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Theology Terms Tuesday – Theosis

September 2, 2009 at 3:56 am | Posted in Theological Terms | Leave a Comment

As per request of Mr. DeSpain.

Today for Theology Terms Tuesday we are defining Theosis, so here we go.

Theosis is the process of a believer becoming free of hamartia (“missing the mark”), therefore acquiring union with Christ, beginning in this life and later consummated in bodily resurrection. For Orthodox Christians, Theosis (see 2 Pet. 1:4) is salvation. Theosis assumes that humans from the beginning are made to share in the life or nature of the all-Holy Trinity. Therefore, a worshiper is saved from the state of unholiness (hamartia — which is not to be confused with hamartema “sin”) for participation in the Life of the Trinity — which is everlasting.