Do we believe in synergism?

By CopticBot.ai (Coptic Space Inc.) · Last reviewed 2026-10-10

Yes, we believe in synergy (cooperation), which is the biblical and Patristic understanding of how salvation is worked out in the life of a believer.

In the Coptic Orthodox tradition, salvation is not a one-sided act where God forces grace upon a passive human, nor is it a legal transaction. It is a dynamic relationship.

1. Defining Synergy

The term comes from the Greek synergeia, meaning "working together." St. Paul explicitly uses this concept when he says, "For we are God's fellow workers" (1 Corinthians 3:9). In the Coptic perspective, God’s grace is the primary and initiating force, but man must respond with his free will.

2. Refuting the Heresy of Monergism

Protestants (particularly Calvinists) often believe in "monergism," the idea that God is the only one working in salvation and that man has no choice or part to play. We reject this as a heresy because:

• It denies the free will that God gave to man when He created him in His image.
• It would make God responsible for those who are lost, which contradicts His nature as the One "who desires all men to be saved" (1 Timothy 2:4).

3. Grace and Free Will

St. Augustine and St. John Cassian, among other Fathers, taught that while grace is a gift that we can never earn, we must "labor" to remain in that grace. As the Great St. Anthony said, "God helps those who help themselves," referring to the internal struggle (askesis) against sin.

Even in the Prayer of Reconciliation of the Liturgy, we acknowledge that Christ "made peace through the blood of His cross" (Colossians 1:20), but we are called to enter into that peace. The priest prays for the "unity of the bride and groom" in the Liturgy of Matrimony, asking for their "cooperation in every good work." This shows that even in the Sacraments, the human response is necessary to bear fruit.

4. The Analogy of the Eye and the Sun

A common Alexandrian analogy is that of the eye and the sun. The sun provides the light (grace), which is necessary for sight. However, the eye must be open (free will/works) to receive that light. If the eye is closed, the light is still there, but the person remains in darkness.

5. Why Synergy Is Essential for Justification

Regarding Galatians 2:16, synergy is the reason why "faith alone" is insufficient. Faith is our "opening of the eye" to God's grace, but that faith must be maintained through:

• Repentance: A continuous turning toward God.
• The Sacraments: Participating in the life of the Church.
• Good Works: The outward evidence of the internal grace.

Without our "synergy" or cooperation, the grace of God remains unactivated in our lives. We are not robots; we are children of God called to a loving, reciprocal relationship with our Creator.