The Influence of Theosis on Early Evangelicalism

Abstract

<p>The purpose of this thesis is to discover the influence that the Patristic father's concept of deification, called "theosis", had on Evangelicalism. The writings of the Patristic Fathers on theosis were grouped into four main categories: participation in the divine nature, recapitulation, union of the soul with God and progress of the soul in eternity. These four categories create a template that was used in determining the influence of theosis on Evangelicalism. In the middle of the eighteenth century a powerful religious movement swept across the British Isles and its possessions in North America, growing into what is known today as Evangelicalism. This research will show that theosis was present inthe theology of early evangelical leaders such as John and Charles Wesley, Jonathan Edwards and in particular, George Whitefield. While many good biographies are available on Whitefield, little has been written concerning the influence of theosis of his ministry.</p>