01Section 1
What Does Theosis Mean?
- Theosis means participation in the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4) — not becoming God by essence, but sharing in His energies.
- Orthodox theology distinguishes between God's unknowable essence and His uncreated energies, through which He truly communicates Himself.
- Theosis is not reserved for mystics; it is the vocation of every baptized Christian.
- It begins in this life and is fulfilled in the age to come.
02Section 2
How Does Theosis Happen?
- Through the sacraments — especially Baptism, Chrismation, and the Eucharist — the Holy Spirit unites us with Christ.
- Through prayer, fasting, and repentance, we cooperate with God's grace (synergy).
- Through the ascetic struggle, we subdue the passions so that God can dwell in us.
- The Church, the sacraments, and the saints are all means of theosis.
03Section 3
Theosis and Western Theology
- Western Christianity often frames salvation primarily in forensic or juridical terms (justification, satisfaction).
- Orthodoxy frames salvation as ontological transformation — a real change in the person's nature and relationship with God.
- Both traditions affirm that salvation is a gift of grace; Orthodoxy emphasizes that grace is God Himself, not a created substance.
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