"It can be a somewhat startling theme for western Christian ears..."

Insight Scoop ^ | December 27, 2010 | Carl Olson

[To Hell With Poverty]

BFL, gonna need some time to digest this one!

[NYer]

Catholics encounter ‘theosis’ in the Eastern Catholic Churches, where it is reflected in the prayers, hymns and especially the confessional. Unlike the Western Church with an emphasis on enumerating one’s sins, reconciliation in the Eastern Church places greater emphasis on personal reflection.

[marron]

Eastern Christian theology has long stressed “theosis,” or divinization, as the goal of the Christian life. It can be a somewhat startling theme for western Christian ears, formed as we are by Augustine’s sense of the distance that original sin created between humanity and God.

It doesn't have to be "either-or".

Thanks for posting... I have a lot of reading to do now...

[dangerdoc]

bump

[bunkerhill7]

Sounds like a lotta greek to me.

[warm n fuzzy]

-—”for how could we follow God through history unless we became more and more like God?”-—

Lost me right there.

The pot cannot become the potter.

This is neo-pagan dogma drivel.

I thought that I was a bad RC for most of my childhood, when it turns out that I’m actually a bad protestant.

But I never thought that I would see this sort of drivel under any sort of RC banner.

But I kicked out after Vatican I, so, it’s been a while.

I know that you just posted it I mean no offense to you.

[Yardstick]

"Be kind to every person you meet. For every person is fighting a great battle." St. Ephraim

That is a great quote and a cool tag line.

[randog]

Sounds like a lotta greek to me.

Here, let me help you: You're a child of God and He loves you.

[johniegrad]

Unlike the Western Church with an emphasis on enumerating one’s sins, reconciliation in the Eastern Church places greater emphasis on personal reflection.

Bernard of Clairvaux, the author of The Cloud of Unknowing, St. John of the Cross, Julian of Norwich, Catherine of Sienna, Teresa of Avila???

[johniegrad]

That is true. But the suggestion is that we are able to 'participate' in His divinity in Beatitude. This is the ultimate goal of all men. Nothing short of this can satisfy man's infinite strivings.

[bunkerhill7]

Idou theoro tous ouranous dianoigmenos kai ton uion tou anthropou ek dezion estata tou theou!

[NYer]

The pot cannot become the potter.

Of course not. The point is that we should imitate God, as Christ instructed us. Or do you consider Christ a neo pagan?

Here is another example of 'theosis'. While most people are preparing new year's resolutions, our (Eastern Catholic) priest reminded us that this week is a time for reflection on our relationship with God this past year. We begin by reflecting on and thanking God for all the gifts God has placed in our lives this year.

If you think about it, life is like a ladder. Each year we grow in wisdom and use it to work our way up that ladder by developing a deeper relationship with God while applying Christ's teachings in our relationships with others. Our lives should reflect God to others.

[marron]

Well said.

[warm n fuzzy]

Pard I can only read the words that are on the page.

I am and will forever be unable to accept that men could ever “participate” in anything with the one true God.

It simply suggests an absurd to my mind level of even possible equality with HIM.

Christians do not “reach Nirvana”.

I find the entire concept of reaching a “Godshead” completely un-Christian.

Our Lord has given us a gift. We only accept or deny.

There is no equality in any way.

The only human who ever was or ever will be divine was Jesus.

HE paid OUR blood price demanded by the LAW of man and God.

Anyhow, just my .02, do as you will of course. This is still America right?

[warm n fuzzy]

Sorry I meant to ping y’all also.

[johniegrad]

Written on the page

For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received a spirit of adoption, through which we cry, "Abba, Father!" The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if only we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him. Romans 8:15

If adopted children of God and brothers of Christ, we become divine not by nature but by adoption and participation.

[warm n fuzzy]

-—”If adopted children of God and brothers of Christ, we become divine not by nature but by adoption and participation.”-—

NO, we most certainly do NOT!

We humans can’t even be “good” let alone “divine”.

ONLY Jesus was ever, or ever will be, “divine”.

WE humans on the other hand can only be saved or lost.

WE humans are NOT, and CANNOT be saved by works.

Salvation is gift, granted by an infinite GOD to a flawed finite being.

There is no “divinity” possible in that finite being, in us.

The mere concept is absurd neo-pagan pride.

[warm n fuzzy]

I want to make sure that you understand that I am not saying that the one true GOD could not make humans “divine” if HE wanted to.

BUT that is not the way that it is set up in scripture.

Folks such as you get all warm n fuzzy, and try to gloss over the hard parts of being of the Lord’s flock.

Check your pride.

[RobbyS]

Missed the point didn’t you. Protestants are radical Augustinians, and they depend heavily on HIS teachings on Original Sin. HIS version of what Paul said. But many Catholics also tend to follow the Jansenist doctrine which are not far removed from Calvinism.