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Contemporary Greek Theologians #2
The Deification of Man: St Gregory Palamas and the Orthodox Tradition
The theological and anthropological basis for the doctrine of deification as expounded by St Gregory Palamas (1296-1359).
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First published January 1, 1984
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
February 20, 2017
One of the best theological books I've read in my life.
June 23, 2019
"In accepting that man's true and eternal life is to be found only in proximity to God, Palamas does not imply that the soul is mortal; on the contrary, he adheres firmly to the doctrine of the immortality of the soul." (23)
"Hereditary guilt, however, did not enter the world through Adam, nor did all men transgress God's commandment in his person. Through Adam sin came into the world, and through sin, death. After his fall, all Adam's descendents succumbed to sin, and for this reason they did not escape death. For those whose condition is spiritual death, the death of the body is a benevolent concession on God's part, since by means of it the course of sin is interrupted and evil is not perpetuated." (25)
"The teaching of the anti-hesychasts and the Latins on the salvation of man through the created grace of God, conflicting as it did with the fundamental patristic tenet according to which the regeneration and deification of man are not brought about by created means, formed the main target of Palamas' attack. The Spirit of God, he says, accomplishes man's deification by means of the energy and grace natural to him, and not by created means or through his own essence. The energy of the Holy Spirit, though it differs from the divine essence, is not separated from it; on the contrary, it brings man into union with God." (35 - 36)
“But Palamas goes even further, linking the doctrine relating to the procession of the Holy Spirit ‘also from the Son’ to the denial of the uncreated nature of divine grace. In answer to the question, ‘Why did the Barlaam struggle so hard to refute the uncreated nature of divine grace?’ Palamas says, ‘He has given what strength he possesses to his fellow Latins, so that cunningly and even forcibly he may seduce us to their teaching.’ For, he continues, if uncreated grace does not exist, then the spirit conferred by the Son, which according to the testimony of the fathers is uncreated, is not the uncreated energy but the actual hypostasis of the Spirit.” (37)
“Palamas follows in the line of synthetic biblical anthropology and he bitterly opposes of the dualistic anthropological tendencies of Barlaam. The latter condemned the monks because they sought for the return of the intellect to the body, not an ecstasy outside it. But an ecstasy requiring a rejection of the body is altogether incompatible with synthetic biblical anthropology and Palamas describes it as a fiendish invention and as a continuation of ancient Greek delusions.” (84)
“God, invisible and nonparticipable in His essence, becomes visible and participable in the Spirit to the faithful, by virtue of His energy.” (97)
“Palamas accepts that there is an immediate and personal communion between God and man, while Barlaam sets God beyond the world and rejects the possibility of there being any direct personal relationship or communion between Him and finite man.” (99)
“On the day of the transfiguration, when God’s uncreated grace had not yet been given to man, it illuminated the three disciples from without through the medium of their corporeal sight; but it is subsequently bestowed on the faithful through the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist and dwells with in them, illuminating from within the eyes of the soul.” (101)
“God, says Palamas, is and remains in his essence transcendent and nonparticipable; neither men nor angels may know his essence or participate in it. Yet, in spite of this, He preserves a real and immediate relationship with the world through his natural energy, which, being the radiance of the divine nature, is itself uncreated.” (104)
“If one rejects this distinction between essence and energy in God, then one must either view even the created world as an effulgence of the divine nature, and consequently as ‘one in essence with God,’ or one must reduce the other two persons of the Trinity to the level of created things, because in such a case ‘creation’ differs in no way from ‘generation’ or ‘procession.’” (107)
“There is then, according to the inspired theologians, a subordinate divinity, as the great Dionysius says; for deification is the gift of the transcendent essence of God.” (Palamas, Letter to Akindynos 15, Works 1, p. 306 as in Mantzaridis, p. 110)
