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Theosis: The True Purpose of Human Life
This book answers the question, "What is the meaning of life?" from an Orthodox Christian perspective.
86 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2002
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July 1, 2009
This book is short (86 pages) but powerful. In it, Archimandrite George of the Monastery of St. Gregorios of Mount Athos outlines the process of theosis--union with God through His uncreated Grace. This union, George states, is the true nature of humankind and the reason why nothing else satisfies the longings of the heart. Since God is both "essence" and "energies", Jesus' incarnation in the womb of Mary made it possible for us to approach the Trinity through Him--the pure "essence" of God alone being too powerful for us to approach on our own. God's "energies", His uncreated Grace, is what makes it possible for us to be in union with Him.
If the purpose of Christianity were merely to make us "moral" people, any of the number of good moral philosophers would have sufficed. Christ's purpose in His birth, death, and resurrection, was to heal the breach that occurred when Adam and Eve turned away from perfect communion with God in the Garden of Eden and shut the door on man's union with God. In Jesus, "God became man so that man could become a (child of) God." (St. Anthanasios of Alexandria 295-373 A.D.) Archimandrite George explains that man can never become God Himself. Instead, our purpose is to become like a lamp, illuminated by God, and shining with His light as a lamp is illuminated by electricity.
This book explains in clear and precise detail what Theosis is, how to get there and what it is that gets in our way.
Well worth reading for all those who feel the call to something more!
If the purpose of Christianity were merely to make us "moral" people, any of the number of good moral philosophers would have sufficed. Christ's purpose in His birth, death, and resurrection, was to heal the breach that occurred when Adam and Eve turned away from perfect communion with God in the Garden of Eden and shut the door on man's union with God. In Jesus, "God became man so that man could become a (child of) God." (St. Anthanasios of Alexandria 295-373 A.D.) Archimandrite George explains that man can never become God Himself. Instead, our purpose is to become like a lamp, illuminated by God, and shining with His light as a lamp is illuminated by electricity.
This book explains in clear and precise detail what Theosis is, how to get there and what it is that gets in our way.
Well worth reading for all those who feel the call to something more!
September 17, 2024
If you want to know the purpose of life, of Christianity. This book is an excellent short summary.
Theosis (θέωσις)
"Theosis literally means to become gods by Grace. The Biblical words that are synonymous and descriptive of Theosis are: adoption, redemption, inheritance, glorification, holiness and perfection. Theosis is the acquisition of the Holy Spirit, whereby through Grace one becomes a participant in the Kingdom of God. Theosis is an act of the uncreated and infinite love of God. It begins here in time and space, but it is not static or complete, and is an open-ended progression uninterrupted through all eternity."
"Let us continually thank the holy Lord for the gift of Theosis, which is a gift of His love. Let us reciprocate His love with our own love. The Lord wants and desires us to be deified. After all, for this purpose He became man and died upon the Cross so that He shines as the Sun amidst suns, and God amidst gods." - pg. 51-52
Theosis (θέωσις)
"Theosis literally means to become gods by Grace. The Biblical words that are synonymous and descriptive of Theosis are: adoption, redemption, inheritance, glorification, holiness and perfection. Theosis is the acquisition of the Holy Spirit, whereby through Grace one becomes a participant in the Kingdom of God. Theosis is an act of the uncreated and infinite love of God. It begins here in time and space, but it is not static or complete, and is an open-ended progression uninterrupted through all eternity."
"Let us continually thank the holy Lord for the gift of Theosis, which is a gift of His love. Let us reciprocate His love with our own love. The Lord wants and desires us to be deified. After all, for this purpose He became man and died upon the Cross so that He shines as the Sun amidst suns, and God amidst gods." - pg. 51-52
June 25, 2026
In seventy short pages the true purpose of human life is laid out before us. Theosis! To become gods by grace. Praise God for the Holy Orthodox Church.
January 15, 2025
This short, simple work that nonetheless argues a profound point: Christ became man, binding together God and humanity, so that we can re-enter into that perfect union with God that we had in Eden. We were made, pure and simple, for union with God, which is the meaning of theosis. The humanism of the Church is the ministry of helping souls unify with God, whereas every other humanism is fundamentally selfish or meaningless. It invites us to take the path of humility and sacrifice, which is the path to theosis, the path to the vision of the glory of God.
June 17, 2025
If you haven’t read this, you should. It’s short and packs a punch.
April 30, 2021
This small book very efficiently translates the essence of the Orthodox faith for the seeker or members of the Eastern Orthodox Church. The author is the abbot of the St Gregorios Monastary on Mount Athos. He uses words sparingly in prescribing the critical actions and definition of critical terms to achieve the path to man’s Union with God. This is the ultimate goal of Eastern Orthodoxy and true purpose of human life per the title of the book. Theosis is the acquisition of the Holy Spirit whereby Grace one becomes a participant in the Holy Kingdom.
For those familiar with Western Christianity this status would be possible only after death to earthly life. Eastern Orthodoxy’s uniqueness is in part captured by the belief in the potential for man while on Earth to transcend limitations of the flesh to become one with God. This is not limited to the saints, but expected as the end result for any member of the Eastern Orthodox Church following the prescribed tenants of the faith to realize this outcome. This little book condenses all aspects of those tenants.
