Part 1 - The Theosis/deification Teachings of Christ and His Apostles 1. Introduction 2. The Theosis/deification Teachings of Jesus Christ 3. The Theosis/deification Teachings of Christ’s Apostles in the Old World 4. The Theosis/deification Teachings of the Ante-Nicene Fathers Part 2 - Theosis/deification Teaching in Christianity after the 4th Century 5. Theosis/deification in Eastern Christianity 6. Theosis/deification in Latin/Western Christianity Part 3 – The Theosis/deification Teachings of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Introduction to LDS Materials 7. Theosis/deification in the Restored Church 8. Theosis/deification Teaching in Pre-Christian history and Restored Scripture 9. Theosis/deification in Non-Israelite Cultures before the Birth of Christ Part 4 – Final Conclusion 10. Summary and Conclusions
Biography
A. Keith Thompson has taught at the Sydney School of Law of the University of Notre Dame Australia since 2012. His previous legal career has included practice as a partner in a large commercial law firm in Auckland, New Zealand (1979-1991), and 20 years as General Counsel for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints through the Pacific (26 countries) and sub-Saharan Africa (37 countries). He has published more than 70 peer reviewed journal articles and book chapters, and 16 complete books in Australia, New Zealand, the United States, England, the Netherlands, France, Italy and Poland. Subject matter has included the law of evidence, Australian and comparative constitutional law, religious liberty, education law, international anti-corruption regulation, reconciliation with First Nations peoples, insolvency and comparative theology. His book titles include Religious Confession Privilege at Common Law (Brill, 2011), Trinity and Monotheism, A history and theological review of the origins and substance of the doctrine (Modotti Press, 2019) and A Collection of Insights flowing from the Book of Mormon (Ethics Press, 2022). Though christened in the Church of England, his volunteer church work has included service as a Bishop (Sydney, Australia), Stake President (Auckland, New Zealand) and Mission President (Wellington, New Zealand) in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
From the distant theological thunder boomed out by the Christian savant Irenaeus of Lyons (c. 130–200 CE), the teaching that humans can become like God has invited attention and demanded an answer. Will we or will we not? Irenaeus said it this way: “Our Lord Jesus Christ, who did, through His transcendent love, become what we are, that He might bring us to be even what He is Himself” (Adv. Haer., Pref. book 5). As Professor Thompson points out at the beginning of his work, the issue of theosis/deification has become a topic that has drawn a growing interest among scholars for at least the last twenty years. Dr. Thompson has thoughtfully and pusposefully stepped into the stream of ongoing discussion and, besides elucidating the views of other Christian believers, has set out a Latter-day Saint perspective whose theology and scriptural tradition forcefully insist that individuals and families can enjoy eternity with God Himself as His imitators (see Ephesians 5:1, most translations). An impressive element is the sweep of Professor Thompson’s study that leads readers from the Old Testament world through the outflow of Christianity, paying close attention to Jesus and three of his writing followers. A curious person quickly senses the broad, majestic swath cut by the principle of theosis/deification. Happy reading to those who want to learn more.
S. Kent Brown, Emeritus Professor of Ancient Scripture, Brigham Young University
Theosis, Deification, and the Power of Godliness authored by Professor A Keith Thompson with a Foreword by Professor P T Babie offers a rigorous, lucid and wide-ranging exploration of one of the enduring mysteries of the Christian Church. It brings together two of the most prominent and distinguished scholars who have the authority and knowledge to trace the history of the concept of theosis from antiquity to modern times and, in the process, cover a great number of religions. The book is undoubtedly a tour de force and I highly recommend it to those who are interested in religious, historical and philosophical analysis of the concepts of theosis and deification. You will not be disappointed by the erudition and deep knowledge displayed in this book. A masterpiece by any standard!
Gabriel Moens, Emeritus Professor of Law, The University of Queensland
Recent years have witnessed a renewed interest in Eastern Orthodox theology around the doctrine of theosis/deification, particularly among theologians in the Western churches. In this book, Keith Thompson provides a helpful survey of how various branches of Christianity have embraced this teaching. Thompson’s most significant contribution is to bring a scholarly Latter-day Saint voice to the discussion, providing an original theological viewpoint informed by the perspective of one of the most successful missionary religions of the past century. This book makes an important and pioneering contribution to the study deification in comparative theology.
Bernard Doherty, Associate Head of the School of Theology, Charles Sturt University
