What does it mean to become “partakers of the divine nature”? In this edition of In Focus, Dr. Daniel Keating explores the rich Christian doctrine of deification—from its biblical foundations to its development in the early Church. Drawing on Scripture, the Church Fathers, and sacramental theology, Keating traces how deification is not merely symbolic but a real participation in God’s life, made possible through Christ, the Holy Spirit, and the Church.

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Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Deification
01:48 Defining Deification
03:47 Scriptural Foundations of Deification
12:04 Old Testament Insights
23:20 New Testament Perspectives
24:47 Terminology of Deification
29:08 The Exchange Formula
31:06 Deification in Christian Doctrine
31:33 Understanding Deification in Christian Doctrine
34:30 The Role of the Holy Spirit in Deification
36:29 Theological Anthropology and Human Nature
39:10 Salvation and Deification: A Deeper Connection
42:04 Receiving and Appropriating Deification
46:45 The Church's Role in Deification
49:57 Cosmic Deification and the New Creation
51:05 Ontological Questions in Deification
58:44 Concluding Thoughts on Deification