The expectation that all Buddhists are Buddha who will find enlightenment with practice of the sutras, middle way, and prescribed path is analogous. The same holds true for the Eastern Orthodox and God. That may be a bit heretical to the author and those better informed in Eastern Orthodoxy , but I welcome any corrections to this notion.
For those familiar with Western Christianity this status would be possible only after death to earthly life. Eastern Orthodoxy’s uniqueness is in part captured by the belief in the potential for man while on Earth to transcend limitations of the flesh to become one with God. This is not limited to the saints, but expected as the end result for any member of the Eastern Orthodox Church following the prescribed tenants of the faith to realize this outcome. This little book condenses all aspects of those tenants.
The expectation that all Buddhists are Buddha who will find enlightenment with practice of the sutras, middle way, and prescribed path is analogous. The same holds true for the Eastern Orthodox and God. That may be a bit heretical to the author and those better informed in Eastern Orthodoxy , but I welcome any corrections to this notion.
March 18, 2025
What is the meaning of life? Great many people have tried to define it and have struggled.
Archimandrite George, abbot of the holy monastery of St Gregorious in Mount Athos, puts it very simply: theosis. Theosis is the union of man with God.
Moral improvement alone is not enough. No matter how many good deeds a man performs, if he does not find God, he will not find rest because it’s all centered around himself and not God.
God has placed the thirst and desire for a union with Him, but so many of us chase the earthly things instead and remain empty.
Humility, asceticism and prayer are required for theosis.
Finally, it’s not so important how far we progress in our journey toward theosis, but it’s the struggle and effort we put into it.
Archimandrite George, abbot of the holy monastery of St Gregorious in Mount Athos, puts it very simply: theosis. Theosis is the union of man with God.
Moral improvement alone is not enough. No matter how many good deeds a man performs, if he does not find God, he will not find rest because it’s all centered around himself and not God.
God has placed the thirst and desire for a union with Him, but so many of us chase the earthly things instead and remain empty.
Humility, asceticism and prayer are required for theosis.
Finally, it’s not so important how far we progress in our journey toward theosis, but it’s the struggle and effort we put into it.
April 2, 2025
magnificent gem of a book. should be required reading in all catechism classes. succinct and brilliant.
September 5, 2025
Little book full of great wisdom. A complicated topic is explained in simple terms. Great read for Orthodox Christians.
April 21, 2026
Mandatory reading material for Orthodox Christians or inquirers into Orthodoxy. Laying Theosis out in such an easy and beautiful manner is something I can appreciate as I, maybe because of my lack of interest in the subject until recently, like many others never knew that this was the true purpose of Christian life. As Theosis is so very unlike the western misconception that has been propagandized all over the world.
July 22, 2026
To Western Christian ears, it's pretty shocking to hear someone claim that the purpose of Christ's incarnation wasn't to die on the cross for our sins, but to make theosis possible. We're often so hung up on balancing the sin equation that we forget there's things other than sin and forgiveness in the world. The author's comfort around using the "gods" language is likewise unsettling for many of us, since we in the West have no easy explanation for it and often would rather forget it.
But I think that overall, Achimandrite George is right: the purpose of human life is union with God. It's not just accumulating good works or moral improvement, nor is it the paltry protestant notion of sitting around waiting for death and just being right in the meantime. The only problem with this author's argument is that he basically just restates his thesis several times and then ends the book. He doesn't give us a clear idea of what that looks like, meaning we get little guidance for how to start down the path of theosis, and no advice for what it would look like should we reach it. Thinking back on it, this is a gigantic oversight, as he doesn't even point us in the direction of specific others who have written about it. He merely states over and over that "the fathers" (which one[s]??) wrote about this.
I do think that the general thrust of this text, especially placed in Western ears, is effective: we feel lost and confused until we're reminded that union with God is the ultimate goal. Merely avoiding sin and doing penance like the Catholics or merely hiding behind intellectual arguments like the Protestants leaves one wondering why God didn't give us anything else to do. It's a hollow religiosity, both of those options, which is why I'm so drawn to Orthodoxy.
The focus on theosis is also able to make sense of the Fall and sinfulness more generally. In other words, God always wanted us to be 'deified', but for his sake, not for our own. The problem with Adam and Eve in the garden was that their egotism drew them away from God, not closer to him. Thus, and I would agree, selfishness is the root of all sin.
Which is why Christ's hypostatic union truly makes him the Second Adam. As George writes, "human nature is irrevocably unified with the divine nature because Christ is eternally GodMan." Thus Christ's incarnation, more than just dying on the cross for our sins, also in a broader sense also makes possible union with God.
George also spends a little time talking about Mary and her special role of bringing the GodMan into the world, saying that she was the first person who achieved theosis. Once again, in a way which would shock or kill most Protestants, George writes: "[Mary] holds the second place after the Holy Trinity; she is god after God, the boundary between the created and the uncreated." Once again, this is apparently a summary of a summary of "Patristic theology," but it gives us something to contemplate. Mary does give an excellent example (as the New Eve) of submission (rather than selfish rebellion) and the ultimate reward achieved by that.
