与其他现代改革宗神学家相比,Edwards 的 theosis 有三个突出的独特点:它是从“特殊恩典=参与神的丰满”出发的整体结构,它以内在三一与圣灵论来处理参与问题,而不是从东正教的本质–能量区分借壳,它更系统地把创造目的、三一论与救恩论统一在“参与神性”的大图像之下。[1][2][3][4]

## 一、与典型当代改革宗(如 Horton 等)的差异

– 当代许多改革宗(如 Horton)虽然强调“在基督里”和成圣中的“参与”,但往往仍以“因信称义”与盟约结构为主导,theosis 只是联合—成圣—荣耀中的一个补充性描述,而不是恩典本身的定义。[5][6][7]
– Edwards 则把特殊恩典直接定义为“参与神的丰满(divine fullness)”,并用三一论去解释这参与:圣灵就是父与子之间的爱与丰满,在恩典中这同一“丰满”被分享给圣徒。[2][3][1]
– Ad Fontes 的综述指出,许多当代改革宗只是在既有结构中“添加一点参与语言”,而 Edwards 则把“参与”做到三一论、救恩论、创世目的三个教义的交汇点,这种结构性的集中是他相对 Horton 等人的最大不同。[1]

## 二、与 T. F. Torrance 的相似与差别

– Myk Habets 与后续研究指出:Torrance 同样用 theosis 作为统摄性隐喻,以道成肉身与“代赎人性”(vicarious humanity)为轴心,将西方代赎模型与东方参与式救恩整合。[8][9][10][11]
– 两者相似处:
– 都把救恩理解为在三一生命中的参与,而非单一司法事件;
– 都从内部发展出“Reformed theosis”,而不是简单移植东正教方案。[12][8][1]
– 差异在于:
– Torrance更明显采用“基督人性作为神人与人交汇点”的基督论–圣礼结构,以敬拜与礼仪为 theosis 的主场;[9][10]
– Edwards 的 theosis 则更“神学–灵修合一”:他用三一的“爱–喜乐–美”与圣灵的沟通来描述参与,把重心放在重生者内在性情与喜乐的改变上,而不是礼仪学上的展开。[4][2][1]

可以说,Torrance 是“基督论–礼仪型改革宗 theosis”,Edwards 是“三一–灵修/情感型改革宗 theosis”。

## 三、与其他 Reformed theosis 提案的对位(Murphy、Habets 等)

– Gannon Murphy 等人在“Reformed Theosis?” 讨论中,多是以概念性方式辩护“参与–神化语言在改革宗中有空间”,并围绕是否需要本质–能量区分与如何保护造物主–受造者界限辩论。[6][2]
– Edwards 在这一点上的独特贡献,是他实际给出了一个“操作性很强”的模型:
– 通过彼后 1:4,他肯定“参与神性”,
– 但通过把参与限定为对神“性情/丰满”的参与,避免引入新的“能量层”。[3][13]
– Harvard Theological Review 的文章指出:Edwards 的处理方式,比简单搬用 Palamas 式本质–能量更“圣经直接”,也更合改革宗习惯,因此在讨论“Reformed theosis”时,被视为比单纯理论提案更成熟的选项。[3][4]

## 四、与“无 theosis 的新加尔文主义”形成对照

– 当代不少新加尔文主义神学重法庭、重结构,对参与与神化语言较为保留,担心情感主义或混淆造物主–受造者界限。[14][2]
– 关于 Edwards 的研究则展示:他同时反对阿民念主义和“狂热主义”,却仍然用高度参与、情感–美学–属灵经验的语言来描述救恩,证明“高参与 theosis”与高加尔文主义并不矛盾。[15][2][4]

因此,Edwards 在现代改革宗中,既是对 Torrance 等“礼仪–基督论型 theosis”的平行补充,又是对更保守、只法庭不参与路线的一种内部纠偏:他把 Reformed theology 从内里推向一个更“参与–三一–美学”的救恩图像,而不需放弃任何传统标志。[2][4][1][3]

