J Michael
Toumarches
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Catholics receive the Sacraments of Illumination-baptism and chrismation, so I guess the process for us begins on this earthly plane. (Now, I'm more than well aware that *some* Orthodox believe our sacraments to be devoid of grace, invalid, and for all intents and purposes non-existent, but that's another "discussion"Irish Hermit said:Nobody is experiencing divinisation unless he or she has received the internal indwelling of the Holy Spirit by virtue of the Sacraments of Illumination. Without these initiatory Sacraments there is no theosis because the Spirit has not been received.I find it somewhat curious that you say "I would guess that this [theosis/divinization] commences for Catholics after death". It's more than possible that I've misunderstood things but I thought that the process of theosis begins for all of us at some point in this life and continues after death. Perhaps Mary will clarify that. In the meantime, I would ask, why would theosis commence for Catholics after death and commence for Orthodox before death? Does commencement of the process depend on whether one is Catholic or Orthodox or Oriental Orthodox?
For those who are not baptized and chrismated there is no theosis on this earthly plane. I am assuming that for such people it kicks off at death since the afterlife is, for those who are saved, an eternal theosis, an eternal movement into deeper participation.
So my answer is:
1. Baptism and Chrismation initiate theosis
2. If not baptized and chrismated, theosis will commence in the afterlife.
By the way, thanks for your answer!