George continues the post-hoc claims to theosis by ascribing the state to every saint and everyone painted on the walls of Orthodox churches. Reading halos as theosis-indicators is interesting but I'm not sure I can say anything more intelligent than that. It raises a lot of questions which he doesn't ask/answer, such as "Is theosis equivalent to sainthood? If it is, shouldn't we be striving after sainthood, and shouldn't you show us some examples?" The way he concludes that part is great though, arguing that the Body of Christ is a real body, something we ourselves get literally grafted into, not merely as a metaphor but as something essential.
All of this, he argues, is possible because of a distinction between God's "essence" and his "energies". God's essence cannot be understood, but his energies can reach out and influence us. Apparently. This, kinda like the post-hoc theosis from earlier, feels almost like a convenient philosophical explanation, a re-categorization to prove that you're right, but maybe it's been there since the start and I'm just ignorant.
I do find it interesting how the end of this text posits theosis as a direct answer to the restlessness of modern people, especially the youth. We are desperately searching for something real, something experiential, and we're tired of protestantism's empty words and Catholicism's hollow legalism. We need something embodied, which theosis claims to be. As George writes: "A Christian is not a Christian simply because he is able to talk about God. He is a Christian because he is able to have experience of God." Once again, this sounds awesome, but we don't get enough description to fully understand the concept. I understand that maybe on one level it's so mystical that it can't be put into words, but you can't even point us in the direction?
The only guidance we seem to get is to avoid attachments to earthly things and desires, which we've all heard countless times before. More interestingly, he also writes about "see[ing] and us[ing] the world eucharistically, as a gift from God, then everything joins with Him and becomes a path to union with God." This highlights the relational aspect of us to God and to the rest of God's creation, which is a beautiful point. So, when George writes that you must put theosis as primary and not get distracted by secondary things, he in a way echoes the hermeneutics of Augustine when he writes that you should read everything with the two commandments as central: to love God and love your neighbor. Those two adequately summarize things, I think. George writes about seeing others "not...as a tool of pleasure and exploitation, but as an icon of God destined for theosis." This is a great way to explain what he wrote earlier about how Orthodoxy is "theanthropically centered; its center is the GodMan Christ." Rather than merely restoring things to the way they were in the Garden, Orthodoxy sees a more profound union is possible. Rather than merely returning to the Garden, our real End is to return to God...
But I think that overall, Achimandrite George is right: the purpose of human life is union with God. It's not just accumulating good works or moral improvement, nor is it the paltry protestant notion of sitting around waiting for death and just being right in the meantime. The only problem with this author's argument is that he basically just restates his thesis several times and then ends the book. He doesn't give us a clear idea of what that looks like, meaning we get little guidance for how to start down the path of theosis, and no advice for what it would look like should we reach it. Thinking back on it, this is a gigantic oversight, as he doesn't even point us in the direction of specific others who have written about it. He merely states over and over that "the fathers" (which one[s]??) wrote about this.
I do think that the general thrust of this text, especially placed in Western ears, is effective: we feel lost and confused until we're reminded that union with God is the ultimate goal. Merely avoiding sin and doing penance like the Catholics or merely hiding behind intellectual arguments like the Protestants leaves one wondering why God didn't give us anything else to do. It's a hollow religiosity, both of those options, which is why I'm so drawn to Orthodoxy.
The focus on theosis is also able to make sense of the Fall and sinfulness more generally. In other words, God always wanted us to be 'deified', but for his sake, not for our own. The problem with Adam and Eve in the garden was that their egotism drew them away from God, not closer to him. Thus, and I would agree, selfishness is the root of all sin.
Which is why Christ's hypostatic union truly makes him the Second Adam. As George writes, "human nature is irrevocably unified with the divine nature because Christ is eternally GodMan." Thus Christ's incarnation, more than just dying on the cross for our sins, also in a broader sense also makes possible union with God.
George also spends a little time talking about Mary and her special role of bringing the GodMan into the world, saying that she was the first person who achieved theosis. Once again, in a way which would shock or kill most Protestants, George writes: "[Mary] holds the second place after the Holy Trinity; she is god after God, the boundary between the created and the uncreated." Once again, this is apparently a summary of a summary of "Patristic theology," but it gives us something to contemplate. Mary does give an excellent example (as the New Eve) of submission (rather than selfish rebellion) and the ultimate reward achieved by that.
George continues the post-hoc claims to theosis by ascribing the state to every saint and everyone painted on the walls of Orthodox churches. Reading halos as theosis-indicators is interesting but I'm not sure I can say anything more intelligent than that. It raises a lot of questions which he doesn't ask/answer, such as "Is theosis equivalent to sainthood? If it is, shouldn't we be striving after sainthood, and shouldn't you show us some examples?" The way he concludes that part is great though, arguing that the Body of Christ is a real body, something we ourselves get literally grafted into, not merely as a metaphor but as something essential.
All of this, he argues, is possible because of a distinction between God's "essence" and his "energies". God's essence cannot be understood, but his energies can reach out and influence us. Apparently. This, kinda like the post-hoc theosis from earlier, feels almost like a convenient philosophical explanation, a re-categorization to prove that you're right, but maybe it's been there since the start and I'm just ignorant.
I do find it interesting how the end of this text posits theosis as a direct answer to the restlessness of modern people, especially the youth. We are desperately searching for something real, something experiential, and we're tired of protestantism's empty words and Catholicism's hollow legalism. We need something embodied, which theosis claims to be. As George writes: "A Christian is not a Christian simply because he is able to talk about God. He is a Christian because he is able to have experience of God." Once again, this sounds awesome, but we don't get enough description to fully understand the concept. I understand that maybe on one level it's so mystical that it can't be put into words, but you can't even point us in the direction?
