On theosis, Barth, Bavinck, and Evangelical Calvinism (Torrance, Habets, Grow, etc.) all affirm a form of “deification,” but they differ in how explicitly they use the term, how they frame participation, and how they relate it to classic Reformed concerns like election and justification.[1][2][3]

## Snapshot

– Barth: functional/thematic theosis, strongly Christocentric and participatory, but cautious about traditional theosis language and Eastern metaphysics.[4][5][1]
– Bavinck: rich participatory and eschatological glorification theology that looks very theotic in substance, though he rarely uses “theosis” as a technical term.[2]
– Evangelical Calvinism: most explicit “Reformed theosis” program, heavily indebted to Torrance; theosis becomes the overarching soteriological grammar.[3][6][7]

## Focus and language

– Barth: Talks in terms of *participation in Christ*, “being in Christ,” and the *wonderful exchange*, often described by interpreters as a “Reformed doctrine of theosis,” yet he keeps distance from classical Orthodox essence–energies frameworks.[5][1][4]
– Bavinck: Speaks of communion with God, participation in the divine nature (2 Pet 1:4), and eschatological conformity to Christ; recent scholarship highlights these as materially theotic.[2]
– Evangelical Calvinism: Takes over patristic theosis language openly, defines salvation as participation in the Triune life through union with Christ’s vicarious humanity, and uses “theosis” as a controlling category.[6][8][3]

## Union with Christ and participation

– Barth: Union with Christ is grounded in Christ’s once‑for‑all history; believers are incorporated into his history by the Spirit. Participation is covenantal and Christological, not metaphysical; interpreters read this as “for and against” Orthodox theosis.[9][4][5]
– Bavinck: Union with Christ structures the *ordo salutis*; participation unfolds in justification, sanctification, and glorification, with strong emphasis on eschatological transformation into Christ’s image.[2]
– Evangelical Calvinism: Union with Christ is the single, ontological center—justification, sanctification, adoption, and theosis are all modes of participation in Christ’s deified humanity.[7][10][3]

## Relation to Eastern Orthodox theosis

– Barth: Affinities in Christocentric participation and deifying language, but he resists essence–energies distinction and some Orthodox metaphysics; his “theosis” is thoroughly retooled for a Barthian doctrine of God and election.[1][4][5]
– Bavinck: Shares patristic and scholastic sources, but remains within a classic Reformed Creator–creature distinction, so his “deification” is always emphatically by grace and eschatological.[2]
– Evangelical Calvinism: Most sympathetic to Eastern theosis; draws heavily on Athanasius and Cyril via Torrance, yet explicitly recasts theosis in a Reformed, Christocentric, anti‑essence–energies key.[8][11][3]

## Election, atonement, and theosis

– Barth: Election “in Christ” (Christ as electing God and elected man) is the deep structure; theosis describes the participatory outworking of this election in history.[10][9][1]
– Bavinck: Election provides the covenantal framework; theosis‑like glorification and participation occur within a more traditional Reformed *ordo* in which justification and sanctification remain prominent legal and moral categories.[2]
– Evangelical Calvinism: Follows Torrance’s “Christ‑conditioned” election and ontological atonement—election and atonement are ordered to theosis, i.e., to humanity’s participatory share in the Son’s filial communion.[3][7][10]

If you tell me whether you want this for teaching or for publication, I can next give you a tight comparison table you could drop straight into notes or a draft chapter.

Sources
[1] Karl Barth’s Reformed Doctrine of Theosis in Contradistinction to the … https://growrag.wordpress.com/2017/04/11/karl-barths-reformed-doctrine-of-theosis-in-contradistinction-to-the-eastern-orthodox/
[2] Dennis Greeson: Herman Bavinck, Theosis & T.F. Torrance https://thelaymenslounge.com/dennis-greeson-herman-bavinck-theosis-t-f-torrance/
[3] Theosis in the Theology of Thomas Torrance | Myk Habets https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/mono/10.4324/9781315551173/theosis-theology-thomas-torrance-myk-habets
[4] Karl Barth’s Doctrine of Theosis in Convergence with the Eastern … https://growrag.wordpress.com/2017/04/12/karl-barths-doctrine-of-theosis-in-convergence-with-the-eastern-orthodox-part-two/
[5] Barth and Orthodox Theosis: His For and Against https://growrag.wordpress.com/2021/05/18/barth-and-orthodox-theosis-his-for-and-against/
[6] Review: “Evangelical Calvinism,” edited by Myk Habets and Bobby … https://wheatonblog.wordpress.com/2013/05/14/review-evangelical-calvinism-edited-by-myk-habets-and-bobby-grow/
[7] A Telling of an Evangelical Calvinism [contra Westminster Calvinism … https://growrag.wordpress.com/2022/12/10/a-telling-of-an-evangelical-calvinism-contra-westminster-calvinism-by-t-f-torrance/
[8] Theosis in the Theology of Thomas Torrance: A Review | https://jasongoroncy.com/2010/06/15/theosis-in-the-theology-of-thomas-torrance-a-review/
[9] Crossing Lessing’s Ugly Ditch: Karl Barth on Union with Christ https://reformedforum.org/crossing-lessings-ugly-ditch-karl-barth-union-christ/
[10] The Doctrine of Election in Evangelical Calvinism: T. F. Torrance as … https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0021140008095442
[11] TF Torrance and Reformed-Orthodox Dialogue https://orthodoxbridge.com/2014/02/26/tf-torrance-and-reformed-orthodox-dialogue/