Compare this with Ludwig Ott: “In the year 1148, a Synod at Rheims, in the presence of Pope Eugene III, condemned, on the instance of St. Bernard of Clairvaux, the doctrine of Gilbert of Poitiers, who, according to the accusation of his opponents, posited a real difference between Deus and Divinitas, so that there would result a quaternity in God (Three Persons plus Godhead); this teaching, which is not obvious in Gilbert's writings, was rejected at the Council of Rheims (1148) in the presence of Pope Eugene III (D. 389 Archived 2011-01-20 at the Wayback Machine et seq.)" (Ludwig Ott, Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma [Tan Books and Publishers, 1974], p. 28 as in Wikipedia, “Essence–energies distinction”)
“for to become God and to attain God‘s Kingdom is one and the same thing.” (Palamas, Longer Apology, cod. Coisl. 99, fol. 11a. as in Mantzaridis, 121)
“Thus for Palamas the vision of God ‘face to face’ does not mean the vision of his essence but of his divine radiance, which, fully transmitted to the human nature that was united hypostatically with the Logos of God, is thereby rendered participable and visible to mankind in the Holy Spirit.” (123)
Compare this with Pope Benedict XII (1336), as in the Catholic Encyclopedia: “We define that the souls of all the saints in heaven have seen and do see the Divine Essence by direct intuition and face to face [visione intuitivâ et etiam faciali], in such wise that nothing created intervenes as an object of vision, but the Divine Essence presents itself to their immediate gaze, unveiled, clearly and openly; moreover, that in this vision they enjoy the Divine Essence, and that, in virtue of this vision and this enjoyment, they are truly blessed and possess eternal life and eternal rest" (Denzinger, Enchiridion, ed. 10, n. 530--old edition, n, 456; cf. nn. 693, 1084, 1458 old, nn. 588, 868 as in the Catholic Encyclopedia, “Heaven”).
"Hereditary guilt, however, did not enter the world through Adam, nor did all men transgress God's commandment in his person. Through Adam sin came into the world, and through sin, death. After his fall, all Adam's descendents succumbed to sin, and for this reason they did not escape death. For those whose condition is spiritual death, the death of the body is a benevolent concession on God's part, since by means of it the course of sin is interrupted and evil is not perpetuated." (25)
"The teaching of the anti-hesychasts and the Latins on the salvation of man through the created grace of God, conflicting as it did with the fundamental patristic tenet according to which the regeneration and deification of man are not brought about by created means, formed the main target of Palamas' attack. The Spirit of God, he says, accomplishes man's deification by means of the energy and grace natural to him, and not by created means or through his own essence. The energy of the Holy Spirit, though it differs from the divine essence, is not separated from it; on the contrary, it brings man into union with God." (35 - 36)
“But Palamas goes even further, linking the doctrine relating to the procession of the Holy Spirit ‘also from the Son’ to the denial of the uncreated nature of divine grace. In answer to the question, ‘Why did the Barlaam struggle so hard to refute the uncreated nature of divine grace?’ Palamas says, ‘He has given what strength he possesses to his fellow Latins, so that cunningly and even forcibly he may seduce us to their teaching.’ For, he continues, if uncreated grace does not exist, then the spirit conferred by the Son, which according to the testimony of the fathers is uncreated, is not the uncreated energy but the actual hypostasis of the Spirit.” (37)
“Palamas follows in the line of synthetic biblical anthropology and he bitterly opposes of the dualistic anthropological tendencies of Barlaam. The latter condemned the monks because they sought for the return of the intellect to the body, not an ecstasy outside it. But an ecstasy requiring a rejection of the body is altogether incompatible with synthetic biblical anthropology and Palamas describes it as a fiendish invention and as a continuation of ancient Greek delusions.” (84)
“God, invisible and nonparticipable in His essence, becomes visible and participable in the Spirit to the faithful, by virtue of His energy.” (97)
“Palamas accepts that there is an immediate and personal communion between God and man, while Barlaam sets God beyond the world and rejects the possibility of there being any direct personal relationship or communion between Him and finite man.” (99)
“On the day of the transfiguration, when God’s uncreated grace had not yet been given to man, it illuminated the three disciples from without through the medium of their corporeal sight; but it is subsequently bestowed on the faithful through the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist and dwells with in them, illuminating from within the eyes of the soul.” (101)