The only guidance we seem to get is to avoid attachments to earthly things and desires, which we've all heard countless times before. More interestingly, he also writes about "see[ing] and us[ing] the world eucharistically, as a gift from God, then everything joins with Him and becomes a path to union with God." This highlights the relational aspect of us to God and to the rest of God's creation, which is a beautiful point. So, when George writes that you must put theosis as primary and not get distracted by secondary things, he in a way echoes the hermeneutics of Augustine when he writes that you should read everything with the two commandments as central: to love God and love your neighbor. Those two adequately summarize things, I think. George writes about seeing others "not...as a tool of pleasure and exploitation, but as an icon of God destined for theosis." This is a great way to explain what he wrote earlier about how Orthodoxy is "theanthropically centered; its center is the GodMan Christ." Rather than merely restoring things to the way they were in the Garden, Orthodoxy sees a more profound union is possible. Rather than merely returning to the Garden, our real End is to return to God...
May 19, 2026
fairly easy to understand and answered a lot of questions. definitely recommend for anyone looking for an introductory understanding of Orthodox Christianity thats more mature than what you see on reels.
May 26, 2026
Архимандрит Георги ни удря с много силен шамар още в началото: целта на християнския живот не е просто да станем „морално по-добри“. Ако ставаше въпрос само за морал и етика, нямаше да има нужда от Боговъплъщението, Кръста и Възкресението – за това щяха да ни стигнат и светските философи.
„Бог създаде човека "по Свой образ и подобие"... Той не иска човек да бъде просто създание с известни дарования, известни способности... а иска той да бъде бог по благодат.“
Книгата ни кара да си зададем най-неудобните въпроси: Къде поставяме Бог в ежедневието си? Какъв е главният мотив зад упорития ни труд да „сбъднем мечтите си“? И най-важното: чии са тези мечти? Нашите егоцентрични желания или Божията съвършена воля за нас?
Това е книга, която лекува съвременната ни обсебеност от продуктивността и материалното. Авторът прекрасно ни напомня как красивите неща в света – кариера, учение, семейство или благотворителност– могат незабележимо да ни въвлекат в „тотално умопомрачение“ и да изместят фокуса ни от единствената ни изконна потребност - единението с нашия Господ. Ако не успеем да се съединим с Бога, накрая всичко останало се оказва безполезно. Тоест всички тези красиви неща имат реална стойност само тогава, когато са подкрепени от Божията благодат и се вършат за Негова слава.
Тя ни учи на радостотворната печал и на това, че пътят към Теосис (обожението) изисква постоянно смирение. Защото без смирение как ще признаеш, че целта на живота ти е извън самия теб – че е в Бога? Докато човек живее егоцентрично и автономно, той поставя себе си в центъра. Изгубим ли смирението и решим ли, че се справяме сами – веднага падаме в капана на гордостта или инак описаната - “духовна некроза”. Трябва постоянно смирение, за да видим, че сме пълни със слабости и страсти, и да се научим да не разчитаме на себе си, а изцяло да зависим от Божията благодат.
В книгата се сблъскваме с няколко важни елемента:
1. „Пролей кръв и приеми Духа“: Обожението не е пасивно състояние. Първият етап е праксис – тежка духовна борба за изкореняване на тръните на страстите (егоизма, себелюбието) чрез пост, изповед и причастие.
“ти не можеш да приемеш Св. Дух докато не отдадеш кръвта на сърцето си в борбата за очистване от страстите, в борбата за истинско и дълбоко преобразяване и за придобиване на добродетелите.”
Всички добродетели всъщност са аспекти на една голяма добродетел – любовта, която изгонва егоизма (болната любов към себе си).
2. Пречистването на трите части на душата:
- Разумната част се чисти чрез трезвение (пазене на ума от лоши мисли).
- Емоционалната част се чисти чрез любовта, която изгонва егоизма.
- Желателната част се чисти чрез себеконтрол.
3. Разликата с източните религии (Антропоцентризмът): Архимандрит Георги много точно обяснява защо медитацията и източните практики са илюзия- там човек търси тишина чрез външни упражнения, но накрая води монолог със себе си, оставайки затворен в собствения си егоцентризъм. В християнството целта е жив диалог и личностно съединяване с Бога.
И все пак - авторът ни дава утешение, говорейки за човешките слабости в рамките на самата Църква. Той напомня, че е напълно естествено в нея да има кризи и трудности, защото ние, хората вътре, сме слаби и търпим дълъг процес на обожение. Затова, пред каквото и да сме изправени поради човешката ни немощ, не трябва да напускаме Църквата, защото само в нея съществува единствената ни възможност да се съединим с Бога и да спасим душите си.
„Бог създаде човека "по Свой образ и подобие"... Той не иска човек да бъде просто създание с известни дарования, известни способности... а иска той да бъде бог по благодат.“
Книгата ни кара да си зададем най-неудобните въпроси: Къде поставяме Бог в ежедневието си? Какъв е главният мотив зад упорития ни труд да „сбъднем мечтите си“? И най-важното: чии са тези мечти? Нашите егоцентрични желания или Божията съвършена воля за нас?
