Synergism
The Orthodox claim that salvation is a cooperation of uncreated grace and created freedom — not God alone, not the creature alone. In this corpus it is the EO responsibility account, tested against Ashʿarī kasb and Māturīdī ikhtiyār, not a slogan that already wins the comparison.
Greek synergia, “working together”.
Synergism here is the Orthodox claim that the creature really works with God in salvation: uncreated grace and created freedom, neither reducing the other. Maximus's Ambiguum 7 is the primary text this corpus uses; Lossky and Dyer's secondary-causality talk are supporting.
It is the EO side of the OTC-022 responsibility comparison, not a magic word that already beats kasb. Theosis is categorically distinct from hedonic preference and from external carrot/stick — that enriches the ontology of the good. Under the frozen categorical-ought burden it does not yet derive why a rational agent who prefers disorder is bound. Dual-label if that burden is ever dissolved; it has not been. Gate A on OTC-022 chose to keep the old demand.
The mistaken everyday reading is workplace "synergy," or "God helps those who help themselves." The theological claim is about deification, not teamwork.
Where this comes up
Sources
- Maximus, Ambiguum 7; Debby packet OTC-022 (free will / theosis vs rival responsibility)