Grace

CRITICAL: Orthodox theology, following Gregory Palamas’ essence-energies distinction, understands har as the uncreated energies of God in which the believer really participates, enabling theosis (îndumnezeire) — not a created substance infused through merit (the Catholic/Tridentine reading) nor merely a legal favor bestowed without ontological change (a purely forensic Protestant reading). Romans’ argument for grace apart from works must be preserved without flattening the Orthodox participatory dimension Orthodox readers will supply regardless.