Това е книга, която лекува съвременната ни обсебеност от продуктивността и материалното. Авторът прекрасно ни напомня как красивите неща в света – кариера, учение, семейство или благотворителност– могат незабележимо да ни въвлекат в „тотално умопомрачение“ и да изместят фокуса ни от единствената ни изконна потребност - единението с нашия Господ. Ако не успеем да се съединим с Бога, накрая всичко останало се оказва безполезно. Тоест всички тези красиви неща имат реална стойност само тогава, когато са подкрепени от Божията благодат и се вършат за Негова слава.
Тя ни учи на радостотворната печал и на това, че пътят към Теосис (обожението) изисква постоянно смирение. Защото без смирение как ще признаеш, че целта на живота ти е извън самия теб – че е в Бога? Докато човек живее егоцентрично и автономно, той поставя себе си в центъра. Изгубим ли смирението и решим ли, че се справяме сами – веднага падаме в капана на гордостта или инак описаната - “духовна некроза”. Трябва постоянно смирение, за да видим, че сме пълни със слабости и страсти, и да се научим да не разчитаме на себе си, а изцяло да зависим от Божията благодат.
В книгата се сблъскваме с няколко важни елемента:
1. „Пролей кръв и приеми Духа“: Обожението не е пасивно състояние. Първият етап е праксис – тежка духовна борба за изкореняване на тръните на страстите (егоизма, себелюбието) чрез пост, изповед и причастие.
“ти не можеш да приемеш Св. Дух докато не отдадеш кръвта на сърцето си в борбата за очистване от страстите, в борбата за истинско и дълбоко преобразяване и за придобиване на добродетелите.”
Всички добродетели всъщност са аспекти на една голяма добродетел – любовта, която изгонва егоизма (болната любов към себе си).
2. Пречистването на трите части на душата:
- Разумната част се чисти чрез трезвение (пазене на ума от лоши мисли).
- Емоционалната част се чисти чрез любовта, която изгонва егоизма.
- Желателната част се чисти чрез себеконтрол.
3. Разликата с източните религии (Антропоцентризмът): Архимандрит Георги много точно обяснява защо медитацията и източните практики са илюзия- там човек търси тишина чрез външни упражнения, но накрая води монолог със себе си, оставайки затворен в собствения си егоцентризъм. В християнството целта е жив диалог и личностно съединяване с Бога.
И все пак - авторът ни дава утешение, говорейки за човешките слабости в рамките на самата Църква. Той напомня, че е напълно естествено в нея да има кризи и трудности, защото ние, хората вътре, сме слаби и търпим дълъг процес на обожение. Затова, пред каквото и да сме изправени поради човешката ни немощ, не трябва да напускаме Църквата, защото само в нея съществува единствената ни възможност да се съединим с Бога и да спасим душите си.
November 2, 2025
My first introduction to concepts of Orthodox Christianity. Born, baptized and raised Roman Catholic and I always felt there were missing pieces of the puzzle. This helped me find some of those missing pieces. I’m honestly still digesting it, but something about it just feels correct to me. Small, but powerful book. This book is lean but muscular…no fat whatsoever!
August 8, 2020
A good, brief introduction to theosis. There are so many things within orthodoxy that make me wish there was more ecumenism between the three branches of Christianity. We have much to learn from each other.
September 13, 2025
5+ stars
November 6, 2025
Definitely one of the best theology books I have ever read
January 23, 2026
If you are interested in learning about Orthodoxy, this book is perfect. It’s also easy to understand.
May 5, 2026
Nice book about “theosis”.
The language is simple and perfect to understand what Man was created for.
The language is simple and perfect to understand what Man was created for.
December 12, 2025
Best book I’ve read in the past 3 years
August 11, 2026
Powerful, simple and beautiful book. Very well written/translated.
July 26, 2026
Impotant read for those interested in the purpose of life for an Orthodox christian.
February 25, 2022
The Orthodox Christian doctrine of theosis (deification, divinization) is very inspiring and illuminating and deserves more attention. According to the teaching of Eastern Orthodox Christianity, the purpose and goal of human life is to attain theosis or deification, understood as likeness to or union with God: the soul's union with truth, beauty, and goodness...
“No matter how much we as men sin, * no matter how much we separate ourselves from God– if, through repentance, * we wish to unite again with God, we can succeed. We can unite with Him and so become gods by Grace [...] The incarnation of the Logos and the Theosis of man are the great mystery of our Faith and Theology. Our Orthodox Church lives this every day with its Mysteries, with its hymns, with its icons, with its whole life. Even the architecture of an Orthodox Church witnesses to this. The great dome of the churches, on which the Pantocrator is painted, symbolises the descent of Heaven to earth; it tells us that the Lord “bent down the Heavens and descended.” The Evangelist St. John writes that God became man “and dwelt among us” (John 1:14).
So, we represent the Theotokos in the apse of the altar to show that God comes to earth and to men through her, because He became man through the Theotokos. She is “the bridge by which God descended,” and again, “she who conducts those of earth to Heaven,” the Platytera of the Heavens, the space of the uncontainable, who contained the uncontainable God within herself for our salvation. To continue, our Churches show deified men; those who became gods by Grace because God became man. In our Orthodox Churches we can picture not only the incarnate God, Christ, and His immaculate Mother the Lady Theotokos, but we also show the saints around and below the Pantocrator; on all the walls of the Church we paint the results of God’s incarnation: sainted and deified men. Thus, when we enter an Orthodox Church and see the beautiful holy icons, this is an immediate experience through which we learn what God’s plan is for man; what is the purpose of our life. Everything in the Church talks to us about the incarnation of God and the Theosis of man.”
