Asked about the Orthodox Christian doctrine of salvation, many people will hastily tell you that it has to do with “theosis” or “deification.” But few can explain what “theosis” actually means, and fewer still can do so with a broad and deep knowledge of the Church Fathers. Drawing on ancient and modern sources, and building on his magisterial study, The Doctrine of Deification in the Greek Patristic Tradition, Norman Russell here presents this teaching with breathtaking clarity without compromising its genuine complexity. This book stands out from others on the subject as a model of lucidity and reliability, and will enthrall specialists and non-specialists alike.

Norman Russell is an independent scholar who has written widely on Orthodox themes, specializing in early Greek patristics and fourteenth-century hesychasm.

Contents:

• Foreword 
• Introduction - What Is Theosis? 
• Theosis and the Economy of Salvation 
• The Biblical Foundations of Theosis 
• Image and Likeness 
• The Transfiguration of the Believer 
• Self-Transcendence 
• Participation in the Divine Life 
• Union with God 
• Epilogue - Do You Live It? 
• Bibliography and Further Reading 
• Index