It is fascinating to observe the total absence of the doctrine of justification by faith in large segments of Orthodox history and theology. Instead, the idea of theosis or “deification” takes center stage. The startling aphorism—attributed to many early church fathers, including the champion of trinitarianism, Athanasius—summed it up well: “God became man so that men might become gods.” In fact, theosis enjoys the support of Scripture, as in 2 Peter 1:4: “[God] has given us his very great and precious