― Archimandrite George (Abbot of the Holy Monastery of St. Gregorios on Mount Athos), Theosis: The True Purpose of Human Life
Theosis (θέωσις–Theosis)
Theosis literally means to become gods by Grace. The Biblical words that are synonymous and descriptive of Theosis are: adoption, redemption, inheritance, glorification, holiness and perfection. Theosis is the acquisition of the Holy Spirit, whereby through Grace one becomes a participant in the Kingdom of God. Theosis is an act of the uncreated and infinite love of God. It begins here in time and space, but it is not static or complete, and is an openended progression uninterrupted through all eternity.
Antiochian Orthodox Church of the Redeemer
“No matter how much we as men sin, * no matter how much we separate ourselves from God– if, through repentance, * we wish to unite again with God, we can succeed. We can unite with Him and so become gods by Grace [...] The incarnation of the Logos and the Theosis of man are the great mystery of our Faith and Theology. Our Orthodox Church lives this every day with its Mysteries, with its hymns, with its icons, with its whole life. Even the architecture of an Orthodox Church witnesses to this. The great dome of the churches, on which the Pantocrator is painted, symbolises the descent of Heaven to earth; it tells us that the Lord “bent down the Heavens and descended.” The Evangelist St. John writes that God became man “and dwelt among us” (John 1:14).
So, we represent the Theotokos in the apse of the altar to show that God comes to earth and to men through her, because He became man through the Theotokos. She is “the bridge by which God descended,” and again, “she who conducts those of earth to Heaven,” the Platytera of the Heavens, the space of the uncontainable, who contained the uncontainable God within herself for our salvation. To continue, our Churches show deified men; those who became gods by Grace because God became man. In our Orthodox Churches we can picture not only the incarnate God, Christ, and His immaculate Mother the Lady Theotokos, but we also show the saints around and below the Pantocrator; on all the walls of the Church we paint the results of God’s incarnation: sainted and deified men. Thus, when we enter an Orthodox Church and see the beautiful holy icons, this is an immediate experience through which we learn what God’s plan is for man; what is the purpose of our life. Everything in the Church talks to us about the incarnation of God and the Theosis of man.”
― Archimandrite George (Abbot of the Holy Monastery of St. Gregorios on Mount Athos), Theosis: The True Purpose of Human Life
Theosis (θέωσις–Theosis)
Theosis literally means to become gods by Grace. The Biblical words that are synonymous and descriptive of Theosis are: adoption, redemption, inheritance, glorification, holiness and perfection. Theosis is the acquisition of the Holy Spirit, whereby through Grace one becomes a participant in the Kingdom of God. Theosis is an act of the uncreated and infinite love of God. It begins here in time and space, but it is not static or complete, and is an openended progression uninterrupted through all eternity.
Antiochian Orthodox Church of the Redeemer
March 1, 2025
Theosis is a journey a human is jnclined to take in their lives. Humans are different from animals in the way they can achieve the state of being god by grace, their initial purpose.
God gives humans something that he gives no other animals: a nous, a conscience, and freedom of will. The human charismata by God.
After Adam wrongs us from communion with God, Jesus comes down as the new path to be enjoined to God. He is God-man, therefore making a nature of man apart of the trinity.
The Orthodox Church in interpretation, is the “only way to theosis” as it holds the unrepeatable holy mysteries that can only unify us with God. By partaking in them, we are further deified in his image, as the author states “we are members of Christ’s body.”
Theosis is also only possible by God sanctifying or deifying us with his energies. God has an unfathomable essence, we cannot acquire, it is through his divine energies that man can become “god”.
Basically a whole snippet on Gregory Palamas v Barlaam that leads us to a next point. That our lives around centered around moral excellence, but actually experiencing God, and growing into his image. Not an external relationship but an actual communion.
Qualifications for Theosis (kartharsis):
1. Humility. — accepting that the centre of life is Christ not you.
2. Asceticism — applying Christ’s commandments, keeping vigil, amd struggling in our relationship to remove our passible and intelligent parts of the psyche in order to attain deification.
3. Holy Mysteries and Prayer — immersing into our nous and heart within prayer creates strength within our psyche, and garners an interpersonal relationship with God.
Theoria or illumination, is the second stage of Theosis. After absolving the psyche, the christian sees and experiences the world with grace. He weeps with tears of “divine eros”, his gladness for a higher experience of Theosis. The christian becomes luminous, and is indifferent to the attacks of the world. Kissing icons and holy relics reinforces the illumination and the grace present that God has previously granted a saint after kartharsis.
Failures of Theosis come from man being blinded by egotism and secondary purposes, not cementing God as first. Therefore man should put God as priority, and soon the rest comes after, lifes beauty multiplies when man experiences it differently.
Theosis enlightens man and makes him find himself, gives him greater purposes, and helps him enjoy everything much more. “Offering ourselves” makes us “true persons”
Ending chapter: Theosis is the greater purpose of life, younger generations losing themselves in materialistic or demonic things will began to usurp a depressive state. Leaving them hollow and vacant, the actual thing they will always yearn for is ‘God’ and communion with him.
