Divine Indwelling: Deification in the Spiritual Theology of St Bonaventure

Written to commemorate the 750th anniversary of St. Bonaventure's death in 1274, Divine Indwelling is the fourth of Douglas Dales' comprehensive studies of the theology of St. Bonaventure. Deification, the belief that God can be directly known through Jesus Christ by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, is becoming increasingly important in current theological thought, and unites Eastern and Western Christianity. This book explores deification in Bonaventure's distinctive teaching, and through close study of his various writings, reveals that deification is an important and uniting theme within his thought. As with the preceding books, Divine Indwelling acts as a bridge into the thought of Bonaventure, whilst addressing the spiritual needs of the modern Church. Beginning with the New Testament texts that support belief in the divine promise of deification, Douglas Dales reveals Bonaventure's deep belief that deification is an immediate spiritual reality and the vocation for any Christian.