Divine energies
In Orthodox teaching, God's energies are His real activity and presence. Creatures can participate in God's life without comprehending or becoming the divine essence.
Key points
- The essence–energies distinction does not describe two gods or pieces of God.
- The Palamite synods applied this teaching to prayer and deification.
Scripture
- 2 Peter 1:4 — Participation in divine life is central to this discussion; this verse does not itself state the later essence–energies terminology.
- John 17:20-23 — Jesus prays for believers' communion with the Father and Son, an important background for the doctrine of participation.
Primary sources
Palamas writes:
Gregory Palamas explicitly calls God's energy uncreated and coeternal with God.
God's energy is uncreated and coeternal with God, according to the theologians.
Passage context and translation
Palamas distinguishes God's uncreated activity from its created effects while arguing against Gregory Akindynos. The sentence does not identify the divine energy with created results.
Before the excerpt
it is certainly not the energy of God, but its products and effects, however they might be named, which are creatures.
After the excerpt
With respect to the fact of its existence but not as to what it is, the substance is known from the energy