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Demetri (Khoury) of Jableh

2009-05-19T17:11:01Z

Tcleary:

{{cleanup}}

His Grace '''Demetri (Matta Khoury)''', Titular Bishop of Jableh, was an [[auxiliary bishop]] of the [[Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America]] from 1995 to 2003.

Born: Taybeh-Ramallah, West Bank Region [[September 20]], 1948, to the V.Rev. Ibrahim and Hanneh Khoury.
==Education==
*Our Lady of Balamand Monastery, Koura, Lebanon
*St. John of Damascus Orthodox Theological Academy (Balamand) Koura, Lebanon
*Hellenic College, Brookline, MA (1974 -- B.A. in Philosophy and Religion)
*Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology, Brookline, MA (1978 -- M.Div.)
==Ecclesiastical Positions==
*Deacon, September 6, 1975
*Priest, September 7, 1975
*Archimandrite, 1981 by Metropolitan Philip
*Bishop, March 12, 1995, by Patriarch Ignatius IV, in St. Mary Cathedral (Mother Cathedral of the Antiochian Patriarchate), Damascus, Syria
*Pastor, St. George Church, Boston, MA
*Pastor, St. Mary Church, Cambridge, MA
*St. George Church, Allentown, PA
*Dean, St. Nicholas Cathedral, Brooklyn, NY
*Dean, St. George Cathedral, Coral Gables, FL
*Bishop of Jableh (Syria); Auxiliary Bishop, Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America (1995-2003); assigned by Metropolitan Philip to Toledo, OH, Chancery.
*Suspended from service as a bishop pending an investigation following his arrest for criminal sexual misconduct and disorderly drunkenness in July 2003.[http://www.orthodoxattorneys.org/docs/exh/Ex_21_-_2003_0711_Toledo_Blade_-_Bp_DEMETRI_arrested.pdf][http://www.orthodoxattorneys.org/docs/exh/Ex_22_-_2003_0714_statement_re_Bp_DEMETRI_fr_Arch.pdf]
*Retired from service following his February 25, 2004 guilty plea to a reduced charge of attempted fourth degree criminal sexual misconduct (a felony).[http://www.orthodoxattorneys.org/docs/exh/Ex_23_-_2004_0418_Bp_DEMETRI_sentenced.pdf][http://offender.fdle.state.fl.us/offender/flyer.do?personId=40249][http://www.orthodoxattorneys.org/docs/TimelineWithExhibitsFinal.pdf]
*Restored as vicar of the Iglesia Católica Apostólica Ortodoxa De Antioquia México-Venezuela-Centroamérica-El Caribe in the Exarcado De El Caribe in December 2008.[http://www.iglesiaortodoxa.org.mx/01-espaniol/08-noticias/05-noticias2008/diciembre4-visita_arzobispo_dimitri.htm]

==Writings==

THE DIVINE LITURGY OF THE PRESANCTIFIED GIFTS
THE DIVINE AND HOLY GOSPEL BOOK
THE LITURGICAL GUIDE FOR PRIESTS, CHANTERS, AND CHOIRS
The GREAT EUCHOLOGION (translated from Arabic and Greek texts of the Typicon)
THE SERVICE BOOK OF THE BISHOP in English.
THE BOOK OF THE TYPICON (Translated from Arabic into English)
HANDBOOK OF THE FAITHFUL
A CLOUD OF WITNESSES – SAINTS AND MARTYRS FROM THE HOLY LAND
THE BOOK OF THE PROPHETOLOGION (Contains the Old Testament
Lectionary readings appointed at Vespers and at other services during the
Liturgical year of the EASTERN ORTHODOX CHURCH

==Bibliography==
*[[Peter Gillquist|Gillquist, Peter E.]], "The Elevation of Demetri (Khoury) to the Holy Episcopacy" WORD MAGAZINE 39.5 (May 1995), 4-8.

[[Category:Bishops]]]]

Demetri (Khoury) of Jableh

2009-05-16T00:16:35Z

Tcleary: documented removal and restoration as a bishop; pokrov.org is a source that seeks the widest dissemination.

{{cleanup}}

His Grace '''Demetri (Matta Khoury)''', Titular Bishop of Jableh, was an [[auxiliary bishop]] of the [[Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America]] from 1995 to 2003.

Born: Taybeh-Ramallah, West Bank Region [[September 20]], 1948, to the V.Rev. Ibrahim and Hanneh Khoury.
==Education==
*Our Lady of Balamand Monastery, Koura, Lebanon
*St. John of Damascus Orthodox Theological Academy (Balamand) Koura, Lebanon
*Hellenic College, Brookline, MA (1974 -- B.A. in Philosophy and Religion)
*Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology, Brookline, MA (1978 -- M.Div.)
==Ecclesiastical Positions==
*Deacon, September 6, 1975
*Priest, September 7, 1975
*Archimandrite, 1981 by Metropolitan Philip
*Bishop, March 12, 1995, by Patriarch Ignatius IV, in St. Mary Cathedral (Mother Cathedral of the Antiochian Patriarchate), Damascus, Syria
*Pastor, St. George Church, Boston, MA
*Pastor, St. Mary Church, Cambridge, MA
*St. George Church, Allentown, PA
*Dean, St. Nicholas Cathedral, Brooklyn, NY
*Dean, St. George Cathedral, Coral Gables, FL
*Bishop of Jableh (Syria); Auxiliary Bishop, Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America (March, 12th 1995-2003 ); assigned by Metropolitan Philip to Toledo, OH, Chancery.
*Removed from service as a bishop consequent on his February 25, 2004 guilty plea to a reduced charge of attempted fourth degree criminal sexual misconduct (a felony).[http://www.pokrov.org/display.asp?ds=Person&id=14] [http://offender.fdle.state.fl.us/offender/flyer.do?personId=40249]
*Restored in December 2008 as Vicar of the Iglesia Católica Apostólica Ortodoxa De Antioquia México-Venezuela-Centroamérica-El Caribe in the Exarcado De El Caribe [http://pokrov.org/display.asp?ds=Article&id=920][http://www.iglesiaortodoxa.org.mx/01-espaniol/08-noticias/05-noticias2008/diciembre4-visita_arzobispo_dimitri.htm] His salary is apparently being paid for by Metropolitan Philip. [http://www.pokrov.org/display.asp?ds=Article&id=976]

