The God ‘Human’ and Human Gods. Models of Deification in Irenaeus and the Apocryphon of John

Abstract This article compares two models of early Christian deification. Both models posit the reality of a human God, but in different ways. One model, represented by the Apocryphon of John, posits a transcendent God Human whose divine essence is protologically given to humans made in his/her image. The other model, represented by Irenaeus of Lyon, posits a historical God-human whose incarnation paves the way for humans to participate in the immortality of God. In the first model, human and divine nature exist on a continuum, permitting human-divine union and even identity. In the second, an ontological divide separates humans from God, allowing at most a participation in divine attributes. The comparison takes account of other similarities and differences in these two early Christian visions of deification, allowing for a full appreciation of both their diverse aspects and common core.