{"id":1663,"date":"2021-05-16T03:35:34","date_gmt":"2021-05-16T01:35:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/heavenuponearth.com\/?p=1663"},"modified":"2021-11-25T15:15:14","modified_gmt":"2021-11-25T13:15:14","slug":"restoring-the-theology-of-deification-in-the-contemporary-coptic-orthodox-church","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/heavenuponearth.com\/?p=1663","title":{"rendered":"Restoring the Theology of Deification in the Contemporary Coptic Orthodox Church!"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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In his book\u00a0New Heresies<\/em>\u00a0(2007), the 117th<\/sup>\u00a0Coptic Pope of Alexandria, Shenouda the third (1923-2012), assailed the concept of\u00a0deification<\/em>\u00a0(or\u00a0theosis<\/em>) considering it a new heresy which invaded the monastic community in Egypt during the second half of the 20th<\/sup>\u00a0century. The former Pope wrote that deification was the first sin of the fallen angel.[1]<\/a>\u00a0He claimed that no one among the early fathers wrote or taught about this concept.[2]<\/a>\u00a0Pope Shenouda encouraged the monks who teach about deification to repent and to leave this unauthentic teaching.[3]<\/a>\u00a0Although Pope Shenouda was a respectful teacher and a strong apologist, there is no doubt that his thoughts on deification, compared to the patristic literature, were not accurate at all. Any proper study of the patristic thought refutes Pope Shenouda\u2019s argument and proves the authenticity of the idea of deification in the patristic thought.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Among many early writers, for instance, Athanasius, the 20<\/span>th<\/sup>\u00a0Pope of Alexandria (c. 297-373), wrote about the idea of deification much more frequently than anyone of his predecessors.<\/span>[4]<\/a>\u00a0His statement, \u201cfor He was made man that we might be made God; and He manifested Himself by a body that we might receive the idea of the unseen Father,\u201d<\/span>[5]<\/a>\u00a0is considered the chief patristic reference to deification. According to Norman Russell, Athanasius understands deification on two different levels, ontological and ethical.<\/span>[6]<\/a>\u00a0Those who experience deification are \u201cthose who on the ontological level have been united to the Logos by the grace of adoption, while on the moral level they have become like God through imitation and progress in virtue.\u201d<\/span>[7]<\/a>\u00a0It could be noted that Athanasius focused on the ontological level of deification (the participation in the deified humanity of the Logos) in his anti-Arian writings, as well as\u00a0<\/span>On the Incarnation of the Word<\/em>, while in the\u00a0<\/span>Life of Anthony<\/em>, he indicated the ethical level (diligence and imitation of Christ).<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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In the\u00a0<\/span>Life of Anthony<\/em>, Athanasius shows how his contemporary, Anthony the Great (c. 251-356),\u00a0attained this experience of deification through diligence and progress in virtue during his monastic life. Spiritual warfare appears as an essential component within Anthony\u2019s monastic journey. Dale Coulter highlighted that Anthony\u2019s body was the locus of the demonic attacks and temptations (lusts and assaults), as shown in the\u00a0<\/span>Life of Anthony<\/em>.<\/span>[8]<\/a>\u00a0In this context, it could be noted that the evil spirits were trying to hinder Anthony, by using (or attacking) his\u00a0<\/span>body<\/em>, from attaining his endeavor towards deification, which is seen in Athanasius\u2019 thought as participation in the\u00a0<\/span>deified humanbody<\/em>\u00a0of the Logos. Many scholars assert that Spiritual warfare could never be correctly understood in the monastic tradition except in the context of deification and restoration of the first image. Spiritual warfare is basically to hinder the believer from attaining the goal of the Christian life, which is deification, according to the Eastern tradition. According to Athanasius, Anthony the Great defeated the evil spirits, became \u201cpassionless,\u201d and reached a state of \u201cdispassionate tranquility\u201d (<\/span>apatheia<\/em>), which is \u201cthe flower of the ascetic life.\u201d<\/span>[9]<\/a>\u00a0The Synergy between grace and diligence is noticeable in Athanasius\u2019 writings.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Abba Anthony the Great<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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Back to the Egyptian context, the contemporary Pope of Alexandria, Tawadros the Second, has permitted the re-publishing of these writings on deification that were forbidden by Pope Shenouda, a step that could indicate a restoration of this authentic belief that was attacked for decades by the clergy in the Coptic Church.<\/span><\/p>\n

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References<\/h4>\n

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