==Writings==

THE DIVINE LITURGY OF THE PRESANCTIFIED GIFTS
THE DIVINE AND HOLY GOSPEL BOOK
THE LITURGICAL GUIDE FOR PRIESTS, CHANTERS, AND CHOIRS
The GREAT EUCHOLOGION (translated from Arabic and Greek texts of the Typicon)
THE SERVICE BOOK OF THE BISHOP in English.
THE BOOK OF THE TYPICON (Translated from Arabic into English)
HANDBOOK OF THE FAITHFUL
A CLOUD OF WITNESSES – SAINTS AND MARTYRS FROM THE HOLY LAND
THE BOOK OF THE PROPHETOLOGION (Contains the Old Testament
Lectionary readings appointed at Vespers and at other services during the
Liturgical year of the EASTERN ORTHODOX CHURCH

==Bibliography==
*[[Peter Gillquist|Gillquist, Peter E.]], "The Elevation of Demetri (Khoury) to the Holy Episcopacy" WORD MAGAZINE 39.5 (May 1995), 4-8.

[[Category:Bishops]]]]

Theosis

2006-12-11T04:42:35Z

Tcleary:

{{spirituality}}
'''''Theosis''''', meaning '''''deification''''' or '''''divinization''''', is the process of man becoming [[holy]] and being united with God, beginning in this life and later consummated in the [[resurrection]]. ''Theosis'' is the understanding that humans from the beginning are made to share in the life of the [[Trinity]]. Therefore, we are saved '''from''' sin '''for''' participation in the life of the Trinity, which is life-giving and therefore eternal.

''Alternative spellings: Theiosis, Theopoiesis''

== Orthodox theology ==
The statement by [[Saint|St.]] [[Athanasius of Alexandria]], "The Son of God became man, that we might become God", indicates the concept beautifully. II Peter 1:4 says that we have become " . . . partakers of divine nature." Athanasius amplifies the meaning of this verse when he says theosis is "becoming by grace what God is by nature" (''De Incarnatione'', I). What would otherwise seem absurd, that fallen, sinful man may become holy as God is holy, has been made possible through [[Jesus]] [[Christ]], who is God incarnate. Naturally, the crucial Christian assertion, that God is One, sets an absolute limit on the meaning of ''theosis'' - it is not possible for any created being to become, [[ontology|ontologically]], God or even another god.

Through ''[[theoria]]'', the knowledge of God in Jesus Christ, human beings come to know and experience what it means to be fully human (the created image of God); through their communion with Jesus Christ God shares Himself with the human race, in order to conform them to all that God is in knowledge, righteousness and holiness. ''Theosis'' also asserts the complete restoration of all people (and of the entire creation), in principle. This is built upon the understanding of the [[atonement]] put forward by [[Irenaeus of Lyons]], called "recapitulation."

For many fathers, ''theosis'' goes beyond simply restoring people to their state before the Fall of [[Adam and Eve]], teaching that because Christ united the human and divine natures in his person, it is now possible for someone to experience closer fellowship with God than Adam and Eve initially experienced in the Garden of Eden, and that people can become more like God than Adam and Eve were at that time. Some Orthodox theologians go so far as to say that Jesus would have become [[Incarnation|incarnate]] for this reason alone, even if Adam and Eve had never sinned.

All of humanity is fully restored to the full potential of humanity because the Son of God took to Himself a human nature to be born of a woman, and takes to Himself also the sufferings due to sin (yet is not Himself a sinful man, and is God unchanged in His being). In Christ, the two natures of God and human are not two persons but one; thus, a union is effected in Christ, between all of humanity and God. So, the holy God and sinful humanity are reconciled in principle, in the one sinless man, Jesus Christ. (See Jesus's prayer as recorded in [[Gospel of John|John]] [http://drbo.org/cgi-bin/d?b=drb&bk=50&ch=017 17].)

This reconciliation is made actual through the struggle (''podvig'' in Russian) to conform to the image of Christ. Without the struggle, the [[praxis]], there is no real faith; faith leads to action, without which it is dead. One must unite will, thought and action to God's will, His thoughts and His actions. A person must fashion his life to be a mirror, a true likeness of God. More than that, since God and humanity are more than a similarity in Christ but rather a true union, Christians' lives are more than mere imitation and are rather a union with the life of God Himself: so that, the one who is working out salvation, is united with God working within the penitent both to will and to do that which pleases God. [[Gregory Palamas]] affirmed the possibility of humanity's union with God ''in His energies'', while also affirming that because of God's transcendence and utter otherness, it is impossible for any person or other creature to know or to be united with God's ''essence''. Yet through faith we can attain [[phronema]], an understanding of the faith of the Church.

The journey towards theosis includes many forms of [[praxis]]. Living in the community of the church and partaking regularly of the sacraments, and especially the [[Eucharist]], is taken for granted. Also important is cultivating "prayer of the heart", and prayer that never ceases, as Paul exhorts the Thessalonians ([[I Thessalonians|1]] and [[II Thessalonians|2]]). This unceasing prayer of the heart is a dominant theme in the writings of the Fathers, especially in those collected in the [[Philokalia]].

''See also:'' [[Desert Fathers]], [[Hesychasm]], [[Maximus the Confessor]], [[Monasticism]]

== Comparative considerations ==
=== ''Theosis'' in the Christian West ===
Although the doctrine of ''theosis'' came to be neglected in the Western Church, it was clearly taught in the Roman Catholic tradition as late as the 13th century by Thomas Aquinas, who taught that "full participation in divinity which is humankind's true beatitude and the destinty of human life" (''Summa Theologiae'' 3.1.2).

===Some Protestant use of the term "theosis"===
In addition to the strong currents of ''theosis'' in early and some contemporary Catholic theology, one can find it as a recurring theme within Anglicanism: in Lancelot Andrewes (17th c.), the hymnody of John and Charles Wesley (18th c.), Edward B. Pusey (19th c.), and A. M. Allchin and E. Charles Miller (20th c.). The Finnish school of Lutheranism led by Tuomo Mannermaa understands Martin Luther's on justification to mean ''theosis''.

