Plymouth Brethren theology does not teach theosis or deification in any Eastern Orthodox sense, and the language of “partakers of the divine nature” in their circles is consistently interpreted in moral–participatory, not ontological, terms.[1][2][3][4][5]

## No formal doctrine of theosis

– Standard descriptions of Plymouth Brethren beliefs (Darbyite and Open) emphasize inerrancy of Scripture, dispensational premillennialism, justification by faith, and the priesthood of all believers, but say nothing about deification as participation in divine energies or becoming godlike in being.[2][6][7][1]
– Brethren teaching is strongly suspicious of mystical or speculative metaphysics; salvation is framed in forensic and relational terms (justification, new birth, sanctification), not as theosis.[6][8][2]

## How “partakers of the divine nature” is read

– Darby’s own translation preserves the phrase “partakers of [the] divine nature” in 2 Peter 1:4, but Brethren exegesis (e.g., Darby’s 1 John synopsis) unpacks this as sharing in “eternal life” and in God’s moral qualities by the Spirit, not in God’s essence.[3][4][5]
– In typical Brethren devotional and doctrinal writing, participation is explained as:
– Receiving eternal life from Christ.
– Being indwelt by the Holy Spirit.
– Being conformed morally to Christ’s character.
None of this is described as deification.[2][3][6]

## Emphasis instead: dispensational soteriology

– Brethren distinctives lie elsewhere: a sharp Creator–creature distinction, penal‑substitutionary atonement, a once‑for‑all new birth, assurance based on the finished work of Christ, and a strong eschatological focus (rapture, millennium).[7][8][9][2]
– Where some evangelical traditions have recently reclaimed theosis language, Brethren generally have not; when individuals do use “partakers of the divine nature,” they immediately clarify that this does not mean becoming God, but sharing in His life and holiness by grace.[4][3][2]

If you’d like, I can contrast Brethren readings of 2 Peter 1:4 with Orthodox and Wesleyan ones in a small table for lecture use.

Sources
[1] Plymouth Brethren – Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plymouth_Brethren
[2] What are the beliefs of the Plymouth Brethren? – Bible https://biblehub.com/q/plymouth_brethren_beliefs.htm
[3] 1st Epistle of John https://www.ccel.org/d/darby/synopsis/1John.html
[4] 2 Peter 1 DARBY;NIV – Simon Peter, bondman and apostle of https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Peter+1&version=DARBY%3BNIV
[5] 2 Peter 1 DBT – Bible Hub https://biblehub.com/dbt/2_peter/1.htm
[6] The history and teaching of the Plymouth Brethren https://archive.org/download/historyandteachi00teuluoft/historyandteachi00teuluoft.pdf
[7] Plymouth Brethren – A Study of Denominations https://www.astudyofdenominations.com/denominations/brethren/
[8] A SUBSTITUTE FOR HOLINESS; The Plymouth Brethren https://www.gospeltruth.net/Antinomianism/antinom-chap3.htm
[9] Calvinism https://plymouthbrethren.org/article/2850
[10] Chapter 7 “The Kenosis” – Plymouth Brethren Writings https://plymouthbrethren.org/article/5654
[11] Seven Demons – a history of the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church https://www.reddit.com/r/cults/comments/19egpuz/seven_demons_a_history_of_the_plymouth_brethren/
[12] Back to the New Testament: the Plymouth Brethren – Christian History https://christianhistoryinstitute.org/magazine/article/plymouth-brethren
[13] Partakers of the Divine Nature (2 Peter 1:4) by Alexander Maclaren https://www.blueletterbible.org/comm/maclaren_alexander/expositions-of-holy-scripture/2-peter/partakers-of-the-divine-nature.cfm
[14] Heresies of the Plymouth Brethren, by J. T. Lewis (1870) https://anglicanhistory.org/canada/jtlewis/heresies1870.html
[15] Plymouth Brethren To Orthodox – Journey To Orthodoxy https://journeytoorthodoxy.com/2010/07/plymouth-brethren-to-orthodox-by-edward-justin/