Changed into God… Reflections on Theosis

A few weeks ago I was driving to Michigan from my home in Chicago. I was excited to see my family there, and also my wife who had gone before me a few days. I love seeing my family. There is no other group of people that reflect who I am. I am a little like my Mother, a little like my brothers, a little like my sister, more like my Father then I care to admit, and I am quite a bit like my wife, Joan. This is true of all of us. We have lived with our families for large portions of our lives. Over time things just seem to rub off.

On my way home I started listening the latest MeWithoutYou CD

It’s All Crazy! It’s All False! It’s All a Dream! It’s Alright. I had never listened to it the whole way through. Near the end of the CD I heard this amazing song I had never heard before it was called  The King Beetle On A Coconut Estate. 
It’s a story about some beetles that are trying to figure out what fire is. The song is really a parable about trying to know God. There is a surprise ending, so I don’t want to ruin it for you, but I have to say I started weeping when I heard it, and I’m not sure why.

Give it a listen... Tell me what you think

The ending chant is “why not be utterly changed into fire.” This reminded me of a theological idea that is found in the Eastern Orthodox Church. It’s called theosis. It comes from the greek word, Θέωσις that means “Making Divine.” It states that humans can become like God.

The theory behind it is kind of similar to why I am like me family.

1. I participate in life with my family.
2. I pick up on the way they live.
3. I begin to live in that way.

The way I understand Theosis is like this:

1. In prayer we find union with God, and an understanding we are created in his image.
2. in the life and teaching of Jesus see what it means to live as a Divine Human.
3. We spend eternity with God so we begin to participate with his life more and more.

In a way it’s similar to sanctification. In a way it’s different.

Sanctification seems to be about sinning no more.
Theosis seems more concerned with complete union with God.
Sanctification focuses on good fruit, Theosis focuses on a good tree.

Both are good perspectives, but Theosis stirs my heart more.

I like spending time with my wife a great deal more then trying to figure out exactly how she has impacted me.