''Theosis'' as a concept is used among [[Methodist]]s [http://www.frimmin.com/faith/theosis.html] especially in relation to the [[pietism|pietist]] movement and in the distinctive [[Protestant]] doctrine of ''entire sanctification'' which teaches, in summary, that it is the Christian's goal, in principle possible to achieve, to live without any [[sin]]. In 1311 the [[Council of Vienne]] declared this notion, "that man in this present life can acquire so great and such a degree of perfection that he will be rendered inwardly sinless, and that he will not be able to advance farther in [[grace]]" (Denziger §471), to be a [[heresy]]. Instead of theosis, '''sanctification''', being set apart or made holy, is the term that is used more in Protestant theology. Specifically, ''progressive sanctification'' is the term that is used for the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit, whereby an individual is made more holy.

The Protestant conceptions of [[praxis]], [[phronema]], [[ascetical theology]], and [[sacrament]]s are quite different from Catholic and Orthodox understandings, but the use of the term ''theosis'' may illustrate a commonality of objective or hope.

===Deification in [[Mormonism]]===
The doctrine of theosis or deification in [[Mormonism|The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]] differs significantly from the '''theosis''' of Orthodox Christianity. In Mormonism it is usually referred to as ''[[exaltation]]'' or ''eternal life''. While the primary focus of Mormonism is on the [[atonement]] of Jesus Christ, the reason for the [[atonement]] is exaltation which goes beyond mere [[salvation]]. All men will be saved from [[sin]] and [[death]], but only those who are sufficiently [[obedient]] and accept the atonement of Jesus Christ before the [[judgment]] will be exalted. One popular Mormon quote, coined by the early Mormon "disciple" Lorenzo Snow in 1837, is "as man now is, God once was. As God now is, man may become."[http://www.catholic.com/thisrock/1992/9207fea2.asp] Essentially, God the Father began as a normal man who became so deified that he was given his own planet to rule over.

In the Mormon Book of Moses 1:39 God tells [[Moses]], "this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man." In that chapter God shows Moses a vision depicting some of God's vast creations including a vast number of worlds created for other people—a sampling of what God created in the past and what he will continue to do forever. Each world was prepared and peopled by God for the purpose of bringing to pass the immortality and eternal life of humankind. By immortality is meant personal [[resurrection]] so that each individual can continue to enjoy a perfect, physical body forever. By eternal life is meant becoming like God both in terms of holiness or godliness and in glory. It is commonly believed by members of the Church that, like God, an exalted human being is empowered with the privilege to create worlds and people in an endless process of exalting humankind.

Of all the Mormon doctrines including [[Plural Marriage (Mormonism)|polygamy]], critics generally deem this doctrine the most offensive or even blasphemous. Some Mormons argue that even assuming mainstream Christianity's definition of God's [[omnipotence]] and [[omnibenevolence]], not only can God exalt mortal man, but God must do so. The argument is that if God is all-powerful, then God is capable of exalting man, and if God is all-good, then God should or must exalt man. They also point to comments by Christ and Psalmists among others that refer to the Divine nature and potential of humans as children of God. Some Mormons also suggest that discussions of theosis by early [[Church Fathers]] show an early belief in the Mormon concept of deification, although they disagree with much of the other theology of the same Church fathers, most notably the doctrine of the Trinity.

The Mormons' belief has absolutely nothing in common with the Orthodox belief in deification. Deification always acknowledges a timeless Creator versus a finite creature who has been glorified by the grace of God. The Mormons are clear promoters of polytheism, and the Church Fathers have absolutely no commonality with their view.

==See also==
* [[Soteriology]]

==Published works==
* Stavropoulos, Archimandrite Christoforos. ''Partakers of Divine Nature''. trans. by Stanley Harakas (ISBN 0937032093) [http://www.light-n-life.com/shopping/order_product.asp?ProductNum=PART100]
* Kärkkäinen, Veli-Matti. ''One With God: Salvation As Deification And Justification''. (ISBN 0814629717)
* Alexander, Donald L., ed. ''Christian Spirituality: Five Views of Sanctification''. (ISBN 0830812784) This is a Protestant text from InterVarsity that does not directly address the Orthodox theology of ''theosis''.
* Gundry, Stanley, ed. ''Five Views on Sanctification''. (ISBN 0310212693) This is a Protestant text from Zondervan that does not directly address the Orthodox theology of ''theosis''.
*Williams, A. N. ''The Ground of Union: Deification in Aquinas and Palamas''. (ISBN 0195124367)
*Allchin, A.M. ''Participation in God: A Forgotten Strand in Anglican Tradition''. (ISBN 0819214086)
*Mannermaa, Tuomo. ''Christ Present in Faith: Luther's View of Justification''. (A literal translation would be: ''In Faith Itself Christ is Really Present: The Point of Intersection Between Lutheran and Orthodox Theology''.) (ISBN 0800637119)

==External links==
* [http://www.affcrit.com/archives/ac_02_02.html Deification] - online issue of ''Affirmation & Critique'' devoted entirely to the topic of ''theosis''
* ''The Divinization of the Christian According to the Greek Fathers'', by Gules Gross (ISBN 0736316000)
* [http://groups.yahoo.com/group/arbible/message/25368 Q&A: About Orthodox Theosis]
* [http://www.monachos.net/patristics/clement_intro.shtml Theosis and the Work of Christ: A beginner's introduction to the thought of Clement of Alexandria]

[[Category:Theology]]

Theosis

2006-09-22T02:20:52Z

Tcleary:

{{cleanup|Needs to be Orthodoxized.}}
{{spirituality}}
'''''Theosis''''', meaning '''''deification''''' or '''''divinization''''', is the process of man becoming [[holy]] and being united with God, beginning in this life and later consummated in the [[resurrection]]. ''Theosis'' is the understanding that humans are made to share in the life of the Trinity from the beginning. Therefore, we are saved '''from''' sin '''for''' participation in the life of the Trinity, which is life-giving and therefore eternal.

