The Remonstrants (or the Remonstrant Brotherhood ) is a Protestant movement that split from the Dutch Reformed Church in the early 17th century. The early Remonstrants supported Jacobus Arminius , and after his death, continued to maintain his original views called Arminianism against the proponents of Calvinism . Condemned by the synod of Dort (1618–1619), the Remonstrants remained a small minority in the Netherlands . In the middle of the 19th century, the Remonstrant Brotherhood was influenced by the liberal Dutch theological movement.
123-660: Arminianism is a movement of Protestantism initiated in the early 17th century, based on the theological ideas of the Dutch Reformed theologian Jacobus Arminius and his historic supporters known as Remonstrants . Dutch Arminianism was originally articulated in the Remonstrance (1610), a theological statement submitted to the States General of the Netherlands . This expressed an attempt to moderate
246-613: A traditionalist form of Arminianism which includes a belief in eternal security , though many see Calvinism as growing in acceptance. Certain proponents of Arminianism may be found within the Restoration movement in the Christian Churches and Churches of Christ . Additionally, it is found in the Seventh-day Adventist Church . Arminianism (specifically Wesleyan–Arminian theology ) is taught in
369-672: A Christian to come to God through Christ without human mediation. He also maintained that this principle recognizes Christ as prophet , priest, and king and that his priesthood is shared with his people. Protestants who adhere to the Nicene Creed believe in three persons ( God the Father , God the Son , and the God the Holy Spirit ) as one God. Movements that emerged around the time of
492-558: A believer to fall, especially sin motivated by malice. In 1605 Arminius wrote: “But it is possible for a believer to fall into a mortal sin, as is seen in David. Therefore, he can fall at that moment in which if he were to die, he would be condemned". Scholars observe that Arminius clearly identifies two paths to apostasy 1. "rejection", or 2. "malicious sinning". He suggested that, strictly speaking, believers could not directly lose their faith but could cease to believe and thus fall away. After
615-705: A certain part of Protestantism rather than to Protestantism as a whole. The English word traces its roots back to the Puritans in England, where Evangelicalism originated, and then was brought to the United States . Martin Luther always disliked the term Lutheran , preferring the term evangelical , which was derived from euangelion , a Greek word meaning "good news", i.e. " gospel ". The followers of John Calvin , Huldrych Zwingli , and other theologians linked to
738-517: A closely related variation shaped primarily by John Wesley. Classical Arminianism is a protestant theological view, that asserts God's prevenient grace for regeneration is universal and that the grace allowing regeneration and ongoing sanctification is resistible. This theological system was presented by Jacobus Arminius and maintained by some of the Remonstrants, such as Simon Episcopius and Hugo Grotius . Arminian theology incorporates
861-567: A handful of Protestant denominational families; Adventists , Anabaptists , Anglicans/Episcopalians , Baptists , Calvinist/Reformed , Lutherans , Methodists , Moravians , Plymouth Brethren , Presbyterians , and Quakers . Nondenominational , charismatic and independent churches are also on the rise, having recently expanded rapidly throughout much of the world, and constitute a significant part of Protestantism. These various movements, collectively labeled "popular Protestantism" by scholars such as Peter L. Berger , have been called one of
984-520: A key paradigm for understanding the theological and historical legacy of Arminianism. Before Augustine (354–430), the synergistic view of salvation was almost universally endorsed. Pelagius (c. 354–418), however, argued that humans could perfectly obey God by their own will. The Pelagian view is therefore referred to as "humanistic monergism ". This view was condemned at the Council of Carthage (418) and Ephesus (431). In response, Augustine proposed
1107-498: A lack of voluntary sin . This state involves embodying the love of God and neighbor. It does not mean freedom from all mistakes or temptations, as perfected Christians still need to seek forgiveness and strive for holiness . Ultimately, perfection in this context is about love, not absolute perfection. Wesley believed that genuine Christians could apostatize . He emphasized that sin alone does not lead to this loss; instead, prolonged unconfessed sin and deliberate apostasy can result in
