"It can be a somewhat startling theme for western Christian ears..."

Insight Scoop ^ | December 27, 2010 | Carl Olson

[NYer]

George Weigel, in his most recent column ("Christmas, Jews and Christians"), takes up a theme near and dear to my heart:

Eastern Christian theology has long stressed “theosis,” or divinization, as the goal of the Christian life. It can be a somewhat startling theme for western Christian ears, formed as we are by Augustine’s sense of the distance that original sin created between humanity and God.

Yet if, as theologians East and West have long insisted, Christianity is not about our search for God (as so much pop-spirituality these days insists), but about God coming into history in search of us and our learning to take the same path through history that God is taking, then “divinization” makes perfect sense: for how could we follow God through history unless we became more and more like God?

Read the entire piece. Two years ago I wrote an essay, "Theosis: The Reason for the Season", in which I stated:

Theosis, deification, and adoptive sonship have received much attention in recent decades from Catholic theologians and scholars. Ressourcement theologians such as Hans Urs von Balthasar, Yves Congar, Henri de Lubac, and Jean Daniélou addressed them in a variety of books and articles. Recent books such as Divine Light: The Theology of Denys the Areopagite, by Dr. William Riordan, and Deification And Grace by Daniel Keating are scholarly studies worthy of attention.

Pope John Paul II's Trinitarian encyclicals—Redemptor Hominis, Dives in Misericordia and Dominum et Vivificantem—often emphasized divine adoption:

For as Saint Paul teaches, "all who are led by the Spirit of God" are "children of God." The filiation of divine adoption is born in man on the basis of the mystery of the Incarnation, therefore through Christ the eternal Son. But the birth, or rebirth, happens when God the Father "sends the Spirit of his Son into our hearts." Then we receive a spirit of adopted sons by which we cry 'Abba, Father!'" Hence the divine filiation planted in the human soul through sanctifying grace is the work of the Holy Spirit. "It is the Spirit himself bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ." Sanctifying grace is the principle and source of man's new life: divine, supernatural life. (Dives in Misericordia, 52.2).

Coming full circle, the Catechism of the Catholic Church refers time and time again to the reality of theosis. "God created the world for the sake of communion with his divine life," it states, "a communion brought about by the 'convocation' of men in Christ, and this 'convocation' is the Church" (par 760). Through the sacraments we are made "children of God, partakers of the divine nature" (par 1692). The foundation of the moral life, the living out of the Christian calling, is found in the theological virtues: faith, hope and love, infused by the Holy Spirit. Those theological virtues "adapt man's faculties for participation in the divine nature" (par 1812). Our prayer to and adoration of the Father is rooted in divine adoption, for "he has caused us to be reborn to his life by adopting us as his children in his only Son" (par 2782).

Read my entire essay on Ignatius Insight. Also see:

• The Dignity of the Human Person: Pope John Paul II's Teaching on Divinization in the Trinitarian Encyclicals | Carl E. Olson
• The Liturgy Lived: The Divinization of Man | Jean Corbon, O.P.
• Jean Daniélou and the "Master-Key to Christian Theology" | Carl E. Olson
• Was The Joint Declaration Truly Justified? | An Interview with Dr. Christopher Malloy
• Why Catholicism Makes Protestantism Tick: Louis Bouyer on the Reformation | Mark Brumley
• Are Catholics Born Again? | Mark Brumley

[RobbyS]

Premise that Adams was a “divine” being, that is to say, God-like in a way that we are not but hope to be.

[cothrige]

There is no “divinity” possible in that finite being, in us.

The mere concept is absurd neo-pagan pride.

St. Peter says you are wrong.

"For indeed his divine power has granted us all things pertaining to life and piety through the knowledge of him who has called us by his own glory and power - through which he has granted us the very great and precious promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption of that lust which is in the world."

2 Peter 1.1-4

[D-fendr]

One way to understand Jesus’s prayer in the garden is that we should realize, in all senses of the word, that God is with us in our very being.