''Alternative spellings: Theiosis, Theopoiesis''

== Orthodox theology ==
The statement by [[Saint|St.]] [[Athanasius of Alexandria]], "The Son of God became man, that we might become God", indicates the concept beautifully. II Peter 1:4 says that we have become " . . . partakers of divine nature." Athanasius amplifies the meaning of this verse when he says theosis is "becoming by grace what God is by nature" (''De Incarnatione'', I). What would otherwise seem absurd, that fallen, sinful man may become holy as God is holy, has been made possible through [[Jesus]] [[Christ]], who is God incarnate. Naturally, the crucial Christian assertion, that God is One, sets an absolute limit on the meaning of ''theosis'' - it is not possible for any created being to become, [[ontology|ontologically]], God or even another god.

Through ''[[theoria]]'', the knowledge of God in Jesus Christ, human beings come to know and experience what it means to be fully human (the created image of God); through their communion with Jesus Christ God shares Himself with the human race, in order to conform them to all that God is in knowledge, righteousness and holiness. ''Theosis'' also asserts the complete restoration of all people (and of the entire creation), in principle. This is built upon the understanding of the [[atonement]] put forward by [[Irenaeus]], called "recapitulation".

For many fathers, ''theosis'' goes beyond simply restoring people to their state before the Fall of [[Adam and Eve]], teaching that because Christ united the human and divine natures in his person, it is now possible for someone to experience closer fellowship with God than Adam and Eve initially experienced in the Garden of Eden, and that people can become more like God than Adam and Eve were at that time. Some Orthodox theologians go so far as to say that Jesus would have become [[Incarnation|incarnate]] for this reason alone, even if Adam and Eve had never sinned.

All of humanity is fully restored to the full potential of humanity because the Son of God took to Himself a human nature to be born of a woman, and takes to Himself also the sufferings due to sin (yet is not Himself a sinful man, and is God unchanged in His being). In Christ, the two natures of God and human are not two persons but one; thus, a union is effected in Christ, between all of humanity and God. So, the holy God and sinful humanity are reconciled in principle, in the one sinless man, Jesus Christ. (See Jesus's prayer as recorded in [[Gospel of John|John]] [http://drbo.org/cgi-bin/d?b=drb&bk=50&ch=017 17].)

This reconciliation is made actual through the struggle (''podvig'' in Russian) to conform to the image of Christ. Without the struggle, the [[praxis]], there is no real faith; faith leads to action, without which it is dead. One must unite will, thought and action to God's will, His thoughts and His actions. A person must fashion his life to be a mirror, a true likeness of God. More than that, since God and humanity are more than a similarity in Christ but rather a true union, Christians' lives are more than mere imitation and are rather a union with the life of God Himself: so that, the one who is working out salvation, is united with God working within the penitent both to will and to do that which pleases God. [[Gregory Palamas]] affirmed the possibility of humanity's union with God ''in His energies'', while also affirming that because of God's transcendence and utter otherness, it is impossible for any person or other creature to know or to be united with God's ''essence''. Yet through faith we can attain [[phronema]], an understanding of the faith of the Church.

The journey towards theosis includes many forms of [[praxis]]. Living in the community of the church and partaking regularly of the sacraments, and especially the [[Eucharist]], is taken for granted. Also important is cultivating "prayer of the heart", and prayer that never ceases, as Paul exhorts the Thessalonians ([[I Thessalonians|1]] and [[II Thessalonians|2]]). This unceasing prayer of the heart is a dominant theme in the writings of the Fathers, especially in those collected in the [[Philokalia]].

''See also:'' [[Desert Fathers]], [[Hesychasm]], [[Maximus the Confessor]], [[Monasticism]]

== Comparative considerations ==
=== Union with God, East and West ===
In Western Catholic theology, ''theosis'' refers to a specific and rather advanced phase of contemplation of God. [http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10663b.htm] The process of arriving to such a state, or moving toward it (as arrival there is not necessary for [[salvation]]), involves different types of prayer which are recognized as beneficial. Various stages of prayer life are recognized as being likely to occur should a person respond to faith by moving along the purgative, illuminative, and unitive ways. See [[ascetical theology]].

Some Western writers refer to theosis using the same implications given above (e.g., [http://ic.net/~erasmus/RAZ184.HTM], [http://www.kensmen.com/catholic/purgatory.html]). It is common to find western writings that suggest that eastern spirituality manifests ''theosis'' and that by implication the West is lacking in this regard, but this is a case of rhetoric obscuring fact: under different terminology the western spiritual traditions, which also reach to the origins of Christianity (in the East), share the objective of sharing in the life of God. It is also necessary to recall that in the west there is a problematic form of ''[[ecumenism]]'' in vogue, in which people are quick to deny their own truths in order to appear to exalt the ''other''. Some Catholic writers consider it lamentable that the term ''theosis'' is not used more extensively in western theology. [http://www.kensmen.com/catholic/solafide.html]

It is, therefore, a mistake to attribute to Eastern Orthodoxy a special insight into the existence of the possibility of union with God: the theological difference between East and West is rhetorical. Whether or not eastern liturgies are more conducive to ''theosis'' is another matter; in the west there has been much discussion of the merits of the [[Novus Ordo Missae]]. The [[Tridentine Mass]] is available in hundreds of locations and is very much conducive, if for some faithful the Novus Ordo is not, to the kind of prayer life that leads one along toward ''theosis''. Virtually all spiritual books of any consequence published in the west manifest overt awareness of all the issues comprised in ''theosis'' (some books may focus on specific stages and treat unitive themes more briefly).

===Protestant use of the term "theosis"===
''Theosis'' as a concept is used among [[Methodist]]s [http://www.frimmin.com/faith/theosis.html] especially in relation to the [[pietism|pietist]] movement and in the distinctive [[Protestant]] doctrine of ''entire sanctification'' which teaches, in summary, that it is the Christian's goal, in principle possible to achieve, to live without any [[sin]]. In [[1311]] the [[Council of Vienne]] declared this notion, "that man in this present life can acquire so great and such a degree of perfection that he will be rendered inwardly sinless, and that he will not be able to advance farther in [[grace]]" (Denziger §471), to be a [[heresy]]. Instead of theosis, '''sanctification''', being set apart or made holy, is the term that is used more in Protestant theology. Specifically, ''progressive sanctification'' is the term that is used for the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit, whereby an individual is made more holy.