“God, says Palamas, is and remains in his essence transcendent and nonparticipable; neither men nor angels may know his essence or participate in it. Yet, in spite of this, He preserves a real and immediate relationship with the world through his natural energy, which, being the radiance of the divine nature, is itself uncreated.” (104)
“If one rejects this distinction between essence and energy in God, then one must either view even the created world as an effulgence of the divine nature, and consequently as ‘one in essence with God,’ or one must reduce the other two persons of the Trinity to the level of created things, because in such a case ‘creation’ differs in no way from ‘generation’ or ‘procession.’” (107)
“There is then, according to the inspired theologians, a subordinate divinity, as the great Dionysius says; for deification is the gift of the transcendent essence of God.” (Palamas, Letter to Akindynos 15, Works 1, p. 306 as in Mantzaridis, p. 110)
Compare this with Ludwig Ott: “In the year 1148, a Synod at Rheims, in the presence of Pope Eugene III, condemned, on the instance of St. Bernard of Clairvaux, the doctrine of Gilbert of Poitiers, who, according to the accusation of his opponents, posited a real difference between Deus and Divinitas, so that there would result a quaternity in God (Three Persons plus Godhead); this teaching, which is not obvious in Gilbert's writings, was rejected at the Council of Rheims (1148) in the presence of Pope Eugene III (D. 389 Archived 2011-01-20 at the Wayback Machine et seq.)" (Ludwig Ott, Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma [Tan Books and Publishers, 1974], p. 28 as in Wikipedia, “Essence–energies distinction”)
“for to become God and to attain God‘s Kingdom is one and the same thing.” (Palamas, Longer Apology, cod. Coisl. 99, fol. 11a. as in Mantzaridis, 121)
“Thus for Palamas the vision of God ‘face to face’ does not mean the vision of his essence but of his divine radiance, which, fully transmitted to the human nature that was united hypostatically with the Logos of God, is thereby rendered participable and visible to mankind in the Holy Spirit.” (123)
Compare this with Pope Benedict XII (1336), as in the Catholic Encyclopedia: “We define that the souls of all the saints in heaven have seen and do see the Divine Essence by direct intuition and face to face [visione intuitivâ et etiam faciali], in such wise that nothing created intervenes as an object of vision, but the Divine Essence presents itself to their immediate gaze, unveiled, clearly and openly; moreover, that in this vision they enjoy the Divine Essence, and that, in virtue of this vision and this enjoyment, they are truly blessed and possess eternal life and eternal rest" (Denzinger, Enchiridion, ed. 10, n. 530--old edition, n, 456; cf. nn. 693, 1084, 1458 old, nn. 588, 868 as in the Catholic Encyclopedia, “Heaven”).
May 16, 2020
This book rocked my world. I wish I’d read it sooner and know I will read it again. The approachable and understandable explanations of God, deification, the point of the spiritual life, Uncreated Light, etc in the writings of St Gregory Palamas helped clarify the motivation and trajectory of my own spiritual journey.
July 23, 2023
"And we have learned that those only are deified who have lived near to God in holiness and virtue; and we believe that those who live wickedly and do not repent are punished in everlasting fire." -Justin the Philosopher (a.k.a. Justin Martyr), A.D. 130
I had always known "deification" was a core idea of the Orthodox church. However, the moment I came across this quote, the dam broke, and I knew I had to join the Orthodox Church.
This book offers incredible illumination on the subject. Incredibly glad to have read it. Will likely read it again in the future.
I had always known "deification" was a core idea of the Orthodox church. However, the moment I came across this quote, the dam broke, and I knew I had to join the Orthodox Church.
This book offers incredible illumination on the subject. Incredibly glad to have read it. Will likely read it again in the future.
August 17, 2020
This is a very thorough review of some of the most salient features of St Gregory of Palamas' theology. The author takes Palamas' polemics and other writings and organizes and presents them in a very systematic and helpful way that helps the reader digest the importance of this great theologian's contribution to Christian thought.
September 10, 2025
A theological perspective
April 27, 2011
A good overview of the teachings on Theosis by St Gregory Palamas. A good read, a little heavy at times, but then again the subject is.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews