ID: Theosis - 3 views

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  #1 Alwen Bledsoe on 08 Mar 11

   

  Theosis-
  
  Definition: a concept from Greek Orthodoxy that describes salvation as human participation with and even in the divine nature-it is an actual union and partaking in God and God's nature. As opposed to the Roman Catholic understanding of salvation which maintains a strict separation between human and divine, even once heaven is reached, in this understanding the believer is seen as capable of reaching a spiritual perfection that allows him or her to attain true union with God and even become God-like. As the Coptic Orthodox Church of St. Marnia puts it, theosis is "the process of becoming Godlike, becoming partakers of the divine nature. It is the calling of every one of us, achieved through the incarnation of the Lord. He became man so that we might become God…" (http://www.stmarina.org/divineascent6.html)
  
  Historical importance: the Greek Orthodox concept of theosis made its way into Italy through the Byzantine monks who taught in Italy's schools and universities (Hernandez-Diaz, lecture week 9). This more elevated view of the potential of human nature no doubt gelled well with and informed many other concepts afoot in the Italian Renaissance, especially that of humanism, which viewed humans as divine (lecture). Theosis provides Christians with a theological way to relate to humanism's elevation of human nature while still acknowledging human sin--theosis only comes about as a result of a great deal of spiritual striving and growth and denial of sin. I suspect that the way this concept captured the imaginations of those involved in the Italian Renaissance also served to weaken some of the Roman Catholic church's hold on the hearts and minds of its people and, thus, helped pave the way for the Reformation.
  
  Artifact: Icon "The Ladder of Divine Ascent" at http://www.iconsexplained.com/iec/02102.htm
  
  This icon depicts the spiritual path St. John of the Climax laid out in his book _The Ladder of Divine Ascent_ (or Paradise) which outlines steps toward moving out of sin toward theosis. In the painting you can see monks struggling upward toward the Christ they seek union with, resisting sins and temptations all the way. It is painted on the wall of the Monastery of St. Catherine, Mount Siani, where St. John of Climax was abbot in the 6th century. The spirituality of St. John of Climax continues to be important in Orthodox churches, and the fourth Sunday in Lent celebrates him (http://www.pravmir.com/article_166.html). Even young Orthodox bloggers appear to continue to find the book and icon meaningful as they practice their faith. As one blogger writes, "Saint John's Ladder expresses the Orthodox view that spiritual perfection, theosis, salvation is not something attained all at once, as by a leap, but comes after a long arduous process of spiritual striving or askesis. In this process, with sustained effort one rises gradually from lower to higher and higher levels of spiritual development."
  (http://orthodoxchristian.blogspot.com/2009/03/ladder-of-divine-ascent.html)

   

  <div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner">Theosis- <br /> <br /> Definition: a concept from Greek Orthodoxy that describes salvation as human participation with and even in the divine nature-it is an actual union and partaking in God and God's nature. As opposed to the Roman Catholic understanding of salvation which maintains a strict separation between human and divine, even once heaven is reached, in this understanding the believer is seen as capable of reaching a spiritual perfection that allows him or her to attain true union with God and even become God-like. As the Coptic Orthodox Church of St. Marnia puts it, theosis is "the process of becoming Godlike, becoming partakers of the divine nature. It is the calling of every one of us, achieved through the incarnation of the Lord. He became man so that we might become God…" (<a href="http://www.stmarina.org/divineascent6.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.stmarina.org/divineascent6.html</a>) <br /> <br /> Historical importance: the Greek Orthodox concept of theosis made its way into Italy through the Byzantine monks who taught in Italy's schools and universities (Hernandez-Diaz, lecture week 9). This more elevated view of the potential of human nature no doubt gelled well with and informed many other concepts afoot in the Italian Renaissance, especially that of humanism, which viewed humans as divine (lecture). Theosis provides Christians with a theological way to relate to humanism's elevation of human nature while still acknowledging human sin--theosis only comes about as a result of a great deal of spiritual striving and growth and denial of sin. I suspect that the way this concept captured the imaginations of those involved in the Italian Renaissance also served to weaken some of the Roman Catholic church's hold on the hearts and minds of its people and, thus, helped pave the way for the Reformation. <br /> <br /> Artifact: Icon "The Ladder of Divine Ascent" at <a href="http://www.iconsexplained.com/iec/02102.htm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.iconsexplained.com/iec/02102.htm</a> <br /> <br /> This icon depicts the spiritual path St. John of the Climax laid out in his book _The Ladder of Divine Ascent_ (or Paradise) which outlines steps toward moving out of sin toward theosis. In the painting you can see monks struggling upward toward the Christ they seek union with, resisting sins and temptations all the way. It is painted on the wall of the Monastery of St. Catherine, Mount Siani, where St. John of Climax was abbot in the 6th century. The spirituality of St. John of Climax continues to be important in Orthodox churches, and the fourth Sunday in Lent celebrates him (<a href="http://www.pravmir.com/article_166.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.pravmir.com/article_166.html</a>). Even young Orthodox bloggers appear to continue to find the book and icon meaningful as they practice their faith. As one blogger writes, "Saint John's Ladder expresses the Orthodox view that spiritual perfection, theosis, salvation is not something attained all at once, as by a leap, but comes after a long arduous process of spiritual striving or askesis. In this process, with sustained effort one rises gradually from lower to higher and higher levels of spiritual development." <br /> (<a href="http://orthodoxchristian.blogspot.com/2009/03/ladder-of-divine-ascent.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://orthodoxchristian.blogspot.com/2009/03/ladder-of-divine-ascent.html</a>)</div>

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