Participation in the energy of God as the condition for the realization of the hypostatic principle in man
The notion of a hypostatic principle occupies a prime position in the teaching of Elder Sophrony. In God there is nothing outside this principle. The hypostatic principle is the innermost, first and fast principle which constitutes the ontological core of the divine Being. But Man, as a creature “in the image and likeness” of God, has this gift of the hypostatic principle as a potential and is called upon to activate it. The activation of Man’s hypostatic potential is realized through his participation in the divine energy. But at the same time, he needs to repent and to become humbled. More precisely, the activation of the hypostatic principle in Man is achieved by the observance of the commandment of Love. By observing this commandment, he embraces within himself the whole of humankind, the whole Adam, and he live as a hypostasis. He lives the hypostatic life, he repents hypostatically and he prays hypostatically. The way Man mature as a hypostasis is ordered providentially throughout his life, but his passage over the bridge of death into eternal life is also required. This life is not only without end, but also without beginning. So the realization of Man’s hypostatic life coincides with his deification. The life of God becomes the life of Man by Grace. And the myriad hypostases of the human race are United in accordance with the model of the Triune God.
GHEORGHIOS MANTZARIDIS
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