The Greek word θέωσις—deification—derives from the term Θεός (God) and refers to the path toward God or communion with Him. Thus, the entire debate between transhumanism and deification essentially revolves around the question of God’s existence. If God does not exist and the concept of divinity is meaningless, then deification becomes irrelevant, and transhumanism might be the ultimate proof of human insignificance, loneliness, agony, and despair—an endless attempt by man to become like God by imitating something that does not exist.
On the other hand, if God does exist and it is possible to commune with Him, then nothing could be better than to unite with Him, and nothing more pointless than transhumanism. The experience of deification is both irrefutable evidence of God’s existence and a confirmation of humanity’s potential to participate in communion with Him. God exists, and it is possible to commune with Him.
While the title of this reflection suggests a comparison, transhumanism and deification are ultimately incomparable; their aims and capacities do not stand in opposition to one another. They are two fundamentally different realities. Furthermore, the term transcendence is not always appropriate when applied to deification—especially if it implies the abolition of human nature, a concept more aligned with transhumanism.
However, transcendence can be understood in the context of deification as a divine legacy and the fulfillment of humanity’s ultimate purpose: participating in God’s grace and energy without abandoning or losing our human nature.
As we mentioned earlier, a fundamental prerequisite for understanding deification is faith in God. Faith, in this sense, does not mean merely accepting God’s existence based on logical arguments, psychological needs, fear, or societal pressure to adopt a religious identity. On the contrary, true faith is an internal conviction in the existence of God, who is the supreme Being, the Creator of the world, the Source of all goodness, and the Fountain of infinite wisdom.
But how can a person attain this kind of faith? In our time, such faith is not self-evident. The incomprehensible progress of science and the wide range of technological applications continue to foster our confidence in human abilities, which, in turn, diminishes our perceived need for God and strengthens our trust in human power, ingenuity, and skills.
When this self-reliance is combined with a life ruled by passions, doubt in the true God grows, and the search for divine power is replaced by reliance on meaningless coincidences or fleeting pleasures. We no longer need God, nor do we want Him, nor are we interested in Him. We reject Him; we are weary of religion. This is the prevailing spirit of our time.
For someone to believe, they must first feel the need and longing for God—not because they see themselves as small or weak, but because this is the only way to defeat their two greatest enemies: the ego and death. Through this, they can achieve liberation, become whole, and transcend the boundaries of their biological life, time, and insignificance. When someone has faith in God, they begin to understand the nature of existence and interpret the world, humanity, and life in a profoundly different way. The need for God ignites a desire for Him, making the question of His existence secondary, giving way to the pursuit of knowing God—whether He is an abstract idea, a higher power, a mystery, or a person. Ultimately, the question becomes: Who and what is the true God, and how can we approach Him?
The Orthodox Christian faith teaches that God is triune—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Christ, the Son, became man so that humanity might be deified through communion with God. Humanity’s greatest privilege is not the ability to prove God’s existence, but the potential to experience God’s love and live in communion with Him.
The human relationship with God unfolds in four stages.
- The first stage is the capacity to continually recognize God’s presence in one’s life—this is the stage of faith.
- The second stage involves drawing near to God and striving to become like Him—this is the stage of purification.
- The third stage is communication with God through prayer—this stage is called illumination.
- The fourth and final stage is union with God—this is the stage of deification, which is not a theoretical goal but a real experience.
Let us now take a closer look at the state of deification. It is the moment when God grants His grace, pouring out His energies upon the human soul, dwelling, acting, and moving within the person. The individual becomes immersed in the ocean of divine grace, experiencing God’s love and strength, and acquiring divine virtues and attributes—beauty, wisdom, and knowledge that surpass rational comprehension. Joy, peace, and love emerge that are so extraordinary they exceed what is naturally accessible to human beings. This state not only transcends human limitations but radically transforms them.
Through deification, the human person becomes, in a sense, a relative god. They are transfigured, gaining the ability to see and comprehend what is invisible, what lies beyond nature, reason, and human logic.
