Come so I can kiss you with a holy kiss."

Then he bent down and kissed him, and gave him a crosswise blessing.

Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.

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