God gives humans something that he gives no other animals: a nous, a conscience, and freedom of will. The human charismata by God.
After Adam wrongs us from communion with God, Jesus comes down as the new path to be enjoined to God. He is God-man, therefore making a nature of man apart of the trinity.
The Orthodox Church in interpretation, is the “only way to theosis” as it holds the unrepeatable holy mysteries that can only unify us with God. By partaking in them, we are further deified in his image, as the author states “we are members of Christ’s body.”
Theosis is also only possible by God sanctifying or deifying us with his energies. God has an unfathomable essence, we cannot acquire, it is through his divine energies that man can become “god”.
Basically a whole snippet on Gregory Palamas v Barlaam that leads us to a next point. That our lives around centered around moral excellence, but actually experiencing God, and growing into his image. Not an external relationship but an actual communion.
Qualifications for Theosis (kartharsis):
1. Humility. — accepting that the centre of life is Christ not you.
2. Asceticism — applying Christ’s commandments, keeping vigil, amd struggling in our relationship to remove our passible and intelligent parts of the psyche in order to attain deification.
3. Holy Mysteries and Prayer — immersing into our nous and heart within prayer creates strength within our psyche, and garners an interpersonal relationship with God.
Theoria or illumination, is the second stage of Theosis. After absolving the psyche, the christian sees and experiences the world with grace. He weeps with tears of “divine eros”, his gladness for a higher experience of Theosis. The christian becomes luminous, and is indifferent to the attacks of the world. Kissing icons and holy relics reinforces the illumination and the grace present that God has previously granted a saint after kartharsis.
Failures of Theosis come from man being blinded by egotism and secondary purposes, not cementing God as first. Therefore man should put God as priority, and soon the rest comes after, lifes beauty multiplies when man experiences it differently.
Theosis enlightens man and makes him find himself, gives him greater purposes, and helps him enjoy everything much more. “Offering ourselves” makes us “true persons”
Ending chapter: Theosis is the greater purpose of life, younger generations losing themselves in materialistic or demonic things will began to usurp a depressive state. Leaving them hollow and vacant, the actual thing they will always yearn for is ‘God’ and communion with him.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 25, 2026
A fantastic read that has greatly expanded my understanding of the concept of theosis and how it is understood within the Orthodox Church.
The book presents theosis not as something reserved for a select few or as a spiritual achievement to be acquired, but as the calling of every person who enters the life of the Church and faithfully lives the Christian faith. To be united with God, to become deified by His grace, is presented as the ultimate purpose of human life. The fact that theosis and any spiritual profit is not something that we ourselves can earn is a consistent teaching across the church and something i've struggled with on my own journey to faith.
Although the book is relatively short, it does an excellent job of explaining a profound and often difficult theological topic in a clear and accessible way. It also outlines the necessary path towards theosis:
"The Church Fathers developed a great and profound anthropological teaching on the psyche and the passions of man. According to them, in the psyche you can distinguish intelligent and passible parts. The passible, again, comprises passionate and desiring parts. The intelligent part contains the reasoning powers of the psyche; the thoughts and cognitive powers. The passionate parts are the positive and negative emotions; love and hate. The desiring part contains the good desires of the virtues and the bad desires for pleasure; for enjoyment, avarice, gluttony, the worship of the flesh and the carnal passions. Unless these three parts of the psyche, the intelligent, the passionate, and the desiring, are cleansed, man cannot receive the Grace of God within himself, and cannot be deified. The intelligent part is cleansed by watchfulness, which is the continuous guarding of the nous from thoughts, keeping the good thoughts and rejecting the bad. The passionate part, again, is cleansed by love. Finally, the desiring part is cleansed by self-control. All these parts are both cleansed and sanctified by prayer."
This passage stood out to me the most. On one level, it outlines the path by which man is deified, but on a deeper level it reminds us of the beautiful simplicity of the Christian life. Theosis is not attained through extraordinary spiritual experiences, but through the faithful practice of the ordinary disciplines of the faith: watchfulness, love, self-control, and prayer. It is through these means, by God's grace, that Christ transforms us into His likeness.
The book presents theosis not as something reserved for a select few or as a spiritual achievement to be acquired, but as the calling of every person who enters the life of the Church and faithfully lives the Christian faith. To be united with God, to become deified by His grace, is presented as the ultimate purpose of human life. The fact that theosis and any spiritual profit is not something that we ourselves can earn is a consistent teaching across the church and something i've struggled with on my own journey to faith.
Although the book is relatively short, it does an excellent job of explaining a profound and often difficult theological topic in a clear and accessible way. It also outlines the necessary path towards theosis:
"The Church Fathers developed a great and profound anthropological teaching on the psyche and the passions of man. According to them, in the psyche you can distinguish intelligent and passible parts. The passible, again, comprises passionate and desiring parts. The intelligent part contains the reasoning powers of the psyche; the thoughts and cognitive powers. The passionate parts are the positive and negative emotions; love and hate. The desiring part contains the good desires of the virtues and the bad desires for pleasure; for enjoyment, avarice, gluttony, the worship of the flesh and the carnal passions. Unless these three parts of the psyche, the intelligent, the passionate, and the desiring, are cleansed, man cannot receive the Grace of God within himself, and cannot be deified. The intelligent part is cleansed by watchfulness, which is the continuous guarding of the nous from thoughts, keeping the good thoughts and rejecting the bad. The passionate part, again, is cleansed by love. Finally, the desiring part is cleansed by self-control. All these parts are both cleansed and sanctified by prayer."