1230-591: A less critical reading of the Bible developed in the United States—leading to a " fundamentalist " reading of Scripture. Christian fundamentalists read the Bible as the "inerrant, infallible " Word of God, as do the Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Anglican and Lutheran churches, but interpret it in a literalist fashion without using the historical-critical method . Methodists and Anglicans differ from Lutherans and
1353-550: A level of openness to Arminian theology. Anabaptist denominations, such as the Mennonites , Hutterites , Amish and Schwarzenau Brethren , adhere to Anabaptist theology , which espouses a soteriology that is similar to Arminianism "in some respects". Arminianism is found within the General Baptists , including the subset of General Baptists known as Free Will Baptists . The majority of Southern Baptists embrace
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#17327654906321476-482: A permanent fall from grace. However, he believed that such apostasy was not irremediable. The majority Arminian view is that election is individual and based on God's foreknowledge of faith. In the corporate election view, God chose the believing church collectively for salvation, rather than selecting individuals. Jesus is seen as the only person elected, and individuals join the elect through faith "in Christ". This view
1599-472: A priest with possessions, such as a pope, was in such grave sin), may have translated the Bible into vernacular English , and preached anticlerical and biblically centred reforms. His rejection of a real divine presence in the elements of the Eucharist foreshadowed Huldrych Zwingli's similar ideas in the 16th century. Wycliffe's admirers came to be known as " Lollards ". Beginning in the first decade of
1722-782: A revolt erupted. Hussites defeated five continuous crusades proclaimed against them by the Pope . Later theological disputes caused a split within the Hussite movement. Utraquists maintained that both the bread and the wine should be administered to the people during the Eucharist. Another major faction were the Taborites , who opposed the Utraquists in the Battle of Lipany during the Hussite Wars . There were two separate parties among
1845-769: A student of law to discipline the city of Geneva . His Ordinances of 1541 involved a collaboration of Church affairs with the city council and consistory to bring morality to all areas of life. After the establishment of the Geneva academy in 1559, Geneva became the unofficial capital of the Protestant movement, providing refuge for Protestant exiles from all over Europe and educating them as Calvinist missionaries. The faith continued to spread after Calvin's death in 1563. Remonstrants In formulating Arminianism , Jacobus Arminius disagreed with Calvin , especially on predestination . He defended free examination as superior to
1968-505: A view in which God is the ultimate cause of all human actions, a stance that aligns with soft determinism . The Augustinian view is therefore referred to as "divine monergism". However, Augustinian soteriology implied double predestination , which was condemned by the Council of Arles (475). During this period, a moderate form of Pelagianism emerged, later termed Semi-Pelagianism . This view asserted that human will initiates salvation, rather than divine grace . The Semi-Pelagian view
2091-478: Is Jovinian , who lived in the fourth century AD. He attacked monasticism , ascetism and believed that a saved believer can never be overcome by Satan. In the 9th century, the theologian Gottschalk of Orbais was condemned for heresy by the Catholic Church. Gottschalk believed that the salvation of Jesus was limited and that his redemption was only for the elect. The theology of Gottschalk anticipated
2214-411: Is omnipresent , omnipotent , and omniscient . In that view, God's power, knowledge, and presence have no external limitations, that is, outside of his divine nature and character. Besides, Arminianism view on God's sovereignty is based on postulates stemming from God's character. On the first hand, divine election must be defined in such a way that God is not in any case, and even in a secondary way,
2337-627: Is God who unconditionally elects some for salvation . Instead Arminius proposed that the election of God was of believers , thereby making it conditional on faith . Arminius's views were challenged by the Dutch Calvinists, especially Franciscus Gomarus . In his Declaration of Sentiments (1608) Arminius presented his theology to magistrates of the States General of the Netherlands in The Hague. After his death, Arminius's followers continued to advance his theological vision, crafting
