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The god 'human' and human gods. Models of deification in Irenaeus and the Apocryphon of john
Litwa, David
Litwa, David
Author
Abstract
This article cempares two models of early Christian deification. Both models posit the reality of a human God, but in different ways. One model, represented by the Apocryphon ofjohn, posits a transcendent God Human whose divine essence is protologically given to humans made in his/her image. The other model, represented by Irenaeus of Lyon, posits a historical God-human whose incarnation paves the way for humans to participate in the immortality of God. In the first model, human and divine nature exist on a continuum, permitting human-divine union and even identity In the second, an ontological divide separates humans from God, allowing at most a participation in divine attributes. The comparison takes account of other similarities and differences in these two early Christian visions of deification, allowing for a full appreciation of both their diverse aspects and common core.
Keywords
Date
2014
Type
Journal article
Journal
Journal of Ancient Christianity
Book
Volume
18
Issue
1
Page Range
70-94
Article Number
ACU Department
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Open Access Status
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Controlled