Sin is another way of saying separated from God. It is us who do the separating, not God.

The more we practice what Jesus preached, the closer we come to realizing God is closer to us than we are to ourselves - and the closer we come to being what God created us for.

Sin brings shame, and that is a message to us. But by turning away from sin we decrease our separation from God.

We will never become God. As they say: God is my being, but I am not God’s being.

Christ is Divine, we are part of the Body of Christ, never the head. Losing this connection, insisting on separation, not realizing our connection, forces us to live a lie, in sin, separated from God.

Humility means knowing our true place.

[Cronos]

Actually, this is not new-age, but this is what the Orthodox and Eastern Churches have always taught

it is NOT man becoming god --> the translation into English is incorrect.

To properly describe the phrase, what it means is that we must try to follow God in deed, action and thought, we must try to aim to be like (though we will of course fail miserably) the perfect man, Jesus Christ.

Jesus was without sin, was humble in His power and was prayerful and obedient unto death. We must try to follow and copy God's actions as best as we frail creations can.

[Cronos]

It simply suggests an absurd to my mind level of even possible equality with HIM.

But that is not what is being suggested at all!! In no way is it possible to have any kind of equality. Yet that does not mean we cannot interact with Him. He interacted with people when on earth -- that is the "participation" referred to -- we do not become absorbed into His divinity like the hindu concept of nirvana. We do not (and this is not suggested) reach any kind of "godhead" -- that, as you correctly point out is un-Christians and that is NOT what this article (or the Orthodox) suggests/believes

Just as you can have a meeting with 5 year old kids, it does not suggest that they are in any way "equal" to you, rather, you reach down to their level. In the same way, only more so, do we participate with The Lord.

Our Lord has given us a gift. We only accept or deny. --> absolultely correct. It is a gift of grace, we can freely accept or deny it

[Cronos]

J — we do not become divine by any means. We become adopted Sons of God, but that does not imply divinity in any way. We are called to imitate closely God, to try to be as close to God’s ways as possible, but this does not confer divinity — the orthodox teaching does not imply that in any way.

[Cronos]

we're talking at cross-purposes. WnF -- no one's saying we become God. What is being said is as C put: so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, --> we little insignificant creations can commune with the Almighty -- because HE wills it. We must try to follow our master in every way

[Campion]

The pot cannot become the potter. This is neo-pagan dogma drivel.

Far from it. 2 Peter 1:4 says that we become "partakers of the divine nature" in and through Jesus Christ. Think about what that means. St. Athanasius said that "God became man so that man might become God". (NB: not "gods". He means that our destiny is to be so perfectly united to God so that we become one with Him.)

Even John Calvin wrote of it. In [I can't believe I'm actually doing this ...] Institutes Book II, section 12, he writes:

This will become still clearer if we reflect, that the work to be performed by the Mediator was of no common description: being to restore us to the divine favour, so as to make us, instead of sons of men, sons of God; instead of heirs of hell, heirs of a heavenly kingdom. Who could do this unless the Son of God should also become the Son of man, and so receive what is ours as to transfer to us what is his, making that which is his by nature to become ours by grace? Relying on this earnest, we trust that we are the sons of God, because the natural Son of God assumed to himself a body of our body, flesh of our flesh, bones of our bones, that he might be one with us; he declined not to take what was peculiar to us, that he might in his turn extend to us what was peculiarly his own, and thus might be in common with us both Son of God and Son of man.

[warm n fuzzy]

No I sure didn’t “miss the point”.

I’M a “protestant” and I am not any MAN’S creature.

You RC’s have a real thing for labels.

The fact is that I as an individual SINNER need no mere man between me and OUR Lord.

If YOU do, more power to you.

Christianity is NOT a “religion” it is a personal relationship with the Lord.

Do as YOU will of course.

[warm n fuzzy]

Sorry. I don’t buy it.

[warm n fuzzy]

I don’t care what anybody but our Lord says.

ANYBODY.

