Theosis

Authority level: Authoritative doctrine
Theological status: Theological synthesis
GuideParticipation in divine life is Catholic doctrine; 'theosis' is also a theological vocabulary and synthesis especially characteristic of the Eastern tradition.
Contents

Theosis is Participation by grace in the divine life, a patristic account of salvation shared across Eastern and Western Catholic traditions.[1]

Sharing in divine life

Theosis, or divinization, names the creature's participation by grace in God's own life. It does not mean becoming divine by nature, ceasing to be human, or being absorbed into God. The distinction between Creator and creature remains even in the most intimate communion.

The foundation of theosis is the incarnation: the Son truly shares human nature so that human beings may become adopted children in him. Baptism, Eucharist, prayer, ascetic conversion, love of neighbor, and growth in holiness are dimensions of this participation.

A Catholic vocabulary

Eastern Catholic theology commonly uses the language of theosis, while Western sources often speak of sanctifying grace, adoption, and the beatific vision. The Catechism deliberately draws on both Greek and Latin Fathers and calls grace a participation in the life of God.[2]

References

  1. 1.Catechism: Why the Word Became Flesh — Paragraph 460 and its patristic witnesses
  2. 2.Catechism: Participation in Divine Life — Paragraphs 1996–2005 on sanctifying grace