Sorry, my friend, but this is not true- especially the first quotation you gave that tries to claim deification as “Orthodox” and not Catholic by falsely claiming it as a “difference” between the churches.
One of the other things that draw me to Orthodox christianity is its stance on deification, or theosis: In most protestant and in Catholic theology, it’s all about the “vicarious atonement,” that now allows us as humans to enter Heaven, where in Catholic theology we can lose salvation and we are commanded to try to conform ourselves to being Christ-like, but the empahsis isn’t as much as in the Orthodox church.
I don’t know what “Catholic theology” you’re talking about- Certainly not the theology found in the encyclicals of the Popes, the Catechism, the Doctors and Saints of the Catholic Church. The Spiritual theology of the Catholic Church is ALL and COMPLETELY about what we Catholics call divinization/Sanctification and is deification- being divinized/transformed into Divine love (which in CC theology is God himself) and sharing his own essence, and no- that is not new.
I really suggest that you should explore the immensely rich spiritual tradition of your own church while you explore Orthodoxy’s to avoid being mislead by the false suggestions such as the ones manifest in the quotations you gave above, a false belief easily picked up when reading too many polemicist arguments w/out having acquainted yourself with Catholic Spiritual theology and the Western Saints and Doctors. I thank God that I was well acquainted with Sts. John of the Cross, Teresa of Avila, Therese de Lisieux, Catherine of Siena, St. Benedict, St Josemaria Escriva, St Thomas Aquinas, Popes, Catechism etc before I ever delved into this kind of religious comparison with other faiths and churches, because it has kept me safe from being drawn in by this type of false characterization of the CC. These Saints are the guides and authorities of Catholic Spiritual theology and the very idea that it is not
entirely deification that they teach and guide is impossible to claim for anyone that knows them.
The Orthodox postion of theosis, of the whole point of life and religion is to master our “passions” or sins and become like Christ, like God, is appealing, however, it also seems like a lot of work. All the official Orthodox theology pages I’ve resarched stress the sacramental or aesthetic life: of constant prayer, fasting, almsgiving, and Mass or Liturgy/“Sacred Mysteries” attendance.
I found this paragraph really puzzling- This IS Catholic- There’s nothing peculiarly “Orthodox” about this!
For many Western Catholics and Protestants like me, making that much of a lifestyle change is very difficult, if not impossible.
No, my friend- For HUMANS, making this kind of change is difficult and literally impossible without grace.
We’d rather go to Mass and Confession, obey all the bare minimums of the Church’s precepts, or, as some Protestants, just accept Jesus as savior and that’s it, period. Oh, yeah, maybe read the Bible, say a prayer now and then, and, if you feel up to it, “fellowship” with other believers on a weekend or two. (Of course, I am only speaking of a select portion of the Catholic and protestant population, not for everyone.)
What you describe here is a problem of the modern age- Apathy, lukewarmness etc. I happen to live in a country with a sizeable population of Orthodox and I’m sorry to inform you that they are no more immune to this type of “do the required minimum” and mostly not even that, type of living than are Catholics. I’ve not read any statistics that suggest that people in Orthodox Countries are any less apathetic to religion as the rest of Europe and the Western Countries. It also surprises me that while you want to live the sacramental life you somehow miss the absolutely immense value of the mass and confession. Attending the crucifixion, eating God and being made completely clean are not just bare minimums-
No body can do this faithfully and consistently in his life and not become a Saint (aka deified). If you believe in the presence of God in the Eucharist and Grace in sacraments, you will not have a hard time believing this.
Now, the CC in particular has been undergoing an acute crisis in the past few decades that is certainly (finally, thank Heaven!) being fixed. But please, please, do not conflate the irreligious effects of the modern crisis (as if this were the first crisis in the history of the Church) with the historical and current, spiritual and theological tradition of the church, especially as regards to sanctification- the very reason d’etre of the Church!
I would like to live more of a sacramental or aesthetic life, but I find myself drawn to the world and worldly things too much and find it difficult, if not downright impossible, to master my “passions” or sins. Yet, that does sound like to me the whole point of following Christ, of being a Christian: to master our sins (“passions”) and become Christ-like. Not just to be forgiven of my sins (past, present, and future) and have an eternally secured ticket (Blessed Assurance) to Heaven. So am I just dooomed? Thoughts? What do you think about "theosis"?
My friend, it seems that you are among the millions of Catholics who have suffered from the awful effects of the modernist crisis which has robbed you of your spiritual heritage by not making it readily accessible to you (through awareness)- but rest assured there is more than enough wisdom to make you a saint in the CC. Here’s a friendly challenge to you, Just pick up one of the classical books, like St Francis de Sales, St. Ignatius of Loyola
and begin to do what it says, or St. Teresa etc, or pick a more modern guide (in fact I recommend it)- St Josemaria Escriva is IMHO (and a Pope!) absolutely perfect.
Do that for a while and come back and tell me if all those problems you highlight in your struggles do not find the perfect remedy in the saints and doctors, and if you still feel starved spiritually. When you begin to experience your need for a Spiritual Director, look for an Opus Dei centre/institution. Their priests are great guides in the spiritual life and readily avail themselves to the laity for frequent confession and spiritual direction. I guess, I’m just asking you and all those Catholics reading this, to search the spiritual heritage of your church and obey the guidance of the saints who teach as
how to pray, practice self-denial (mortification) and dispose ourselves properly for the sacraments before claiming that these things are missing from the CC. The test of the pudding, is in the eating.
Peace.
