Transcript James Hoffman Theosis in Recent Research Presentation

THEOSIS IN RECENT RESEARCH
A Renewal of Interest and a Need for Clarity
281 - 293 Cats
Glossary Of Terms
 Theosis Theme – Connected with similar
scriptural themes like adoption and filiation.
 Theosis – Connected to a certain anthropology,
based on distinction between image and
likeness, teleologically oriented towards the
prototype (Christ). Incarnation as the central
point in the economy of salvation.
 Theosis Doctrine – Comprehensive doctrine that
encompasses the whole economy of salvation.
The whole plan of God through the Incarnation,
salvation, sanctification, and the eschaton.
Gösta Hallonsten
 Professor of systematic theology at Lund
University, Sweden, and former Carl J. Peter
Professor for Systematic Theology and
Ecumenism at the Catholic University of
America.
Renewed Interest
 Concept of Theosis is no longer found just in
Eastern Orthodoxy, but everywhere (281)
 Talk of Theosis in Luther, in Aquinas, and so
on…
Theosis In Luther
 Finnish school of Luther treats the term
“Theosis” with ambivalence: prefer
“deification” or “motif of Theosis” (282)
 Luther has the concept of transformation or
transfiguration of the justified unto real union
with God
 A real renewal (real-ontic), real transformation of
the justified that in the end leads to union with
God
Problem In Williams
 Williams never defines what she means by a
doctrine of theosis
 Uses it to characterize both Palamas’ theology
and Aquinas’ theology
 But Aquinas speaks of sanctification theology, which
does not necessarily imply theosis
 Theosis includes and goes beyond sanctification
 It is misleading to analyze St. Thomas’ works in terms
of theosis, because he is not Eastern (283)
Doctrine And Theme
 Hallonsten distinguishes between the
doctrine and theme of theosis
 Doctrine is a thought complex, using technical
terms
 Theme includes the use of Scripture and common
Scriptural terms like “adoption,” as well as what
one would find in the Western liturgy
Beyond Palamas
 Deification as a doctrine refers to the whole
economy of salvation (284)
 Palamas’ theology presupposes many elements
from early Christianity
 Comprehensiveness of theosis doctrine to be
found in Irenaeus
 Western writers tend to speak of theosis without
reference to anthropology or to image and likeness
(285)
Anthropology
 Anthropology is the fundamental feature of
the Eastern doctrine of theosis (286)
 Eastern view of anthropology differs from the
Western view: creation from very beginning is
seen as a participation in God; grace inheres in
creation
 Western view: God and creation are different
things, even if creation participates in “being”
Anthropology Deux
 Williams does not draw the distinction
between Eastern and Western anthropology
 Theme of theosis: connected with scriptural
themes like filiation and adoption (287)
Doctrine Of Theosis
 Doctrine: teleologically oriented towards the
prototype: Christ
 Based on distinction between image and likeness
 Incarnation as central for the economy of salvation
 Relationship of formal causality between creation and its
Creator
 Continual presence of grace/energies of God from beginning to
end
 Theosis is a comprehensive doctrine that encompasses the
whole economy of salvation, the whole plan of God is included
Distinctions
 Doctrine: of theosis is uniquely Eastern
 Other traditions may have similarities in their
views that remind one of theosis, but these
theologies do not constitute the identity of
theosis
Qvezjuns
 1. Do you understand Hallonsten’s distinction
between the theme and doctrine of Theosis? Does it
make sense? Do you think this distinction actually
exists?
 2. Hallonsten argues that Theosis as a doctrine is
“fits” very clearly into the wholeness of Eastern
Orthodox theology. If his distinction of theme and
doctrine is true, then could the doctrine of Theosis in
its fullness ever be appreciated in a Western context
without the elaboration of Eastern theology? In
other words, is it possible for the West to fully adopt
the concept of Theosis?