Source: http://stots.org/node/335 (Indian Orthodox Rite)
What is the ultimate goal of human life? What is the main objective of spirituality? In Orthodox Christian perspective, the one word answer to this decisive question is Deification. Let us have a brief reflection on this very significant insight in the Orthodox Christian tradition.
The English word of deification, the Greek equivalent ‘theosis’ and its Malayalam equivalent ‘¤¤bpzKkYI’ refers to the process of becoming like God. Becoming like God means to be like Christ, the perfect presence of God in History. Deification points to the fulfillment of human being. The world famous Orthodox Christian theologian H.G. Dr. Paulos Mar Gregorios has defined deification as ‘humanization’ because it is a process of becoming fully human.
The English word of deification, the Greek equivalent ‘theosis’ and its Malayalam equivalent ‘¤¤bpzKkYI’ refers to the process of becoming like God. Becoming like God means to be like Christ, the perfect presence of God in History. Deification points to the fulfillment of human being. The world famous Orthodox Christian theologian H.G. Dr. Paulos Mar Gregorios has defined deification as ‘humanization’ because it is a process of becoming fully human.
Jesus exhorts us to be perfect ( St. Matthew 5:48). This is an advice to become like God. Christ’s first audience in Palestine had limited goals in life like getting more fish in fishing, abundant crop from their vineyards, liberation from the Roman Empire, social security of their generations etc. But Jesus broadens their thinking to have a higher vision of life that is to become virtuous like God whom they worshiped.
Can we become really like God? We can never become like God who is powerful and present everywhere simultaneously. Humans cannot inherit His qualities like eternity, omniscience, omnipresence etc. But there are many attributes of God which humans can also inherit and develop. We can have compassion, forgiveness, open mindedness, self emptying and sacrificial attitude of God. Deification means to grow in these qualities. The advice “to be divine partakers of divine nature” as mentioned in II Peter 1:4 refers to this process of divinization /deification.
It is through Christ, we know the nature of God. Jesus Christ is the best manifestation of the invisible God. He is not only a revelation of divine qualities, but also the source of empowerment for acquiring these qualities. Many of the ancient Christian fathers have described deification in relation to Christ. For example St. Athanasius wrote in 4 th century in his famous treatise On Incarnation that “the Son of God became man so that we might become divine”. On Sunday morning when we sing ‘Z9 sxiõI dxI e¢½yU¡px9 dÏ¡¤U sxiõip9 e¢½¡ ’ we remind ourselves the calling to be like Christ. The ultimate example or model for the fulfillment of our life is not only any priest, bishop or any member of the church, but it is none other than Jesus Christ. When St. Paul teaches in Philippians 2:5 “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus” he points out the importance of Christification or becoming like Christ.
In childhood the tendency is to imitate parents, teachers and later on friends or those who have secured glorious achievements. The media today glorifies the stars in sports, films, beauty contests, politics etc. In most of those cases, their special talents and their commitment to develop them are the secrets of their glory. To be like Sachin, Aishwarya Rai or Dr. Man Mohan Sing is not a call to all humans. But to be loving and holy like God or Christ is a divine call to all.
The church glorifies the lives of those who have progressed in deification to a considerable extend. They are saints today. In saints’ life we can experience Christ’s spirit and presence. Saints are icons of Christ and they manifest Christ like sacrificial love, humility and holiness. Their commitment to the well being of the people around them is note worthy. Their lives prove the fact that deification is a possible and realistic goal for humans in history.
We are initiated into Christ and His body, the Church, through baptism. Once we are in Christ, our duty is to grow towards the perfection of Christ. This progress is through communion with God. It is by being with God that we become like God. All spiritual exercises are meant to facilitate this spiritual growth or deification. Spiritual exercise like prayer, worship, fasting, silent meditation, Scripture reading, association with the Saints, use of sacraments etc are helping us to grow in communion with God.
The spiritual exercises can be compared to stretching out of human hands to receive grace from God to progress in theosis or deification. It is the grace of God i.e. the Holy Spirit who facilitates the spiritual progress in deification. In the beginning of the book of Genesis and also in Holy Qurbana the work of the Holy Spirit is depicted in terms of a Hen hovering over its eggs. When an egg receives heat from the mother Hen, the liquid inside gets transformed to become chicken. In all Human Beings Christ is potentially hidden. With the heat of the Holy Spirit, the potential Christ is blossomed in each one. As the hovering of the Holy Spirit over the offered bread and wine in Qurbana make them the Holy Body and Blood of Christ, the work of this Holy Spirit helps us to become Christ like.
So deification is a result of cooperation of spiritual exercises and divine grace. God helps humans to progress in salvation like a mother monkey who carries its kid who grabs on to the belly of its mother. A beautiful cooperation of mother and its kid in that progressive movement is notable. This is an apt image to explain the synergy of God and Man. This is different from how cat carries its kid while moving forward.
Movement towards perfection is integral part of life. The life which starts with a cell in mother’s womb progresses through embryo to a child and further advances to mature stages. Likewise a seed grows to be a full-fledged tree. In the field of education, finance, transportation, housing etc, a progressive evolution is evident. In spiritual life also a corresponding blooming and growth is expected from all. Being created in the image and likeness of God as described in the book of Genesis (1:26), all humans have this potential to be like God in love, freedom and creativity. The church as a loving and caring mother is very much concerned about the progress in deification of its each child. So let us make use of the help of the Church, our mother, in the life long process of deification, the progress towards the perfection of God. Becoming like God means to be fully human like Jesus Christ.