2460-452: Is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes justification of sinners through faith alone , the teaching that salvation comes by unmerited divine grace , the priesthood of all believers , and the Bible as the sole infallible source of authority for Christian faith and practice. The five solae summarize the basic theological beliefs of mainstream Protestantism. Protestants follow
2583-426: Is conditional : Arminius defined election as "the decree of God by which, of Himself, from eternity, He decreed to justify in Christ, believers, and to accept them unto eternal life." God alone determines who will be saved and his determination is that all who believe Jesus through faith will be justified. According to Arminius, "God regards no one in Christ unless they are engrafted in him by faith." God predestines
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#17327654906322706-751: Is diverse, being divided into various denominations on the basis of theology and ecclesiology , not forming a single structure as with the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodoxy or Oriental Orthodoxy . Protestants adhere to the concept of an invisible church , in contrast to the Catholic, the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Oriental Orthodox Churches, the Assyrian Church of the East , and the Ancient Church of
2829-421: Is either understood as a hybrid of penal substitution and the governmental theory, or it is viewed solely as penal substitution. Historically, Wesleyan Arminians adopted either the penal or governmental theory of atonement. In Wesleyan theology, justification is understood as the forgiveness of sins rather than being made inherently righteous. Righteousness is achieved through sanctification , which involves
2952-400: Is incapable of choosing the spiritual good. Humans are therefore in a state of total depravity , possessing a corrupted spiritual nature inherited from original sin . Like Augustine , Luther , and Calvin , Arminius agreed that human free will is spiritually captive and enslaved. However, through the action of prevenient grace , human free will can be "freed", meaning it can be restored with
3075-588: Is known to have influenced both the Mennonites and certain theologians within Arminius’s circle. Early critics of Arminians even cited Castellio as a primary inspiration behind the Arminian movement. Jacobus Arminius (1560-1609) was a Dutch pastor and theologian. He was taught by Theodore Beza , Calvin's hand-picked successor, but after examination of the scriptures, he rejected his teacher's theology that it
3198-780: Is resistible. Many Christian denominations have been influenced by Arminian views, notably the Baptists in the 17th century, the Methodists in the 18th century, and the Pentecostals in the 20th century. Arminius' beliefs, i.e. Arminianism, did not begin with him. Before the Reformation , groups like the Waldensians similarly affirmed individual freedom over any predetermined predestination . Anabaptist theologian Balthasar Hubmaier (1480–1528) also promoted much
3321-406: Is seen by some as a return to early church theological consensus. Moreover, Arminianism can also be seen as a soteriological diversification of Calvinism or more specifically, as a theological middle ground between Calvinism and semi-Pelagianism. Arminian theology generally divides into two main variations: Classical Arminianism, based on the teachings of Jacobus Arminius, and Wesleyan Arminianism,
3444-973: Is still preferred among some of the historical Protestant denominations in the Lutheran, Calvinist, and United (Lutheran and Reformed) Protestant traditions in Europe, and those with strong ties to them. Above all the term is used by Protestant bodies in the German-speaking area , such as the Protestant Church in Germany . Thus, the German word evangelisch means Protestant, while the German evangelikal , refers to churches shaped by Evangelicalism . The English word evangelical usually refers to evangelical Protestant churches, and therefore to
3567-553: Is supported by Old Testament and Jewish concepts, where identity is rooted more in group membership than individuality. Pelagianism is a doctrine denying original sin and total depravity . No system of Arminianism founded on Arminius or Wesley denies original sin or total depravity; both Arminius and Wesley strongly affirmed that man's basic condition is one in which he cannot be righteous, understand God, or seek God. Arminius referred to Pelagianism as "the grand falsehood" and stated that he "must confess that I detest, from my heart,
