I’m preparing for a couple of Christmas services and TSK got me thinking about Xmas and Easter with this post. In emerging church circles I’ve come across the Eastern Orthodox Perichoretic nature of the trinity a bit, particuarly in Liquid Church and have recently discovered the Eastern Orthodox theological concept of Theosis.
Theosis means deification and it is the process of human beings becoming holy and being united with God. For Eastern Orthodox people the incarnation is the way in which humanity can become united with God. This statement by St. Athanasius of Alexandria indicates the concept beautifully: “The Son of God became man, that we might become God”.
What would otherwise seem absurd – that fallen, sinful humanity may become holy as God is holy – has been made possible through Jesus Christ, who is God incarnate. Naturally, there is a limit on this as it is not possible for any created being to become God or even another god…But as II Peter 1:4 says we may become ” . . . partakers of divine nature.”
And i think that this is my hope this Christmas, that we may all become partakers in the divine nature of God…Wouldn’t that be just fantastic…but probably a bit scary too!