Deification in the Latin Patristic Tradition

Book Description

This scholarly exploration challenges a long-standing assumption about early Christian theology by revealing how deeply the concept of deification was woven into Western Christian thought. Rather than being an exclusively Eastern tradition, the doctrine of becoming united with the divine emerges as a fundamental theme that shaped Latin theological understanding from its earliest foundations.

Through careful examination of major Latin patristic sources, this collection demonstrates how Western Church fathers consistently embraced and developed the transformative vision of human participation in divine nature. The contributors present compelling evidence that deification was not a foreign import but rather an indigenous element of Latin Christianity, one that was thoughtfully adapted and creatively expressed across centuries of theological development.

For readers interested in the evolution of Christian spirituality, this work offers fresh insights into how the early Church understood the ultimate purpose of faith and spiritual practice. The book reveals that the Western tradition possessed its own rich vocabulary for describing the soul's journey toward divine union, challenging modern assumptions about theological differences between East and West.

By uncovering this hidden dimension of Latin Christianity, the volume provides a more complete picture of how early Christian thinkers envisioned the transformative potential of spiritual life. This research opens new pathways for understanding the universal human longing for transcendence and divine connection that transcends denominational boundaries.