Abide and Go: Missional Theosis in the Gospel of John

by Michael J. Gorman

The Gospel of John would seem to be both the "spiritual Gospel" and a Gospel that promotes Christian mission. Some interpreters, however, have found John to be the product of a sectarian community that promotes a very narrow view of Christian mission and advocates neither love of neighbor nor love of enemy. In this book for both the academy and the church, Michael Gorman argues that John has a profound spirituality that is robustly missional, and that it can be summarized in the paradoxical phrase "Abide and go," from John 15. Disciples participate in the divine love and life, and therefore in the life-giving mission of God manifested in the ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus. As God's children, disciples become more and more like this missional God as they become like his Son by the work of the Spirit. This spirituality, argues Gorman, can be called missional theosis. "Michael Gorman's book is a major step forward in contemporary Johannine scholarship. Its strength lies in Professor Gorman's focus upon the all-important 'other' in the God. Once the dynamism of the relationship between Jesus and the Father is established, the central role of what he calls a 'missional spirituality' emerges with great clarity . . . This is a much needed book, appearing on the scene at a critical time in the history of Johannine scholarship." --Francis J. Moloney, Catholic Theological College, University of Divinity, Melbourne "In this stimulating volume, Michael Gorman unpacks what the Fourth Gospel says about mission and missional spirituality. Through a careful exposition of missional hermeneutics, judicious exegesis, and an impressive handling of theological literature--both ancient and modern--Gorman makes a compelling case for what the lens of 'missional theosis' can contribute to our understanding of John's spirituality. This book will prove useful to conversations in both the academy and the church." --Christopher W. Skinner, Loyola University Chicago "This book from the prolific Gorman is a pioneering study of spirituality and mission in the Gospel of John under the single heading 'missional theosis.' It is refreshing, illuminating, and creative. With meticulous research, a broad theological scope, and practical implications for the Church, this book is challenging, accessible, and practical." --C. Bennema, Union School of Theology "Having successfully demonstrated the value of exploring the relationship among theology, spiritual formation, and mission in Paul's letters, Michael Gorman now fittingly turns to John. With his usual flair, Gorman provides a fresh and illuminating reading of how, in its own distinctive fashion, this Gospel too presents a spirituality of participation in both the divine life and the divine mission in the world. What is more, integral to this work is its reflection on how such a spirituality might be embodied in contemporary local communities." --Andrew T. Lincoln, University of Gloucestershire Michael J. Gorman holds the Raymond E. Brown Chair in Biblical Studies and Theology at St. Mary's Seminary & University in Baltimore, Maryland. He is the author of numerous books, including The Death of the Messiah and the Birth of the New Covenant, Reading Revelation Responsibly, and Reading Paul (all from Cascade), as well as Becoming the Paul, Participation, and Mission.

Genres: Theology

361 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 14, 2018

About the author

Michael J. Gorman (born 1955) is an American New Testament scholar. He is the Raymond E. Brown Professor of Biblical Studies and Theology at St. Mary's Seminary and University. From 1995 to 2012 he was dean of St. Mary's Ecumenical Institute.

Gorman specializes especially in the letters, theology, and spirituality of the apostle Paul. He is associated with the "participationist perspective" on Paul's theology. His additional specialties are the book of Revelation, theological and missional interpretation of Scripture, the gospel of John, and early Christian ethics. Gorman was born and raised in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, graduating from Glen Burnie High School in Glen Burnie, Maryland. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree summa cum laude in French from Gordon College in Wenham, Massachusetts. He received the Master of Divinity and Doctor of Philosophy cum laude in New Testament from Princeton Theological Seminary, where he was also a teaching fellow in New Testament and an instructor in New Testament Greek. He has also been a visiting professor at Duke Divinity School, Regent College, Carey Baptist College (New Zealand), Wesley Theological Seminary, and two theological schools in Africa. Gorman has led several study trips to Greece/Turkey/Rome and to France/Switzerland. A United Methodist, Gorman is an active layperson and a popular teacher at colleges, seminaries, churches, and conferences representing many traditions. In the mid-2010s, despite still being a Methodist, Gorman began teaching in a Roman Catholic context. His older son, Rev. Dr. Mark Gorman, is a pastor and theologian who is also on the faculty of St. Mary's Ecumenical Institute.

Gorman is the author of nearly twenty books and more than sixty articles on Biblical interpretation and on ethics.

Reviews

[Audra Spiven · Rating 3 out of 5]

In Abide and Go, Michael Gorman has pulled together a collection of essays from a lecture series to discuss what he views as a primary theme from the Gospel of John, namely the idea of what he calls missional theosis—that to be disciples of Jesus means to abide with Jesus (in the process becoming more like Jesus—theosis), and also to go out into the world, sharing and advancing the mission and kingdom of God (missional). I personally struggle to appreciate books compiled from a lecture series, simply because they tend to be fragmented and lack a coherence that books that were always intended to be books have. When academic authors compile books from a lecture series, or from a dissertation or thesis, it often feels more like a marketing opportunity rather than a sincere effort to provide a legitimate book. Books like this (and Gorman’s is no exception) often have issues of cohesion between chapters, or repetition between chapters, and Gorman’s book particularly should’ve used endnotes rather than footnotes because many of the footnotes take up entire halves of pages, which is visually distracting for readers and, frankly, obnoxious. Gorman does rely heavily on Marianne Meye Thompson’s commentary on John, and he also quotes some familiar lines from Bauckham’s Gospel of Glory, so at times it felt repetitive to me personally, since I had just read both of those, but at other times it was nice to revisit old friends, especially for the purpose of evaluating whether Gorman’s incorporation of their thoughts was faithful to their own thinking.

