Theosis-Divinization

Theosis (divinization, deification) has become a veritable buzzword in the Eastern Churches in the last century. It constitutes the Orthodox understanding of grace and sanctification, but it goes further. Contrary lo popular opinion, it is not an exclusively Eastern teaching, as various Western Christian authors have taken it up, from the Latin Fathers to Thomas Aquinas as well as modern authors and even the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Recently Angtican, Lutheran, Reformed, Methodist and even Evangelical authors have been drawn to the theme. This course will focus primarily on the biblical, patristic, medieval, and contemporary writings from the Orthodox point of view, with a nod to Catholic approaches. It will engage questions of Image and likeness, incamational exchange, adoption. the essence/energies distinction Every effort has been made to give a manageable reading load for the short intervals between classes in this intensive version of the course. Since the Mystical Theology of the Eastern Churches involves what the Christian West calls SpirituaHty as well as Doctrlne/Sysytematic Theology. students in this course should expect to be immersed in both.