This passage stood out to me the most. On one level, it outlines the path by which man is deified, but on a deeper level it reminds us of the beautiful simplicity of the Christian life. Theosis is not attained through extraordinary spiritual experiences, but through the faithful practice of the ordinary disciplines of the faith: watchfulness, love, self-control, and prayer. It is through these means, by God's grace, that Christ transforms us into His likeness.
June 7, 2025
This small book is a great introduction and elaboration upon the Eastern Orthodox concept of Theosis. It is short and to-the-point, but whether you are brand-new to Orthodoxy or (much) more well-read, you will find value in this book. Throughout its pages, I found many great quotes, insights, and new perspectives - pearls of wisdom from the Holy Church.
I was particularly interested to read of the anthropological discussions / definitions that were offered in this book. Per its title, the book make it clear that our purpose in this earthly life is not moral improvement, as many Christians today seem to believe, but Theosis, becoming gods by Grace, adopted children of the Father. I appreciated the book’s discussion of and differentiation between terms like Heart, Psyche, Soul, Spirit, Nous, etc; this helped me to greater understand the uniqueness of the human being and how we relate to and differ from the rest of the animal kingdom.
Lastly, I appreciated the book’s discussion of the sad and decayed state of modern society, especially in the West. We see a society that is plagued - even defined - by rampant individualism and anthropocentrist mentalities (I believe these mentalities are descended from Renaissance Humanism). We must, instead, pursue the theanthropocentrism, with a focus not on man alone (for we shall all return to dust), but a focus on the God-Man Christ. This is humanism which the world must embrace: Orthodox Humanism.
I was particularly interested to read of the anthropological discussions / definitions that were offered in this book. Per its title, the book make it clear that our purpose in this earthly life is not moral improvement, as many Christians today seem to believe, but Theosis, becoming gods by Grace, adopted children of the Father. I appreciated the book’s discussion of and differentiation between terms like Heart, Psyche, Soul, Spirit, Nous, etc; this helped me to greater understand the uniqueness of the human being and how we relate to and differ from the rest of the animal kingdom.
Lastly, I appreciated the book’s discussion of the sad and decayed state of modern society, especially in the West. We see a society that is plagued - even defined - by rampant individualism and anthropocentrist mentalities (I believe these mentalities are descended from Renaissance Humanism). We must, instead, pursue the theanthropocentrism, with a focus not on man alone (for we shall all return to dust), but a focus on the God-Man Christ. This is humanism which the world must embrace: Orthodox Humanism.
August 23, 2026
Excellent distillation of Orthodox Christian praxis and theoria, differentiated from Western categories which are outlined by a Western monk, Barlaam and St Gregory of Palamas--the essence and energies of God explained in a clear and concise manner.
A Christian is not a Christian simply because he is able to talk about God. He is a Christian because he is able to have an experience of God. And just as, when you really love someone and converse with him, you feel his presence, and you enjoy his presence, so it happens in man's communion with God: there exists not a simple external relationship, but a mystical union of God and man in the Holy Spiritpg. 27
November 3, 2024
This book was short and very well-written. I really agreed on the main message of how the purpose of man is found in God and in communion with Christ, not in man himself. This I think is very important and was glad to read about, even if as Catholic I don’t agree with all the specifics of the essence-energy distinction. I was annoyed at the constant condescending references to the “Western man” as heretic and totally egocentric because we do not agree with the exact way Theosis works. Apart from that, I did learn some interesting differences we have with the Eastern Orthodox, making me think of ecumenism.
May 8, 2026
A wonderful little introduction to theosis in Eastern Orthodoxy, though I would not recommend it to those who haven't read any esoteric theology. Its level of reading is basically like an REL 200 or even REL 300 course in college. As introductory as it is, it will baffle the minds of those who aren't accustomed to reading Church terminology, though there is a helpful glossary in the back provided by the anonymous translator. The translator's note at the beginning is also worth reading. If you're interested in inquiring about Orthodoxy, I wouldn't recommend this until you've read more basic books.
Note to Goodreads: The book is 60 pages, not 86.
Note to Goodreads: The book is 60 pages, not 86.
June 24, 2026
This book is very short and therefore, packed with so much thought-provoking teaching on Theosis. As someone who is very unfamiliar with the concepts of Eastern and Orthodox Christianity, this book was a great starting point on such a central aspect of the Christian faith.
Theosis is the soul reason for our existence. We are created to become like God, and to bring to completion (through His Grace) the image and likeness of our Lord, which we all possess. Theosis is the desire and true purpose that we all deeply and secretly long for within ourselves, the meaning that we all truly seek.
Reading this book has been so enlightening.
Theosis is the soul reason for our existence. We are created to become like God, and to bring to completion (through His Grace) the image and likeness of our Lord, which we all possess. Theosis is the desire and true purpose that we all deeply and secretly long for within ourselves, the meaning that we all truly seek.
Reading this book has been so enlightening.
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