3690-447: Is the guiding principle of the work of Luther and the later reformers. Because sola scriptura placed the Bible as the only source of teaching, sola fide epitomizes the main thrust of the teaching the reformers wanted to get back to, namely the direct, close, personal connection between Christ and the believer, hence the reformers' contention that their work was Christocentric. The other solas, as statements, emerged later, but
3813-542: Is therefore described as "human-initiated synergism". In 529, the Second Council of Orange addressed Semi-Pelagianism and declared that even the inception of faith is a result of God’s grace. This highlights the role of prevenient grace enabling human belief. This view, often referred to as "Semi-Augustinian," is therefore described as "God-initiated synergism". The Council also rejected predestination to evil . As Arminianism aligns with key aspects of this view, it
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3936-467: Is therefore faith alone which justifies, and yet the faith which justifies is not alone: just as it is the heat alone of the sun which warms the earth, and yet in the sun it is not alone." Lutheran and Reformed Christians differ from Methodists in their understanding of this doctrine. The universal priesthood of believers implies the right and duty of the Christian laity not only to read the Bible in
4059-550: The Five articles of Remonstrance (1610), in which they express their points of divergence from the stricter Calvinism of the Belgic Confession . This is how Arminius's followers were called Remonstrants , and following a Counter Remonstrance in 1611, Gomarus' followers were called Counter-Remonstrants. After some political maneuvering, the Dutch Calvinists were able to convince Prince Maurice of Nassau to deal with
4182-813: The Adventist Church , the Holiness movement , Pentecostalism , the Charismatic movement , and a number of other Protestant denominations. The Remonstrant Brotherhood continues as a church in the Netherlands . The Remonstrants first received official recognition in 1795. Their chief congregation has been in Rotterdam . In 2016, the Remonstrant Brotherhood has about 5,000 members and "friends", in more than 40 congregations in
4305-705: The Catholic Church . On 31 October 1517, known as All Hallows' Eve , Martin Luther allegedly nailed his Ninety-five Theses , also known as the Disputation on the Power of Indulgences, on the door of the All Saints' Church in Wittenberg , Germany, detailing doctrinal and practical abuses of the Catholic Church, especially the selling of indulgences . The theses debated and criticized many aspects of
4428-465: The Five points of Calvinism . Arminians across Holland were removed from office, imprisoned, banished, and sworn to silence. Twelve years later, Holland officially granted Arminianism protection as a religion, although animosity between Arminians and Calvinists continued. Most of the early Remonstrants followed a classical version of Arminianism. However, some of them such as Philipp van Limborch , moved in
4551-613: The Gospel can not be separated from true choices in the struggle to live together, on the road to a world with peace and justice. What binds them is the Statement of Principle: The Remonstrant Church is a community of faith which, rooted in the gospel of Jesus Christ, and true to its principle of freedom and tolerance, seeks to worship and serve God. In addition to the Statement of Principle, most contemporary Remonstrants write their own declaration or profession of faith when they become
4674-754: The Heidelberg Catechism . The judgement of the synod was enforced through the deposition and in some cases banishment of Remonstrant ministers. In this context, owing to the lack of preachers, there originated in Warmond a movement in favor of the lay sermon, the adherents of which founded the Society of Collegiants . An exile community of Remonstrants was founded in Antwerp in 1619. In 1621 they were allowed to settle in Schleswig , where they built
4797-547: The Holy Spirit and personal closeness to God. The belief that believers are justified , or pardoned for sin, solely on condition of faith in Christ rather than a combination of faith and good works . For Protestants, good works are a necessary consequence rather than cause of justification. However, while justification is by faith alone, there is the position that faith is not nuda fides . John Calvin explained that "it
4920-629: The Lutherans with the approval of Holy Roman Emperor Charles V three years earlier . The term protestant , though initially purely political in nature, later acquired a broader sense, referring to a member of any Western church which subscribed to the main Protestant principles. A Protestant is an adherent of any of those Christian bodies that separated from the Church of Rome during the Reformation, or of any group descended from them. During
