Homo deificatus

Abstract

Theosis (deificatio) was one of the major theological topics early in both, Eastern and Western Churches. The concept of theosis wouldn’t be a favorite tool for contemporary theologians to express the basic call of the human being to become like God (moral perfection). The human being was created as an image of God and through the grace is to become His resemblance (similitude). The process of deification is a way of transforming the human being with the power of God’s grace operating in the sacraments of the Church, in God’s similitude – as far as it is possible in this life. It doesn’t mean that the human being would become literary God but rather that he or she would become fully human. This article is an attempt at illustrating this process based on the teaching of the Fathers of the Church and their contemporary commentators.