The Protestant conceptions of [[praxis]], [[phronema]], [[ascetical theology]], and [[sacrament]]s are quite different from Catholic and Orthodox understandings, but the use of the term ''theosis'' may illustrate a commonality of objective or hope.

===Deification in Mormonism===
The doctrine of theosis or deification in [[Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints|The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]] differs significantly from the '''theosis''' of Orthodox Christianity. In Mormonism it is usually referred to as ''[[exaltation]]'' or ''eternal life''. While the primary focus of Mormonism is on the [[atonement]] of Jesus Christ, the reason for the [[atonement]] is exaltation which goes beyond mere [[salvation]]. All men will be saved from [[sin]] and [[death]], but only those who are sufficiently [[obedient]] and accept the atonement of Jesus Christ before the [[judgment]] will be exalted.

In [[Book of Moses|Moses]] 1:39 God tells [[Moses]], "this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man". In that chapter God shows Moses a vision depicting some of God's vast creations including a vast number of worlds created for other people—a sampling of what God created in the past and what he will continue to do forever. Each world was prepared and peopled by God for the purpose of bringing to pass the immortality and eternal life of humankind. By immortality is meant personal [[resurrection]] so that each individual can continue to enjoy a perfect, physical body forever. By eternal life is meant becoming like God both in terms of holiness or godliness and in glory. It is commonly believed by members of the Church that, like God, an exalted human being is empowered with the privilege to create worlds and people in an endless process of exalting humankind.

Of all the Mormon doctrines including [[Plural Marriage (Mormonism)|polygamy]], critics generally deem this doctrine the most offensive or even blasphemous. Some Mormons argue that even assuming mainstream Christianity's definition of God's [[omnipotence]] and [[omnibenevolence]], not only can God exalt mortal man, but God must do so. The argument is that if God is all-powerful, then God is capable of exalting man, and if God is all-good, then God should or must exalt man. They also point to comments by Christ and Psalmists among others that refer to the Divine nature and potential of humans as children of God. Some Mormons also suggest that discussions of theosis by early Church fathers show an early belief in the Mormon concept of deification, although they disagree with much of the other theology of the same Church fathers, most notably the doctrine of the Trinity.

The Mormons' belief has absolutely nothing in common with the Orthodox belief in deification. Deification always acknowledges a timeless Creator versus a finite creature who has been glorified by the grace of God. The Mormons are clear promoters of polytheism and the Church Fathers have absolutely no commonality with their view

==See also==
* [[Soteriology]]

==Published works==
* Stavropoulos, Archimandrite Christoforos. ''Partakers of Divine Nature''. trans. by Stanley Harakas (ISBN 0937032093) [http://www.light-n-life.com/shopping/order_product.asp?ProductNum=PART100]
* Kärkkäinen, Veli-Matti. ''One With God: Salvation As Deification And Justification''. (ISBN 0814629717)
* Alexander, Donald L., ed. ''Christian Spirituality: Five Views of Sanctification''. (ISBN 0830812784)
* Gundry, Stanley, ed. ''Five Views on Sanctification''. (ISBN 0310212693)

==External links==
* [http://www.affcrit.com/archives/ac_02_02.html Deification] - online issue of ''Affirmation & Critique'' devoted entirely to the topic of ''theosis''
* ''The Divinization of the Christian According to the Greek Fathers'', by Gules Gross (ISBN 0736316000)
* [http://groups.yahoo.com/group/arbible/message/25368 Q&A: About Orthodox Theosis]
* [http://www.monachos.net/patristics/clement_intro.shtml Theosis and the Work of Christ: A beginner's introduction to the thought of Clement of Alexandria]

[[Category:Theology]]

Theosis

2006-09-22T02:18:38Z

Tcleary:

{{cleanup|Needs to be Orthodoxized.}}
{{spirituality}}
'''''Theosis''''', meaning '''''deification''''' or '''''divinization''''', is the process of man becoming [[holy]] and being united with God, beginning in this life and later consummated in the [[resurrection]]. ''Theosis'' is the understanding that humans are made to share in the life of the Trinity from the beginning. Therefore, we are saved from sin for participation in the life of the Trinity, which is life-giving and therefore eternal.

''Alternative spellings: Theiosis, Theopoiesis''

== Orthodox theology ==
The statement by [[Saint|St.]] [[Athanasius of Alexandria]], "The Son of God became man, that we might become God", indicates the concept beautifully. II Peter 1:4 says that we have become " . . . partakers of divine nature." Athanasius amplifies the meaning of this verse when he says theosis is "becoming by grace what God is by nature" (''De Incarnatione'', I). What would otherwise seem absurd, that fallen, sinful man may become holy as God is holy, has been made possible through [[Jesus]] [[Christ]], who is God incarnate. Naturally, the crucial Christian assertion, that God is One, sets an absolute limit on the meaning of ''theosis'' - it is not possible for any created being to become, [[ontology|ontologically]], God or even another god.

Through ''[[theoria]]'', the knowledge of God in Jesus Christ, human beings come to know and experience what it means to be fully human (the created image of God); through their communion with Jesus Christ God shares Himself with the human race, in order to conform them to all that God is in knowledge, righteousness and holiness. ''Theosis'' also asserts the complete restoration of all people (and of the entire creation), in principle. This is built upon the understanding of the [[atonement]] put forward by [[Irenaeus]], called "recapitulation".

For many fathers, ''theosis'' goes beyond simply restoring people to their state before the Fall of [[Adam and Eve]], teaching that because Christ united the human and divine natures in his person, it is now possible for someone to experience closer fellowship with God than Adam and Eve initially experienced in the Garden of Eden, and that people can become more like God than Adam and Eve were at that time. Some Orthodox theologians go so far as to say that Jesus would have become [[Incarnation|incarnate]] for this reason alone, even if Adam and Eve had never sinned.

