Key insights

• ⛪ The concept of theosis involves personal communion with God.
• 🙏 Christ's role as the new Adam orients human freedom towards God.
• 🌟 The theotokos, as the new Eve, played a fundamental and irreplaceable role in the Incarnation of the new Adam.
• 👑 The theotokos is honored and venerated in the church, holding a significant place after the Holy Trinity.
• 🕊️ The Panagia is revered in the Orthodox Church as the boundary between the created and uncreated and is central to the Incarnation and theosis of man.
• 🖼️ The representation of theosis in Orthodox Church architecture and icons.
• ✝️ The church is the place of theosis, offering the new life of Christ through its Mysteries and Divine worship.
• 🌌 Man can become a God only within the church, Communion and grace within the church are not available elsewhere.

Q&A

• What is the purpose of human life in Orthodox faith?

  The purpose of human life in Orthodox faith is theosis – to unite with holy God and experience joy and fulfillment. The image of God in man drives the desire for union with God and theosis, which is considered the ultimate goal of human life. Western Heretics do not accept the distinction between the essence and energy of God, leading to a different understanding of the purpose of human life.

• How does Orthodox theology explain the communication of God with his creatures?

  According to Orthodox theology, the uncreated energy of God allows him to communicate with and influence his creatures without making them identical to him. These uncreated energies deify man and enable communion with God without becoming identical with him.

• Why is the Orthodox Church considered the sole place for communion with God and theosis of man?

  The Orthodox Church is considered the sole place for communion with God and theosis of man. It is believed that man can become a God only within the church and that communion and grace within the church are not available elsewhere.

• How does the Orthodox Church view the union with Christ?

  The Orthodox Church views the union with Christ as achievable through becoming members of Christ's body, which can be living or dead and can be enlivened through repentance to receive Divine Life. Baptism and communion are considered essential for becoming members of Christ's body. The church is considered the place of theosis, offering the new life of Christ through its Mysteries and Divine worship.

• Why is the theotokos venerated in the Eastern Orthodox church?

  The theotokos, also known as the Panagia, is revered in the Orthodox Church as the boundary between the created and uncreated, and is central to the Incarnation and theosis of man. The Panagia is considered more honorable than the cherubim and incomparably more glorious than the seraphim.

• What is the concept of theosis in the Eastern Orthodox church?

  The concept of theosis in the Eastern Orthodox church involves personal communion with God. It emphasizes the role of Christ as the new Adam orienting human freedom towards God and the fundamental role of the theotokos, as the new Eve, in the Incarnation of the new Adam. The theotokos is honored and venerated in the church, holding a significant place after the Holy Trinity.

• 00:07 The video explains the concept of theosis and how humans can become perfect through personal communion with God, as taught in the Eastern Orthodox church for the past 2,000 years. It emphasizes the role of Christ and the theotokos in guiding humanity towards obedience to God and the veneration of the theotokos in the church.
• 04:34 The Panagia is revered in the Orthodox Church as the boundary between the created and uncreated and is central to the Incarnation and theosis of man.
• 10:32 Members of Christ's body can be living or dead, but can be enlivened through repentance and receive Divine Life. Baptism and communion are essential for becoming members of Christ's body. The church is the place of theosis, offering the new life of Christ through its Mysteries and Divine worship.
• 14:25 The Orthodox Church is considered the sole place for communion with God and theosis of man. Only within the church can man become a God. The church offers the possibility to unite with God through grace and communion, which cannot be found elsewhere.
• 18:32 The uncreated energy of God, according to Orthodox theology, enables God to communicate with and influence his creatures without making them identical to him. These energies deify man and allow communion with God without becoming identical with him.
• 22:28 The purpose of human life in Orthodox faith is theosis - to unite with holy God and experience joy and fulfillment. The image of God in man drives the desire for union with God and theosis, which is the ultimate goal of human life. Western Heretics do not accept the distinction between the essence and energy of God, leading to a different understanding of the purpose of human life.