[cothrige]

I don’t care what anybody but our Lord says.

ANYBODY.

You reject the words of St. Peter in scripture, because he is not the Lord?!?! Well, you reject the words of the Lord himself then, as he said: "He who hears you, hears me; and he who rejects you, rejects me; and he who rejects me, rejects him who sent me."

Your position is condemned by our Lord God and Saviour Jesus Christ himself. All scriptures are inspired by God and the words of St. Peter I quoted are infallible scripture.

[warm n fuzzy]

Are you on drugs?

I’M a PROTESTANT.

I don’t accept your RC dogma or traditions.

News Flash! The Bishop of Rome is NOT the absolute un-fallible leader of all CHRISTIANS on earth.

News Flash! We had several WARS over that, and WE Protestants won those WARS.

News Flash! I DON’T CARE what you RCs believe.

News Flash! YOU aren’t OUR Lord.

I didn’t want to be rude, but YOUR dogma is YOUR dogma, NOT mine.

And YES I am still a CHRISTIAN.

See you at the gate!

[warm n fuzzy]

Spare me your RC machinations.

If I “partake” of a cup of coffee do I somehow BECOME coffee?

Absurd.

To “be saved” or become “one with God” doesn’t mean that we ourselves become divine.

BTW; there is NOTHING that you could ever say or do that would make me change my mind on this.

[warm n fuzzy]

-—”we’re talking at cross-purposes. WnF — no one’s saying we become God. What is being said is as C put: so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, —> we little insignificant creations can commune with the Almighty — because HE wills it. We must try to follow our master in every way”-—

I’m sorry, but that is not true, some of these good folks are trying to claim that we mere humans become divine by accepting OUR Lord.

Other than that, I agree totally with your position.

[RobbyS]

How can you think you know about the Lord except that the Church has told you about him? Do you claim as, say, Joseph Smith did ,that God has spoken to you personally? Why should I believe you if you are making such a claim? My guess is that your faith in the Lord came to you through some missionary, whether that be a parent or a friend, who would therefore be a member of the Church. Is Christianity not a religion? The dictionary meaning of the word is Belief in a supernatural power or powers regarded as creator and governor of the universe. Don’t see how Christianity, in any of its forms, does not fit that definition. Of course, we do believe as some do not that there is but one God and that he is a person.

[RobbyS]

What then does it mean to be saved but to become perfect as Our Father is perfect? To be perfect as Adam was once perfect. To become perfect as the 2nd Adam, Jesus, is perfect. A bridge joins two things. Our Lord bridges earth and heaven, because he is both man and God. He did not cease to be man when he rose from the dead but revealed himself also to be God.

[Cronos]

WnF --> 1. Church teaching in the Orthodox Church (which is the theme of this article) clearly does NOT mean we become God in any way. The language may seem that way, but I put it down to 'mis-translation'. We become adopted Sons of God, but that does not imply divinity in any way. We are called to imitate closely God, to try to be as close to God’s ways as possible, but this does not confer divinity — the orthodox teaching does not imply that in any way.

I humbly submit that there is a misunderstanding. We do not (and this is not suggested) reach any kind of "godhead" -- that, as you correctly point out is un-Christians and that is NOT what this article (or the Orthodox) suggests/believes.

At no point can the pot become the potter. However, the potter made the pot able to think and try to be "good" -- just as the potter is the very embodiment of Good. So, you can have a good pot -- a pot that is "striving" to be "good". It can never become the potter, but it can "imitate" him in the sense of being "good" to the best of it's abilities

This is compounded by the fact that the potter came down to be a "pot" and it was the perfect pot, perfectly good. Yet this pot was still the potter as well as a pot. We are called to imitate this perfect pot who is the potter. We pots can never become the potter, we can never become the perfect pot, but the closer we strive to be like this perfection, the closer we get to the potter to be good like him, to be what he wanted us pots to be...