5043-1333: The Methodist churches, inclusive of those denominations aligned with the holiness movement such as the Evangelical Methodist Church , Church of the Nazarene , the Free Methodist Church , the Wesleyan Church , and the Salvation Army . It is also found in a part of the Charismatics , including the Pentecostals . Arminian theology has found support among theologians, Bible scholars, and apologists spanning various historical periods and theological circles. Noteworthy historical figures include Jacobus Arminius , Simon Episcopius , Hugo Grotius , John Goodwin , Thomas Grantham , John Wesley , Richard Watson , Thomas Osmond Summers , John Miley , William Burt Pope and Henry Orton Wiley . In contemporary Baptist traditions, advocates of Arminian theology include Roger E. Olson , F. Leroy Forlines, Robert Picirilli and J. Matthew Pinson. Within
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5166-604: The Netherlands , Scotland , Switzerland , France , Poland , and Lithuania by Protestant Reformers such as John Calvin , Huldrych Zwingli and John Knox . The political separation of the Church of England from the Roman Catholic Church under King Henry VIII began Anglicanism , bringing England and Wales into this broad Reformation movement, under the leadership of reformer Thomas Cranmer , whose work forged Anglican doctrine and identity. Protestantism
5289-521: The Protestant Reformation and summarize the reformers' basic differences in theological beliefs in opposition to the teaching of the Catholic Church of the day. The Latin word sola means "alone", "only", or "single". The use of the phrases as summaries of teaching emerged over time during the Reformation, based on the overarching Lutheran and Reformed principle of sola scriptura (by scripture alone). This idea contains
5412-464: The Reformed tradition also began to use that term. To distinguish the two evangelical groups, others began to refer to the two groups as Evangelical Lutheran and Evangelical Reformed . The word also pertains in the same way to some other mainline groups, for example Evangelical Methodist . As time passed by, the word evangelical was dropped. Lutherans themselves began to use the term Lutheran in
5535-560: The States-General issued an edict tolerating both parties and forbidding further dispute, the conflict continued and became linked to political conflicts in the Dutch Republic . The Remonstrants were assailed both by personal enemies and by the political weapons of Maurice of Orange . Their foremost ally, Johan van Oldenbarnevelt , was executed, and other leaders were imprisoned. In Amsterdam, as in various other cities,
5658-943: The Unitas Fratrum —"Unity of the Brethren"—which was renewed under the leadership of Count Nicolaus von Zinzendorf in Herrnhut , Saxony , in 1722 after its almost total destruction in the Thirty Years' War and the Counterreformation ("Catholic Reformation") . Today, it is usually referred to in English as the Moravian Church and in German as the Herrnhuter Brüdergemeine . In the 15th century, three German theologians anticipated
5781-426: The theological tenets of the Protestant Reformation , a movement that began in the 16th century with the goal of reforming the Catholic Church from perceived errors, abuses, and discrepancies . The Reformation began in the Holy Roman Empire in 1517, when Martin Luther published his Ninety-five Theses as a reaction against abuses in the sale of indulgences by the Catholic Church, which purported to offer
5904-410: The vernacular , but also to take part in the government and all the public affairs of the Church. It is opposed to the hierarchical system which puts the essence and authority of the Church in an exclusive priesthood, and which makes ordained priests the necessary mediators between God and the people. It is distinguished from the concept of the priesthood of all believers, which did not grant individuals
6027-399: The wicked are thrown by God at judgment day . Preservation is conditional : All believers have full assurance of salvation with the condition that they remain in Christ. Salvation is conditioned on faith, therefore perseverance is also conditioned. Arminius believed the Scriptures taught that believers are graciously empowered by Christ and the Holy Spirit "to fight against Satan, sin,
6150-402: The 15th century, Jan Hus —a Catholic priest, Czech reformist and professor—influenced by John Wycliffe's writings, founded the Hussite movement. He strongly advocated his reformist Bohemian religious denomination. He was excommunicated and burned at the stake in Constance , Bishopric of Constance , in 1415 by secular authorities for unrepentant and persistent heresy. After his execution,