My personal issues with this type of book notwithstanding, Gorman has several valuable insights to share. What I particularly appreciate about this book is the creative language he uses. Specifically in chapter 3, Gorman addresses the seemingly paradoxical concept of the title of the book, namely the question “how can one simultaneously remain and go?” In this chapter, he uses the vine metaphor that Jesus himself claims in John 15, brilliantly teasing out the implications of what both abiding and going might mean with the description of a “mobile, creeping vine” that is always connected to its center but ever moves outward as well (101). He also effectively uses the scientific words related to force, “centripetal” and “centrifugal,” to express these ideas throughout the book. Another creative use of language is when Gorman describes the incarnate Jesus as “the living exegesis of God the Father” (74). Discussing the revelation of God in terms of exegesis will speak poignantly to academics and students of theology as a precisely correct mode of thinking.

One other aspect of Gorman’s perspective that I appreciate is his rebuttal of those who say that John’s Gospel is too internally focused (“centripetal”) and that it doesn’t contain enough concern for those outside what might be termed the inner circle, so to speak (“centrifugal”). Gorman uses his discussions of the farewell discourse (chapter 3) and Jesus’s high priestly prayer (chapter 6) to refute these claims, asserting that perhaps those who think this way have too narrow a definition of evangelism. “Many people naturally understand mission as outreach, and many interpreters of mission in John see it only as verbal witness, or evangelism. But if the mission of the Father and the Son, according to John, is to give abundant life to the world, then the formation of a joy-filled, love-filled, hope-filled, life-filled, unified community is part of that divine mission. . . . Yet there can be no continuation of the mission apart from the existence of such a community” (82). One could even say his argument is the airplane oxygen mask rule—that a certain amount of internal focus must occur before the outward focus can exist or be effective.

A final thought is that Gorman’s explication of theosis is extremely helpful for anyone (such as myself) who may have been previously struggling to grasp a sufficient understanding of the full meaning of the term. I foresee myself revisiting Gorman’s earliest couple of chapters until I can articulate theosis for myself in a manner I find satisfactory.

[Parker Friesen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read, very well worth the time.

He specifically reframes the gospel of John as a missional document, and not as forming a sectarian community who simply "loves one another."

As Christ commands that we abide in him, we find that this abiding is not an exclusive spiritual experience, but a life giving union that draws us out of ourselves, into the trinitarian life by the Paraclete, and out into the world while remaining united to him.

[Ethan · Rating 5 out of 5]

What does John the Evangelist wish to communicate to his audience what serving Jesus is about?

Michael Gorman sets forth his argument for “missional theosis” in Abide and Go: Missional Theosis in the Gospel of John.

Gorman sets out to establish his primary thesis: John would have those who hear him participate in the life and love of God through mutual indwelling of the Father, Son, Spirit, and Jesus’ disciples so they can become more like God in Christ through the Spirit. He simplifies the idea by means of John 15: to “abide and go,” or to abide as branches in the vine to bear fruit.

The author defined his terms and the value of a missional framework. He then well answered objections against considering the Gospel of John as missional and establishes well how mission is in fact central to John’s Gospel and demonstrates as much through the whole narrative. This is especially highlighted in John 13, 17, and 20-21. The author demonstrates how such empowers the love of enemies as exhibited by Jesus in this Gospel and expected of His followers.

Gorman persuasively argues for perichoresis and mission, although it would not have been difficult to persuade me about the importance of and emphasis on perichoresis and mission, especially from the Gospel of John (confused? See The ONE Story).

So my quibble is not with the Gospel of John as missional, or even as missional in and by perichoresis.

I’ve never been comfortable, though, with theosis. Nor, it seems, are some other commentators on this theme.

It’s not that I am uncomfortable with theosis as Gorman uses the term: to become more like God, while understanding we will never ontologically become God.

I understand there’s a long heritage in the use of the term theosis, but I remain much more comfortable with perichoresis, and believe perichoresis gets to the heart of the matter (mutual interpenetration) without the baggage of theosis (without loss of distinctive identity). I’ve never had anyone wonder if or conclude from my presentation of perichoresis they could actually become God; when you have to take a term like theosis, which means to become divine, and say you don’t really mean that you become God but that you share in the character of the divine, and then some ignorant Americans go out and truly literalize the concept to the hilt (read: Mormonism)…I hope my discomfort with the term is understandable.

So, yes, absolutely: the Gospel of John is all about mission as rooted in perichoretic relational unity among God and His people. We can go on mission when we abide in God and become more like Him. But I’m still not a fan of the “t” word.

A worthwhile read when considering the Gospel of John.

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fabulous book. This emerged out of a series of lectures in 2016. At its conclusion, I’m very happy that the author put in the additional work to make it available in book form. I’ve always been helped by Michael Gorman‘s writing. This is a wonderful exploration of the gospel of John and how the disciples’ participation in mission transforms one from glory to glory. Highly recommended.

[Gino · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! While the term of missional theosis or specifically, theosis, was new to me, the concept is intuitive from how we’ve been living as a church for a while. Gorman gave me new language to clarify concepts and I’m so thankful for this work. I plan on reading more soon!