[Cronos]

WnF -- the Eastern Orthodox do not teach Original "Sin" rather Original "Stain" and Ancestral sin. They believe that the sins of the father (Adam) are not the responsibilities of the children, BUT the consequences of Adam's sin changed everything. They believe in Original Sin as a transmission of a "fallen state" by teaching that human nature is "fallen", that is, depraved, but not totally

Orthodox Churches accept the teaching of John Cassian, who, according to Orthodox theologian Augustine Casiday, "baldly asserts that God's grace, not human free will, is responsible for 'everything which pertains to salvation' - even faith."

"man even though he strive with all his might for a good result, yet cannot become master of what is good unless he has acquired it simply by the gift of Divine bounty and not by the efforts of his own toil"

John Cassian speaking of the cases of Paul the persecutor and Matthew the publican as difficulties for those who say "the beginning of free will is in our own power", and the cases of Zaccheus and the good thief on the cross as difficulties for those who say "the beginning of our free will is always due to the inspiration of the grace of God", and as concluding: "These two then; viz., the grace of God and free will seem opposed to each other, but really are in harmony, and we gather from the system of goodness that we ought to have both alike, lest if we withdraw one of them from man, we may seem to have broken the rule of the Church's faith: for when God sees us inclined to will what is good, He meets, guides, and strengthens us: for 'At the voice of thy cry, as soon as He shall hear, He will answer thee'; and: 'Call upon Me', He says, 'in the day of tribulation and I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify Me'. And again, if He finds that we are unwilling or have grown cold, He stirs our hearts with salutary exhortations, by which a good will is either renewed or formed in us."

[Cronos]

Of course, Christianity is having a personal relationship with God, but it is not just confessing that He is Savior and Lord and nothing else. Having a relationship with say your spouse is not just saying "you're my mate." and nothing else.

Analogously, having a personal relationship with Our Lord and God, is more.

Catholics agree that we must have a relationship with God and that we cannot work our way to heaven. But we don’t agree that our behaviors aren’t important. In fact, as we will see, Scripture indicates that, indeed, a relationship with God calls us to be people of moral behavior and good works—that is to say, religious people. Christianity is itself a religion and to be religious means to live morally and to do good works. Scripture teaches that, in essence, to be in a personal relationship with Jesus means to be religious.

Remember that Paul refers to Christianity as a religion in his first letter to Timothy: "Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of our religion: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory" (1 Tim. 3:16).

James, too, speaks of Christianity as a religion, and he provides an example of vain religion: "If any one thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this man’s religion is vain" (Jas. 1:26). He then goes on to provide an example of what it really means to be a religious Christian: "Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world" (1:27).

And again Paul says
1. "If a widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn their religious duty to their own family and make some return to their parents; for this is acceptable in the sight of God" (1 Tim. 5:4).

2. But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of stress. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, inhuman, implacable, slanderers, profligates, fierce, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding the form of religion but denying the power of it. (2 Tim. 3:1-5)

Note that the word "relationship" does not appear anywhere in Scripture at all. Nowhere in the Bible do we find the apostles or others asking the question, "Do you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ?" Even so, Scripture does speak of knowing God and of not knowing him.
Formerly, when you did not know God, you were in bondage to beings that by nature are no gods; but now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and beggarly elemental spirits, whose slaves you want to be once more? (Gal. 4:8-9)

So, KNOWING God is key to our relationship with Him, and also we read in 2 Thess 1:6-8 inflicting vengeance upon those who do not know God and upon those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus -- so you must also know and obey.

And, 1 John 4:8 "He who does not love does not know God; for God is love" -- to know God is to know LOVE, to love others.

And Paul emphasises in Titus 1:15-16 that knowing God, i.e. having a relationship with Him is demonstrated in our very deeds "To the pure all things are pure, but to the corrupt and unbelieving nothing is pure; their very minds and consciences are corrupted. They profess to know God, but they deny him by their deeds; they are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good deed"

Christianity, this personal relationship with God is demonstrated in religious lives and our behaviour

If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love . . . This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. (John 15:10, 12-15)