Oriental Orthodox theology affirms synergism—the genuine cooperation of human free will with divine grace in the work of salvation. God sincerely wills the salvation of all and extends his grace to all, but human beings freely choose to accept or reject it. Strict predestination (the idea that God decrees some individuals to damnation irrespective of their choices) is entirely foreign to Oriental Orthodox thought.

This emphasis on freedom is rooted in the Cappadocian Fathers, St. Cyril of Alexandria, and the Syriac theological tradition, all of which insist that the image of God in the human person includes the gift of free will. Salvation is therefore a real synergy—a genuine partnership—between divine initiative and human response. The monastic and ascetic traditions within all Oriental Orthodox churches also presuppose meaningful human agency in the pursuit of holiness.