Fellow Workers with God: Orthodox Thinking On Theosis
A book just added to my book ordering queue.
Asked about the Orthodox Christian doctrine of salvation, many people will hastily tell you that it has to do with “theosis” or “deification.” But few can explain what “theosis” actually means, and fewer still can do so with a broad and deep knowledge of the Church Fathers. Drawing on ancient and modern sources, and building on his magisterial study, The Doctrine of Deification in the Greek Patristic Tradition, Norman Russell here presents this teaching with breathtaking clarity without compromising its genuine complexity. This book stands out from others on the subject as a model of lucidity and reliability, and will enthrall specialists and non-specialists alike....a careful historical-theological analysis and comprehensive coverage of the major primary and secondary sources....providing the reader with a crisp, well-informed guide through the major issues. Paul M. Blowers, Emmanuel School of Religion
This is highly to be commended – [Russell] has managed an enviable feat for a writer – hitting a marvelous literary style and tone of approach....making high theology understandable. Fr. John McGuckin, Union Theological Seminary
Norman Russell is an independent scholar who has written widely on Orthodox themes, specializing in early Greek patristics and fourteenth-century hesychasm.
Contents:
- Foreword
- Introduction - What Is Theosis?
- Theosis and the Economy of Salvation
- The Biblical Foundations of Theosis
- Image and Likeness
- The Transfiguration of the Believer
- Self-Transcendence
- Participation in the Divine Life
- Union with God
- Epilogue - Do You Live It?
- Bibliography and Further Reading
- Index
Sounds like a very good book. Thanks for suggesting it!
ReplyDeleteI look forward to the Epilogue - hoping it helps answer the question How do you live it?
Very much agreed. Many books cover right mindset, but few cover right action in a way that makes the material come to life. I can and have read through hundreds of pages on theosis and faith about how I should understand a topic, but rarely do they get into the "application" area. Eastern Christian scholarship of today is still very academic. I foresee growth in the application area as writers progress from the "convert fervor" books (that are being cranked out an an alarming rate) aka the journey-looking-back to books on the journey-looking-forward.
ReplyDeleteP.S. I've enjoyed reading your Evagrius posts.