All of humanity is fully restored to the full potential of humanity because the Son of God took to Himself a human nature to be born of a woman, and takes to Himself also the sufferings due to sin (yet is not Himself a sinful man, and is God unchanged in His being). In Christ, the two natures of God and human are not two persons but one; thus, a union is effected in Christ, between all of humanity and God. So, the holy God and sinful humanity are reconciled in principle, in the one sinless man, Jesus Christ. (See Jesus's prayer as recorded in [[Gospel of John|John]] [http://drbo.org/cgi-bin/d?b=drb&bk=50&ch=017 17].)

This reconciliation is made actual through the struggle (''podvig'' in Russian) to conform to the image of Christ. Without the struggle, the [[praxis]], there is no real faith; faith leads to action, without which it is dead. One must unite will, thought and action to God's will, His thoughts and His actions. A person must fashion his life to be a mirror, a true likeness of God. More than that, since God and humanity are more than a similarity in Christ but rather a true union, Christians' lives are more than mere imitation and are rather a union with the life of God Himself: so that, the one who is working out salvation, is united with God working within the penitent both to will and to do that which pleases God. [[Gregory Palamas]] affirmed the possibility of humanity's union with God ''in His energies'', while also affirming that because of God's transcendence and utter otherness, it is impossible for any person or other creature to know or to be united with God's ''essence''. Yet through faith we can attain [[phronema]], an understanding of the faith of the Church.

The journey towards theosis includes many forms of [[praxis]]. Living in the community of the church and partaking regularly of the sacraments, and especially the [[Eucharist]], is taken for granted. Also important is cultivating "prayer of the heart", and prayer that never ceases, as Paul exhorts the Thessalonians ([[I Thessalonians|1]] and [[II Thessalonians|2]]). This unceasing prayer of the heart is a dominant theme in the writings of the Fathers, especially in those collected in the [[Philokalia]].

''See also:'' [[Desert Fathers]], [[Hesychasm]], [[Maximus the Confessor]], [[Monasticism]]

== Comparative considerations ==
=== Union with God, East and West ===
In Western Catholic theology, ''theosis'' refers to a specific and rather advanced phase of contemplation of God. [http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10663b.htm] The process of arriving to such a state, or moving toward it (as arrival there is not necessary for [[salvation]]), involves different types of prayer which are recognized as beneficial. Various stages of prayer life are recognized as being likely to occur should a person respond to faith by moving along the purgative, illuminative, and unitive ways. See [[ascetical theology]].

Some Western writers refer to theosis using the same implications given above (e.g., [http://ic.net/~erasmus/RAZ184.HTM], [http://www.kensmen.com/catholic/purgatory.html]). It is common to find western writings that suggest that eastern spirituality manifests ''theosis'' and that by implication the West is lacking in this regard, but this is a case of rhetoric obscuring fact: under different terminology the western spiritual traditions, which also reach to the origins of Christianity (in the East), share the objective of sharing in the life of God. It is also necessary to recall that in the west there is a problematic form of ''[[ecumenism]]'' in vogue, in which people are quick to deny their own truths in order to appear to exalt the ''other''. Some Catholic writers consider it lamentable that the term ''theosis'' is not used more extensively in western theology. [http://www.kensmen.com/catholic/solafide.html]

It is, therefore, a mistake to attribute to Eastern Orthodoxy a special insight into the existence of the possibility of union with God: the theological difference between East and West is rhetorical. Whether or not eastern liturgies are more conducive to ''theosis'' is another matter; in the west there has been much discussion of the merits of the [[Novus Ordo Missae]]. The [[Tridentine Mass]] is available in hundreds of locations and is very much conducive, if for some faithful the Novus Ordo is not, to the kind of prayer life that leads one along toward ''theosis''. Virtually all spiritual books of any consequence published in the west manifest overt awareness of all the issues comprised in ''theosis'' (some books may focus on specific stages and treat unitive themes more briefly).

===Protestant use of the term "theosis"===
''Theosis'' as a concept is used among [[Methodist]]s [http://www.frimmin.com/faith/theosis.html] especially in relation to the [[pietism|pietist]] movement and in the distinctive [[Protestant]] doctrine of ''entire sanctification'' which teaches, in summary, that it is the Christian's goal, in principle possible to achieve, to live without any [[sin]]. In [[1311]] the [[Council of Vienne]] declared this notion, "that man in this present life can acquire so great and such a degree of perfection that he will be rendered inwardly sinless, and that he will not be able to advance farther in [[grace]]" (Denziger §471), to be a [[heresy]]. Instead of theosis, '''sanctification''', being set apart or made holy, is the term that is used more in Protestant theology. Specifically, ''progressive sanctification'' is the term that is used for the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit, whereby an individual is made more holy.

The Protestant conceptions of [[praxis]], [[phronema]], [[ascetical theology]], and [[sacrament]]s are quite different from Catholic and Orthodox understandings, but the use of the term ''theosis'' may illustrate a commonality of objective or hope.

===Deification in Mormonism===
The doctrine of theosis or deification in [[Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints|The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]] differs significantly from the '''theosis''' of Orthodox Christianity. In Mormonism it is usually referred to as ''[[exaltation]]'' or ''eternal life''. While the primary focus of Mormonism is on the [[atonement]] of Jesus Christ, the reason for the [[atonement]] is exaltation which goes beyond mere [[salvation]]. All men will be saved from [[sin]] and [[death]], but only those who are sufficiently [[obedient]] and accept the atonement of Jesus Christ before the [[judgment]] will be exalted.

In [[Book of Moses|Moses]] 1:39 God tells [[Moses]], "this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man". In that chapter God shows Moses a vision depicting some of God's vast creations including a vast number of worlds created for other people—a sampling of what God created in the past and what he will continue to do forever. Each world was prepared and peopled by God for the purpose of bringing to pass the immortality and eternal life of humankind. By immortality is meant personal [[resurrection]] so that each individual can continue to enjoy a perfect, physical body forever. By eternal life is meant becoming like God both in terms of holiness or godliness and in glory. It is commonly believed by members of the Church that, like God, an exalted human being is empowered with the privilege to create worlds and people in an endless process of exalting humankind.

