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To: Mrs. Don-o
>>what do you think the Catholic Church means by its doctrine on "theosis"?<<

I would have no idea what the Catholic Church means by its doctrine. Once again we can only go to scripture to know what we should believe. Scripture clearly shows men who have been called gods to be representatives or emissaries of God in that we are to carry out His will and commands.

The Greek word used in 2 Peter 1:4 is “theias” and is an adjective (not a noun) which means that we can exhibit some of the attributes of God. In other words we can manifest the characteristics of God’s nature. Examples would be love, charity or other attributes described in Matthew 5. It does not use the word “theos”. One thing we need to keep in mind is that any “attributes” of God that we show spring from the indwelling of the Spirit of God within us and not of ourselves. Thus in the case of Crouch and others who tend to claim that “theias” for themselves rather than attributing it to the Spirit of God within them is telling. Is the Catholic Church attributing those attributes and the “theosis” of man to that indwelling Spirit or to man himself?

108 posted on 12/03/2013 1:19:22 PM PST by CynicalBear (For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ)
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To: CynicalBear
Yay! Now we're getting somewhere!

" I would have no idea what the Catholic Church means by its doctrine."

Right you are. That's why you should not condemn what you admittedly do not understand.

"Is the Catholic Church attributing those attributes and the “theosis” of man to that indwelling Spirit or to man himself?"

The former.

Those who hold the latter -- e.g. the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, who have been flirting with panentheism and New Age syncretism --- are squacking (skwawking? squaw... whatever) that they've been hit by a Doctrinal Assessment under Pope Benedict, which is one of the first things reiterated by Pope Francis when he took office.

In other words, they've been called out for setting up their own counter-magisterium which opposes the Church's own understranding of doctrine. Those who do this are either out (e.g. Matthew Fox) or on their way out.

Can I have an Amen?

( The tagline is Ephesians 4:15)

110 posted on 12/03/2013 3:19:05 PM PST by Mrs. Don-o ("Speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into Him who is the Head, into Christ.")
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