Georgios Patronos, The Theosis of Man. Under the light of the eschatological perception of the Orthodox Theology, Athens: Domos Editions, 19952, p. 308.
The reason for this book to be written was, according to the author, the short but inclusive essay of P.B. Bilaniuk with the title The Ministry of Theosis, where it is underlined the need of the correlation of theosis with eschatology, for the better understanding of biblical and patristic anthropology.
In his introduction, the author is examining systematically the meaning of theosis in the Hellenistic era, Platonism, Stoicism, Philon, Qumran, eastern religions, the eastern biblical tradition and the patristic teaching.
In his first chapter, Georgios Patronos is looking for the Theo centricity of theosis and its Christ centric elements, as they arise by the rich biblical and patristic tradition.
In the second chapter, using again the written sources, he is analyzing the pneumatological and ecclesiological understanding of theosis of man.
In the third chapter Patronos is presenting the ontological examination of theosis and in the fourth chapter the relation between theosis and orthodox spirituality. According to the author, the essential theosis of the whole person and the whole nature is accomplished in the frame of the orthodox tradition and spirituality. Additionally, the analysis of the organic and the functional relation between history and eschatology is essential for avoiding absolute approaches and understandings of history.
The book closes with select bibliography, an index of biblical references and quotations and an index of names and issues.