The Christian Church in the East has long held a way of understanding atonement that is different. Those who are gamers will ironically get this quicker than the rest of us and likely feel more comfortable with it. It is known as Theosis and simply means the process of turning us into gods.

In D&D and many gaming world's it is possible to actually level up your character to the point where your character becomes a demi-god or an actual God in that world. In real life, Jesus brings us 'eternal life' and in ancient thought, gods and 'eternal beings' are pretty much the same thing. In theosis the point is that in real life we 'level up' to become more like God - in all that we are. We were after all made in God's image. The aim of life then, is for that image - which humanity has blurred and blotched for thousands of years - to become more and more a true image of God.

The most famous illustration of this is a lump of iron placed in the blacksmith's fire. Gradually the fire permeates the entire lump of iron, burning away the dross, heating it up until it glows from within, yet the iron stays iron, even while being transfromed. That's a picture for us of what it is to have God's Spirit filling you, permeating you gradually at a rate you can handle, gradually transfroming us from within, while never destroying who we are.

In simple things or in the very deepest experiances of your life, you will find completeness and perfection by seeking the Father in Spirit and as Spirit. - J.S. Goldsmith

How is this linked with atonement?

The Eastern Orthodox understand atonement in terms of how Jesus made the transformation possible. An ancient Orthodox Bishop, Maximus the Confessor, suggested a simple way of thinking about it. Which we will look at along with the Narnia Series representation later this week.