This deification can be equated to salvation and highlighted as the ultimate aim of Christian spiritual life in the Orthodox tradition. To be free from evil, to ensure the material well being, to enjoy healing, to have peace of mind and satisfaction, to have heavenly experience in the life after life etc are important. But the most important goal of worship and spiritual life is Deification or becoming like Christ. Those who are divinized will encourage the deification of the people around them. So human presence is to be a transforming presence of God in our homes, schools, workplaces and neighborhood to lead many to the fullness of life.
Can we become really like God? We can never become like God who is powerful and present everywhere simultaneously. Humans cannot inherit His qualities like eternity, omniscience, omnipresence etc. But there are many attributes of God which humans can also inherit and develop. We can have compassion, forgiveness, open mindedness, self emptying and sacrificial attitude of God. Deification means to grow in these qualities. The advice “to be divine partakers of divine nature” as mentioned in II Peter 1:4 refers to this process of divinization /deification.
It is through Christ, we know the nature of God. Jesus Christ is the best manifestation of the invisible God. He is not only a revelation of divine qualities, but also the source of empowerment for acquiring these qualities. Many of the ancient Christian fathers have described deification in relation to Christ. For example St. Athanasius wrote in 4 th century in his famous treatise On Incarnation that “the Son of God became man so that we might become divine”. On Sunday morning when we sing ‘Z9 sxiõI dxI e¢½yU¡px9 dÏ¡¤U sxiõip9 e¢½¡ ’ we remind ourselves the calling to be like Christ. The ultimate example or model for the fulfillment of our life is not only any priest, bishop or any member of the church, but it is none other than Jesus Christ. When St. Paul teaches in Philippians 2:5 “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus” he points out the importance of Christification or becoming like Christ.
In childhood the tendency is to imitate parents, teachers and later on friends or those who have secured glorious achievements. The media today glorifies the stars in sports, films, beauty contests, politics etc. In most of those cases, their special talents and their commitment to develop them are the secrets of their glory. To be like Sachin, Aishwarya Rai or Dr. Man Mohan Sing is not a call to all humans. But to be loving and holy like God or Christ is a divine call to all.
The church glorifies the lives of those who have progressed in deification to a considerable extend. They are saints today. In saints’ life we can experience Christ’s spirit and presence. Saints are icons of Christ and they manifest Christ like sacrificial love, humility and holiness. Their commitment to the well being of the people around them is note worthy. Their lives prove the fact that deification is a possible and realistic goal for humans in history.
We are initiated into Christ and His body, the Church, through baptism. Once we are in Christ, our duty is to grow towards the perfection of Christ. This progress is through communion with God. It is by being with God that we become like God. All spiritual exercises are meant to facilitate this spiritual growth or deification. Spiritual exercise like prayer, worship, fasting, silent meditation, Scripture reading, association with the Saints, use of sacraments etc are helping us to grow in communion with God.
The spiritual exercises can be compared to stretching out of human hands to receive grace from God to progress in theosis or deification. It is the grace of God i.e. the Holy Spirit who facilitates the spiritual progress in deification. In the beginning of the book of Genesis and also in Holy Qurbana the work of the Holy Spirit is depicted in terms of a Hen hovering over its eggs. When an egg receives heat from the mother Hen, the liquid inside gets transformed to become chicken. In all Human Beings Christ is potentially hidden. With the heat of the Holy Spirit, the potential Christ is blossomed in each one. As the hovering of the Holy Spirit over the offered bread and wine in Qurbana make them the Holy Body and Blood of Christ, the work of this Holy Spirit helps us to become Christ like.
So deification is a result of cooperation of spiritual exercises and divine grace. God helps humans to progress in salvation like a mother monkey who carries its kid who grabs on to the belly of its mother. A beautiful cooperation of mother and its kid in that progressive movement is notable. This is an apt image to explain the synergy of God and Man. This is different from how cat carries its kid while moving forward.
Movement towards perfection is integral part of life. The life which starts with a cell in mother’s womb progresses through embryo to a child and further advances to mature stages. Likewise a seed grows to be a full-fledged tree. In the field of education, finance, transportation, housing etc, a progressive evolution is evident. In spiritual life also a corresponding blooming and growth is expected from all. Being created in the image and likeness of God as described in the book of Genesis (1:26), all humans have this potential to be like God in love, freedom and creativity. The church as a loving and caring mother is very much concerned about the progress in deification of its each child. So let us make use of the help of the Church, our mother, in the life long process of deification, the progress towards the perfection of God. Becoming like God means to be fully human like Jesus Christ.
This deification can be equated to salvation and highlighted as the ultimate aim of Christian spiritual life in the Orthodox tradition. To be free from evil, to ensure the material well being, to enjoy healing, to have peace of mind and satisfaction, to have heavenly experience in the life after life etc are important. But the most important goal of worship and spiritual life is Deification or becoming like Christ. Those who are divinized will encourage the deification of the people around them. So human presence is to be a transforming presence of God in our homes, schools, workplaces and neighborhood to lead many to the fullness of life.