Of all the Mormon doctrines including [[Plural Marriage (Mormonism)|polygamy]], critics generally deem this doctrine the most offensive or even blasphemous. Some Mormons argue that even assuming mainstream Christianity's definition of God's [[omnipotence]] and [[omnibenevolence]], not only can God exalt mortal man, but God must do so. The argument is that if God is all-powerful, then God is capable of exalting man, and if God is all-good, then God should or must exalt man. They also point to comments by Christ and Psalmists among others that refer to the Divine nature and potential of humans as children of God. Some Mormons also suggest that discussions of theosis by early Church fathers show an early belief in the Mormon concept of deification, although they disagree with much of the other theology of the same Church fathers, most notably the doctrine of the Trinity.

The Mormons' belief has absolutely nothing in common with the Orthodox belief in deification. Deification always acknowledges a timeless Creator versus a finite creature who has been glorified by the grace of God. The Mormons are clear promoters of polytheism and the Church Fathers have absolutely no commonality with their view

==See also==
* [[Soteriology]]

==Published works==
* Stavropoulos, Archimandrite Christoforos. ''Partakers of Divine Nature''. trans. by Stanley Harakas (ISBN 0937032093) [http://www.light-n-life.com/shopping/order_product.asp?ProductNum=PART100]
* Kärkkäinen, Veli-Matti. ''One With God: Salvation As Deification And Justification''. (ISBN 0814629717)
* Alexander, Donald L., ed. ''Christian Spirituality: Five Views of Sanctification''. (ISBN 0830812784)
* Gundry, Stanley, ed. ''Five Views on Sanctification''. (ISBN 0310212693)

==External links==
* [http://www.affcrit.com/archives/ac_02_02.html Deification] - online issue of ''Affirmation & Critique'' devoted entirely to the topic of ''theosis''
* ''The Divinization of the Christian According to the Greek Fathers'', by Gules Gross (ISBN 0736316000)
* [http://groups.yahoo.com/group/arbible/message/25368 Q&A: About Orthodox Theosis]
* [http://www.monachos.net/patristics/clement_intro.shtml Theosis and the Work of Christ: A beginner's introduction to the thought of Clement of Alexandria]

[[Category:Theology]]

Phyletism

2006-05-17T17:33:06Z

Tcleary: Phyletism: making racial or ethnic membership the criterion for belonging to a particular Orthodox parish or jurisdiction

The term phyletism from phili: race or tribe was coined at the Holy and Great pan-Orthodox Synod that met in Istanbul (formerly Constantinople) in 1872. The meeting was prompted by the creation of a separate bishopric by the Bulgarian community of Istanbul for parishes only open to Bulgarians. It was the first time in Church history that a separate diocese was established based on ethnic identity rather than principles of Orthodoxy and territory. Here is the Synod’s official condemnation of ecclesiastical racism, or “ethno-phyletism,

Georges Florovsky

2006-03-14T00:52:06Z

Tcleary: /* Life */

[[Image:Florovsky book.jpg|right|frame|2004 book on Florovsky, edited by Andrew Blane]]
[[Protopresbyter]] '''Georges Vasilievich Florovsky''' ([[August 23]], 1893 - [[August 11]], 1979) was a prominent 20th century Orthodox Christian [[priest]], [[theologian]], and writer, active in the [[ecumenism|ecumenical movement]]. His writing is known for its clear, profound style, covering subjects on nearly every aspect of Church life.

{{orthodoxyinamerica}}
==Life==
Florovsky was born in Odessa as the fourth child of a [[priest]]. Inspired by the erudite environment in which he grew up, he learned English, German, French, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew while still a schoolboy. At eighteen, he started to study philosophy and history. After his first graduation, he taught for three years at high schools in Odessa and then made his full graduation including the licensia docendi at all universities in the Russian empire. In 1919, he began to teach at the University of Odessa, but his family was forced to leave Russia in 1920. The young Florovsky realized at that time that there would be no return for him, because Marxism did not accept the history and philosophy he taught. Florovsky thus became part of the great emigration of the Russian intelligentsia, which also included [[Nikolai Berdyaev]], [[Sergei Bulgakov]], [[Nicholas Lossky]], [[Alexander Schmemann]], and [[John Meyendorff]], the latter two of whom later followed Florovsky as Dean of [[St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary (Crestwood, New York)|Saint Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary]].

In the 1920s, he had a close personal and vocational friendship with Berdyaev. The two became somewhat more distanced in later years, largely through Berdyaev not understanding Florovsky's entering [[Holy Orders]], and also through Florovsky's critical attitude towards Berdyaev's [[Russian religious philosophy|philosophy of religion]] in ''Ways of Russian Theology''.

In 1925, Florovsky was appointed professor for [[patristics]] at the [[St. Sergius Orthodox Theological Institute (Paris, France)|St. Sergius Orthodox Theological Institute]] in Paris. In this subject, he found his real vocation. Patristics became for him the benchmark for Orthodox [[theology]] and [[exegesis]], as well as a source for many of his contributions and critiques of the ecumenical movement. Despite not having earned an academic degree in theology (apart from several honorary degrees he was awarded later), Florovsky would spend the rest of his life teaching at theological institutions.

In 1932, Florovsky was [[ordination|ordained]] to the priesthood. During the 1930s, he undertook extensive researches in European libraries and wrote his most important works in the area of patristics as well as his magnum opus, ''Ways of Russian Theology''. In this massive work, he questioned the Western influences of scholasticism, pietism, and idealism on Russian theology and called for a re-evaluation of Russian theology in the light of patristic writings. The work was received with either enthusiam or condemnation—there was no neutral attitude to it among Russian emigrés. Among the critics were Bulgakov, the head of the St. Sergius Institute and prominent exponent of the Russian theological tradition of the 19th century, as well as Berdyaev, exponent of the religious renaissance of the 20th century.

In 1949, Florovsky moved to New York City to take a position as Dean of St. Vladimir's Seminary. Florovsky's oversight of the development of the theological curriculum led to the Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York granting the Seminary an Absolute Charter in 1953. He retired as Dean in 1955 and thereafter taught at Harvard Divinity School (1956-1964), teaching patristics and Russian religious thought, and later at Princeton (1964-1972), teaching Slavic languages and literatures. He died in 1979.

