Origen on Eternal Progression
Origen
“
Men should escape from being men, and hasten to become gods.
”
Commentary on John, The Ante-Nicene Fathers, page 325, Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson, eds., Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 1994
Related Quotes
SilvanusHe [Christ] who has exalted man became like God, not in order that he might bring God down to man, but that man might become like God.
James E. TalmageIt is reasonable to believe, in the absence of direct revelation by which alone absolute knowledge of the matter could be acquired, that, in accordance with God’s plan of eternal progression, advancement from grade to grade within any kingdom, and from kingdom to kingdom, will be provided for.
Heber C. KimballOur God is a natural man . . . where did he get his knowledge from? From his father, just as we get our knowledge from our earthly parents.
More from Origen
Thou shalt resemble Him . . . having made thee even God to his glory.
. . . from Him there began the union of the divine with the human nature. This was so that the human – by communion with the divine – might rise to be divine. This not only happened in Jesus, but also in all those who not only believe, but enter upon the life that Jesus taught.