On the Beautific Vision

[minasoliman]

I've read something quite interesting:

http://www.papalencyclicals.net/Ben12/B12bdeus.html

Since the passion and death of the Lord Jesus Christ, these souls have seen and see the divine essense with an intuitive vision and even face to face, without the mediation of any creature by way of object of vision; rather the divine essence immediately manifests itself to them, plainly, clearly and openly, and in this vision they enjoy the divine essence .

We as Orthodox hesitate to say that we can see the divine "essence" whether now or in the afterlife.  However, I'm willing to be open as to wonder whether this is an indirect way of describing theosis?  Is this "beautific vision" only after the afterlife or is it possible to occur in during the life of person as well, where they "see" the "divine essence."

God bless.

[Papist]

In this life we participate in God's life but in the next life we have as complete an experience of God as is possible for a finite being. An yes, this means his essence. Although we cannot know God's essence, we can experience it directly in the afterlife.

[Aristibule]

The Beatific Vision (note, meaning Blessed, different than Beauty) has been seen by many as the exact same as the Experience of the Uncreated Light. I tend to think it is the same, as the language seems to describe the same event. There are, of course, those who while still here on earth have experienced the Beatific Vision.

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