Salvation as theosis; grace and free will cooperate synergistically
Eastern Catholic theology understands salvation primarily through the lens of theosis (divinization)—the process by which human beings participate in the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4) through union with Christ. While affirming all Catholic doctrines on salvation, including the necessity of grace, Eastern Catholics emphasize that salvation is not merely a legal acquittal but an ontological transformation of the human person.
Synergism—the cooperation of human free will with divine grace—is central to Eastern soteriology. Salvation begins at baptism, is nourished through the sacramental life and prayer, and culminates in full participation in God. Eastern Catholic theologians have historically emphasized the role of the Holy Spirit in sanctification and the communal dimension of salvation within the Body of Christ.
Key Distinctions
- Justification means:
- grace and synergistic cooperation; theosis as ultimate goal
- Election type:
- divine foreknowledge; synergistic; no Calvinist double predestination
- Baptismal regeneration:
- baptism regenerates and initiates into the Body of Christ
- Eternal security:
- can be lost; ongoing cooperation with divine grace required
Scripture References
Sources
- Catechism of the Catholic Church, §§1987–2011
- Christ Our Pascha: Catechism of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (2011), §§356–380
- St. Athanasius, De Incarnatione, §54