Sources
[1] Jonathan Edwards, Theosis, and the Reformed Tradition – Ad Fontes https://adfontesjournal.com/theology/jonathan-edwards-theosis-and-the-reformed-tradition/
[2] [PDF] Jonathan Edwards and Deification – InterVarsity Press https://www.ivpress.com/Media/Default/Downloads/Excerpts-and-Samples/A0046-excerpt.pdf
[3] Jonathan Edwards’s Reformed Doctrine of Theosis https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/harvard-theological-review/article/jonathan-edwardss-reformed-doctrine-of-theosis/4790729CF060A20D0B4F45925DA3211C
[4] Jonathan Edwards Reformed Doctrine of Theosis – Academia.edu https://www.academia.edu/27539010/Jonathan_Edwards_Reformed_Doctrine_of_Theosis
[5] Union with Christ by Michael Horton, Ph.D. – Monergism | https://www.monergism.com/thethreshold/articles/questions/horton/union.html
[6] “Reformed Theosis?”: A Response to Gannon Murphy – Academia.edu https://www.academia.edu/1038851/_Reformed_Theosis_A_Response_to_Gannon_Murphy
[7] Theosis | Monergism https://www.monergism.com/theosis
[8] Theosis in the Theology of Thomas Torrance – Athanasian Reformed https://growrag.wordpress.com/2011/01/27/theosis-in-the-theology-of-thomas-torrance/
[9] Theosis in the Theology of Thomas Torrance – Flip eBook Pages … https://anyflip.com/juvzb/blft/basic/201-223
[10] Theosis in the Theology of Thomas Torrance: A Review | https://jasongoroncy.com/2010/06/15/theosis-in-the-theology-of-thomas-torrance-a-review/
[11] Theosis in the Theology of Thomas Torrance – 1st Edition – Myk Habets https://www.routledge.com/Theosis-in-the-Theology-of-Thomas-Torrance/Habets/p/book/9781138265998
[12] Theosis in the Theology of Thomas Torrance | Myk Habets https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/mono/10.4324/9781315551173/theosis-theology-thomas-torrance-myk-habets
[13] Essence and fullness: Evaluating the creator–creature distinction in … https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/scottish-journal-of-theology/article/essence-and-fullness-evaluating-the-creatorcreature-distinction-in-jonathan-edwards/ACAF377A687A56AA4D861D2ECF72FFBF
[14] Jonathan Edwards and the Polemics of Theosis | Theology Forum https://theologyforum.wordpress.com/2012/07/12/jonathan-edwards-and-the-polemics-of-theosis/
[15] Jonathan Edwards and the Polemics of Theosis https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/harvard-theological-review/article/jonathan-edwards-and-the-polemics-of-theosis/20A56FB5971333053D5E808B71E67A44
[16] March 2016 – Jonathan Edwards Studies https://edwardsstudies.com/2016/03/
[17] The Ecumenical Edwards | Theology Forum – WordPress.com https://theologyforum.wordpress.com/2015/08/15/the-ecumenical-edwards/
[18] Defining Theosis | Theology Forum – WordPress.com https://theologyforum.wordpress.com/2010/09/10/defining-theosis/
[19] Jonathan Edwards in Theological and Historical Perspective https://cct.biola.edu/jonathan-edwards-in-theological-and-historical-perspective/
[20] Barth and Orthodox Theosis: His For and Against https://growrag.wordpress.com/2021/05/18/barth-and-orthodox-theosis-his-for-and-against/
[21] Did Johnathan Edwards radically change the reformed view of the … https://puritanboard.com/threads/did-johnathan-edwards-radically-change-the-reformed-view-of-the-will.112245/
[22] November 2022 – Against Magog – WordPress.com https://tentsofshem.wordpress.com/2022/11/
[23] Jonathan Edwards’s Reformed Doctrine of “Theosis” – jstor https://www.jstor.org/stable/43948569
[24] James R. Salladin, Jonathan Edwards and Deification: Reconciling … https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ijst.12657