== Works ==
*''Collected Works, Volume 1: Bible, Church, Tradition'' (1972)
*''Collected Works, Volume 2: Christianity and Culture'' (1974)
*''Collected Works, Volume 3: Creation and Redemption'' (1976)
*''Collected Works, Volume 4: Aspects of Church History'' (1975)
*''Collected Works, Volume 5: Ways of Russian Theology, Part I'' (1979)
*''Collected Works, Volume 6: Ways of Russian Theology, Part II'' (1987)
*''Collected Works, Volume 7: Eastern Fathers of the Fourth Century'' (1987)
*''Collected Works, Volume 8: Byzantine Fathers of the Fifth Century'' (1987)
*''Collected Works, Volume 9: Byzantine Fathers of the Sixth to Eight Centuries'' (1987)
*''Collected Works, Volume 10: Byzantine Ascetic and Spiritual Fathers'' (1987)
*''Collected Works, Volume 11: Theology and Literature'' (1989)
*''Collected Works, Volume 12: Philosophy'' (1989)
*''Collected Works, Volume 13: Ecumenism I: A Doctrinal Approach'' (1989)
*''Collected Works, Volume 14: Ecumenism II: An Historical Approach'' (1989)

The dates recorded above are the dates of publication in the collected works, not the date of original publications. The series of Florovsky's collected works was published by Nordland Publishing Co., but has been out of print for some years.

== Quotes ==
"Orthodoxy is summoned to witness. Now more than ever the Christian West stands before divergent prospects, a living question addressed also to the Orthodox world… The ‘old polemical theology’ has long ago lost its inner connection with any reality. Such theology was an academic discipline, and was always elaborated according to the same western ‘textbooks.’ A historiosophical exegesis of the western religious tragedy must become the new ‘polemical theology.’ But this tragedy must be reendured and relived, precisely as one’s own, and its potential catharsis must be demonstrated in the fullness of the experience of the Church and patristic tradition. In this newly sought Orthodox synthesis, the centuries-old experience of the Catholic West must be studied and diagnosed by Orthodox theology with greater care and sympathy than has been the case up to now… The Orthodox theologian must also offer his own testimony to this world — a testimony arising from the inner memory of the Church — and resolve the question with his historical findings."
::''Ways of Russian Theology'' II, pp. 302-304

==Source==
*Some material taken from [[Wikipedia:Georges Florovsky]]

== External links ==
*[http://www.hds.harvard.edu/library/bms/13001/bms13001florovsky.html Harvard Divinity School Faculty Writings File: Georges Florovsky]
*[http://libweb.princeton.edu/libraries/firestone/rbsc/aids/florovsky.html Princeton University Library: George Florovsky Papers]
*[http://pages.sbcglobal.net/c.parks/florovsky.html The Collected Works of Fr. Georges Florovsky]: A partial list of links to works published on the web
* [http://www.sain.org/WINDOW/Ecclesio.txt Lewis Shaw, ''Georges Florovsky's Model of Orthodox Ecclesiology'']
* [http://www.orthodoxinfo.com/ecumenism/florovsky.aspx Bishop Chrysostomos of Etna, ''Protopresybter Georges Florovsky'']
* [http://www.romanity.org/htm/rom.29.en.f_georges_florovsky.htm John S. Romanides, ''F. Georges Florovsky, the theologian in service of the church in ecumenical dialogue''] Lecture at St. Vladimir's Seminary 23 May 1980
*[http://www.hds.harvard.edu/library/bms/13001/bms13001florovsky.html Harvard Divinity School Faculty Writings File: Georges Florovsky]
*[http://libweb.princeton.edu/libraries/firestone/rbsc/aids/florovsky.html Princeton University Library: George Florovsky Papers]
*[http://www.krotov.info/engl/berdyaev/1937_424.html Nikolai Berdyaev, Ortodoksia and Humanness], 1937, Critique of Florovsky's ''Ways of the Russian Theology''

[[Category:Modern Writers]]
[[Category:Priests]]

User:Tcleary

2005-08-05T20:57:09Z

Tcleary:

TIMOTHY G. CLEARY, a 25-year resident of Santa Cruz County, California, is a practicing Attorney and Counselor at Law with his own Law Office of Timothy G. Cleary. He is a member of the California State Bar and the Santa Cruz County Estate Planning Council. He is also a specialist in Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law certified by the California State Bar Board of Legal Specialization. He was chrismated into the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America in February, 1987.

[http://members.calbar.ca.gov/search/member_detail.aspx?x=144473]

User:Tcleary

2005-08-05T20:56:24Z

Tcleary:

TIMOTHY G. CLEARY, a 25-year resident of Santa Cruz County, California, is a practicing Attorney and Counselor at Law with his own Law Office of Timothy G. Cleary. He is a member of the California State Bar and the Santa Cruz County Estate Planning Council. He is also a specialist in Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law certified by the California State Bar Board of Legal Specialization. He was chrimated into the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America in February, 1987.

[http://members.calbar.ca.gov/search/member_detail.aspx?x=144473]

David Bentley Hart

2005-08-05T20:49:49Z

Tcleary: /* Biography */

==Biography==
Writer David Bentley Hart has been published in various periodicals, including Pro Ecclesia, The Scottish Journal of Theology, First Things, and The New Criterion. He has taught at the University of Virginia, the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Duke Divinity School, and Loyola College in Baltimore, and his specialties are philosophical theology and patristics. He completed his divinity school training at the University of Cambridge, and his graduate training at the University of Virginia.

[http://www.marshillaudio.org/resources/guest_detail.asp?ID=381]

==Quotes==
*“...the beauty that perdures in the midst of the world’s ceaseless becoming excites in the soul a longing for the infinite beauty that it reflects.

David Bentley Hart

2005-08-05T20:42:01Z

Tcleary: /* Biography */

==Biography==
Writer David Bentley Hart has been published in various periodicals, including Pro Ecclesia, The Scottish Journal of Theology, First Things, and The New Criterion. He has taught at the University of Virginia, the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Duke Divinity School, and Loyola College in Baltimore, and his specialties are philosophical theology and patristics. He completed his divinity school training at the University of Cambridge, and his graduate training at the University of Virginia.

==Quotes==
*“...the beauty that perdures in the midst of the world’s ceaseless becoming excites in the soul a longing for the infinite beauty that it reflects.