“The concept of “theosis” has strong biblical roots, and extends from the divine council worldview, specifically the aspect of the original Edenic goal of having humans join the divine family. In the beginning, God made humans to image Him, to be like Him, to dwell with Him. He made us like His heavenly imagers and came to earth to unite His families, elevating humanity to share in divine life in a new world… The message of “theosis” is that, in Christ, we are being transformed into his likeness—the perfect imager of God...God’s idea for salvation is not to Lord it over us but to unite us to Himself, to share the divine life with us, which is what God intended from the beginning when He created us in His image and likeness.” (Michael S. Heiser, Fr. Ted Bobosh)
“As a result of our first parents’ rebellion, humanity, at least for a time, lost something. Humanity lost the ability to live in the joy and peace of the presence of God and share in His eternal divine life. The Scriptures then unfold the story of the battle waged by God to bring humanity back to this purpose for which they were created….The Word has become flesh. The Son of God has become truly one of us. We must, then, become like Him in holiness as we grow in our participation in His divine life from the depths of our hearts. Regardless of age, sex, or any other characteristic, our fundamental vocation is the same: to undergo a change of mind such that we come to offer ourselves without reservation to fulfil our unique calling for the salvation of the world.” (Fr. Stephen De Young, Fr. Philip LeMasters)
“Some envision eternal life as simply being an endless version of what we have now. The Christian Tradition rejected this idea based on the teachings of Christ. The resurrected life is a transfigured life in which we no longer are subject to the conditions of this world but then will have spiritual bodies, experiencing union with God, rejoicing in the divine life and love…We experience divine life [in this life] through the ongoing presence of the Holy Spirit. In the mystery of chrismation we are sealed in the Spirit. As fire and life, the Spirit comes to quicken our spirits.” (Fr. Ted Bobosh, Dynamis 8/21/2023)
“Within the patristic understanding of the transformation of the bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ, therefore, the elements retain their creaturely integrity while also manifesting the new creation in Christ. When the human being, who is created in the image of God, consumes in faith the body and blood of Christ, he or she is assimilated into the divine life by the very image of God the Father, His Son, who Himself has worn our flesh and identified Himself with bread and wine.” (Vigen Guroian)
“Morality is indispensable: but the Divine Life, which gives itself to us and which calls us to be gods, intends for us something in which morality will be swallowed up. We are to be re-made….We are not called merely to obey and imitate God in a moralistic fashion, but it is our vocation to participate by grace directly and organically in the divine life and glory, becoming one with the Holy Trinity in a transforming interchange of love…Within the heart is the antenna for the voice of God. We keep our heart open and pure as much as we can, to keep the antenna receptive…We are made in God’s image and likeness. His being, His heart becomes our heart to the extent that we are capable of opening ourselves to His divine life.” (C. S. Lewis, Metropolitan Kallistos Ware, Albert S. Rossi)