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A functor between coherent categories is coherent when it preserves finite limits, image factorizations and finite unions of subobjects, including the empty union. It consequently preserves the interpretation of every coherent formula. A coherent functor from a coherent syntactic category to a topos is equivalent to a model of the corresponding coherent theory; natural transformations correspond to ordinary model homomorphisms.

A signature $\Sigma$ specifies sorts, finite-arity function symbols and finite-arity relation symbols. A coherent formula is built from atomic relations and equality using $\top ,\perp$, finite conjunction, finite disjunction and existential quantification. A coherent theory consists of coherent sequents $\varphi {⊢}_{\vec{x}}\psi$ in finite typed contexts. The context expresses universal quantification of the free variables; unrestricted universal quantification or negation is not a formula constructor here.

Construct the coherent syntactic category ${\mathcal{C}}_{\mathbb{T}}$ as follows. Objects are formulas in context $\{\vec{x}.\varphi \}$, modulo renaming and provable equivalence. An arrow to $\{\vec{y}.\psi \}$ is a formula $\rho (\vec{x},\vec{y})$, modulo provable equivalence, for which the theory provesThese say that the relation is supported on the specified objects, total and single-valued. The identity is equality on the context, and composition isThe logical rules give associativity and the identity laws. The empty-context true formula is terminal; conjunction in disjoint contexts gives products; conjunction with equality of the two functional relations gives equalizers. Existential quantification gives images, and finite disjunction gives unions of subobjects. Substitution preserves these constructions, so images and unions are stable under pullback. This makes ${\mathcal{C}}_{\mathbb{T}}$ a coherent category.

Let $M$ be a $\mathbb{T}$-model in a topos $\mathcal{E}$. Interpret each context as a finite product of its sort objects and each formula as its corresponding subobject. DefineThe interpretation of an arrow relation $\rho$ is a total single-valued relation between these objects. Its projection to the domain is both an epimorphism, by totality, and a monomorphism, by single-valuedness, hence invertible in a topos. Its other projection therefore determines a unique morphism. Composition agrees with relational composition, so $F_M$ is a functor. Finite limits interpret equality and conjunction; images interpret existential quantification; finite unions interpret disjunction, including the empty union for $\perp$. Consequently $F_M$ is a coherent functor.

Conversely there is a canonical syntactic model $U$ in ${\mathcal{C}}_{\mathbb{T}}$. Interpret a sort $s$ by $\{x:s.\top \}$, a function symbol by its term graph, and a relation symbol by its atomic formula-in-context subobject. Induction on formulas identifies the interpretation of every $\varphi$ in $U$ with its formula-in-context object. Every axiom is then an inclusion of the associated subobjects, because it is provable in $\mathbb{T}$.

For a coherent functor $F:{\mathcal{C}}_{\mathbb{T}}\to \mathcal{E}$, set $M_F=F(U)$. Preservation of finite limits, images and unions proves inductively that $F$ preserves all coherent interpretations, so every axiom holds in $M_F$. The same induction supplies natural isomorphismscompatible with the functional relations defining arrows. Thus $F\cong F_{M_F}$; directly on the sorts, operations and relations, $M_{F_M}\cong M$.

Finally these constructions agree on morphisms. A model homomorphism $h:M\to N$ induces maps on finite contexts. Atomic relations are preserved by definition; finite conjunction and disjunction and existential witnesses then show that each formula object maps to the corresponding formula object. Compatibility with functional relations makes these maps a natural transformation $F_M\to F_N$. Conversely a natural transformation between coherent functors restricts to its components on sort objects; naturality for term graphs preserves operations, and naturality for relation inclusions preserves relations. It is therefore a model homomorphism. The two correspondences are inverse. We have proved the categorical, not merely objectwise, equivalence