John Wesley and T. F. Torrance on Pneumatology, Theosis, and a Breath of Life

Although John Wesley and Thomas F. Torrance are rarely put into conversation, they both develop creative theologies of theosis that have much to offer Christians, especially those in declining Wesleyan and Reformed communities. Both accounts of theosis combine the traditionally Eastern doctrine with Western Protestant concerns, both affirm the created world while speaking of its fulfillment, and both suggest humans become more fully human as they participate in the Spirit. This intersection in Torrance’s and Wesley’s theologies complicates their otherwise stark differences on matters of justification, sanctification, and human participation in the gracious work of God. Forming a theology of human participation in the Spirit with the guidance of Wesley, Torrance, and key contemporary interpreters of their work is more than an engaging academic exercise. Claiming such a theology compels Christians to embrace the New Creation here and now, and in the process, it might breathe new life into dying denominations that carry Reformed or Wesleyan banners.