What is theosis in Orthodox?
Theosis (Greek: θέωσις), or deification (deification may also refer to apotheosis, lit. “making divine”), is a transformative process whose aim is likeness to or union with God, as taught by the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Byzantine Catholic Churches.
Is theosis the same as sanctification?
I understand “theosis” as becoming like God, with particular emphasis on the collaborative work of God and – or in – the individual. For sanctification, I was taught very much the same. But that is in the teaching about it – it is not in the word itself. It is about being made Holy “Sacred” as is God.
What does the Bible say about theosis?
It is only the mercy of God that has the capacity to endow theosis unto the existing… In theosis, man (the image of God) becomes likened to God, he rejoices in all the plenitude that does not belong to him by nature, because the grace of the Spirit triumphs within him, and because God acts in him.”
What do Orthodox believe about salvation?
The Orthodox believe that there is nothing that a person (Orthodox or non-Orthodox) can do to earn salvation. It is rather a gift from God. However, this gift of relationship has to be accepted by the believer, since God will not force salvation on humanity.
Why is apotheosis used?
Apotheosis is most commonly used to refer to the Roman pagan process whereby an Emperor was made into or recognized as a deity. Some Roman emperors underwent apotheosis upon their deaths. Emperors who were not fondly remembered, or who were disliked by their succesors, were generally not deified.
How is Greek Orthodox different from Protestant?
The main difference between Orthodox Christianity and Protestant Christianity is that they follow different divine inspirations. The Orthodox follow the ‘Holy Inspiration of Church’ along with the Bible. Whereas, protestants follow only the Bible.
Are Eastern Orthodox saved?
For Orthodox, salvation is not a decision. It is a life lived in repentance and faith. It is an ongoing process of growth and maturation. It happens by participation in the church sacraments of baptism, confession, and communion.
How many times is Theos used in the Bible?
The exact spelling of the nominative, singular form of the Greek word for God is: θεός (theos), and this exact form is used 309 times in 287 verses of the NT; 261 of those occurrences (in 243 verses) have the article immediately preceding it: ὁ θεός (ho theos).
Can we become gods?
If humankind simply carries on with its present economic, scientific and political patterns, humans are very likely to be upgraded into gods within a century or two at most. Yet the same technology that may upgrade human to gods, may also make them useless.
Do Orthodox Christians believe once saved always saved?
To Orthodox, salvation is a process. The answer you will most likely get from an Orthodox Christian is this: I have been saved; I am being saved; I shall be saved. All Christians agree that we are saved by Jesus’ death on the cross. When He who lived without sin was put to death, He conquered death by His resurrection.
Do Orthodox believe in salvation by faith alone?
As St. James tells us in his letter: “You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.”
What is orthodox meaning of theosis or union with God?
Theosis is the belief, mostly found within the Eastern Orthodox Church, that Christians can experience a union with God and become like him so much that they participate in the divine nature. This concept is also known as deification. Theosis does not mean that they become Gods or merge with God but that they are deified.
Is Eastern Orthodox the real Christianity?
The Eastern Orthodox Church is somewhat unknown to the western world, in which Protestantism and Catholicism are the predominant Christian denominations.. In the teachings of Orthodoxy, the Eastern Orthodox Church is the authentic continuation of the original church established by the Apostles shortly after the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Is theosis a Catholic doctrine?
Theosis is a truly catholic understanding of the goal of our relationship with God in Christ. Theosis in the Lives of the Saints. Finally, countless saints throughout history have demonstrated the possibility of deification as a reality in their lives. They attained deification only after intense suffering. Their sufferings came through
Does the Orthodox Church believe in?
Two fundamental beliefs ascribed by practitioners are that the Spirit and Son originate from the Holy Father and that the Holy Scriptures and Holy Tradition hold equal value and importance. In the Greek Orthodox Church, worship is considered the basic and most fundamental part of church life. It is liturgical in nature and follows seven sacraments.