Orthodox Theology Explained (Trinity, Essence–Energies, Theosis)
Eastern Orthodox theology centers on a monotheistic, Trinitarian understanding of God, emphasizing that the three distinct Persons (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) share one divine essence (ousia). This framework maintains that God is both transcendent (wholly independent of creation) and immanent (actively involved in the world), a balance achieved through the essence-energies distinction. The essence-energies distinction, formalized by Gregory Palamas in the 14th century, posits that God’s inner nature …
