Deification in the Greek patristic tradition was the fulfilment of the destiny for which humanity was created - not merely salvation from sin but entry into the fullness of the divine life of the Trinity. This book, the first on the subject for over sixty years, traces the history of deification
from its birth as a second-century metaphor with biblical roots to its maturity as a doctrine central to the spiritual life of the Byzantine Church. Drawing attention to the richness and diversity of the patristic approaches from Irenaeus to Maximus the Confessor, Norman Russell offers a full
discussion of the background and context of the doctrine, at the same time highlighting its distinctively Christian character.
1. Introduction
2. Deification in the Graeco-Roman World
3. The Jewish Paradigm: From Ezekiel to the yored merkavah
4. The Earliest Christian Model: Participatory Union with Christ
5. The Alexandrian Tradition I: Christian Schools and Study-Circles
6. The Alexandrian Tradition
II: The Imposition of Episcopal Control
7. The Cappadocian Approach: Divine Transcendence and the Ascent of the Soul
8. The Monastic Synthesis: The Achievement of Maximus the Confessor
9. Epilogue
There are no Instructor/Student Resources available at this time.
Norman Russell was formerly Vice-Provost of the London Oratory and is now an independent scholar.