6273-412: The 17th century such as William Laud fought Calvinist Puritans. They actually saw Arminianism in terms of a state church , an idea that was alien to the views of Arminius. This position became particularly evident under the reign (1625–1649) of Charles I of England . Following the English Civil War (1642–1651) Charles II of England , who tolerated the Presbyterians , re-instituted Arminian thought in
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#17327654906326396-401: The 1830s, during the Second Great Awakening , traces of Pelagian influence surfaced in the American Holiness Movement . Consequently, critics of Wesleyan theology have occasionally unfairly perceived or labeled its broader thought. However, its core is recognized to be Arminianism. Pentecostalism has its background in the activity of Charles Parham (1873–1929). Its origin as a movement
6519-408: The Anabaptist point of view, and Anabaptists were commonly in attendance on his preaching." Similarly, Arminius mentions Danish Lutheran theologian Niels Hemmingsen (1513–1600) as holding the basic view of soteriology he held and he may have been influenced by Hemmingsen. Another key figure, Sebastian Castellio (1515–1563), who opposed Calvin's views on predestination and religious intolerance ,
6642-411: The Bible as the highest source of authority for the church. The early churches of the Reformation believed in a critical, yet serious, reading of scripture and holding the Bible as a source of authority higher than that of church tradition . The many abuses that had occurred in the Western Church before the Protestant Reformation led the Reformers to reject much of its tradition. In the early 20th century,
6765-489: The Catholic Church. By 1215, the Waldensians were declared heretical and subject to persecution. Despite that, the movement continues to exist to this day in Italy, as a part of the wider Reformed tradition . In the 1370s, Oxford theologian and priest John Wycliffe —later dubbed the "Morning Star of Reformation"—started his activity as an English reformer. He rejected papal authority over secular power (in that any person in mortal sin lost their authority and should be resisted:
6888-419: The Church and the papacy, including the practice of purgatory , particular judgment , and the authority of the pope. Luther would later write works against the Catholic devotion to Virgin Mary , the intercession of and devotion to the saints, mandatory clerical celibacy, monasticism, the authority of the pope, the ecclesiastical law, censure and excommunication , the role of secular rulers in religious matters,
7011-435: The Church of England. It was dominant there after the Restoration (1660) for some fifty years. The Baptist movement emerged in 17th-century in England. The first Baptists—called " General Baptists " because of their confession of a "general" or unlimited atonement—were Arminians. The Baptist movement originated with Thomas Helwys , who left his mentor John Smyth (who had moved into shared belief and other distinctives of
7134-402: The Dutch Waterlander Mennonites of Amsterdam) and returned to London to start the first English Baptist Church in 1611. Later General Baptists such as John Griffith , Samuel Loveday, and Thomas Grantham defended a Reformed Arminian theology that reflected the Arminianism of Arminius. The General Baptists encapsulated their Arminian views in numerous confessions , the most influential of which
7257-405: The East , which all understand themselves as the one and only original church—the " one true church "—founded by Jesus Christ (though certain Protestant denominations, including historic Lutheranism, hold to this position). Some denominations do have a worldwide scope and distribution of church membership , while others are confined to a single country. A majority of Protestants are members of
7380-424: The Hussites: moderate and radical movements. Other smaller regional Hussite branches in Bohemia included Adamites , Orebites , Orphans , and Praguers. The Hussite Wars concluded with the victory of Holy Roman Emperor Sigismund , his Catholic allies and moderate Hussites and the defeat of the radical Hussites. Tensions arose as the Thirty Years' War reached Bohemia in 1620. Both moderate and radical Hussitism
7503-423: The Methodist tradition, prominent supporters encompass Thomas Oden , Ben Witherington III , David Pawson , B. J. Oropeza , Thomas H. McCall and Fred Sanders. The Holiness movement boasts theologians like Carl O. Bangs and J. Kenneth Grider . Furthermore, scholars such as Keith D. Stanglin, Craig S. Keener and Grant R. Osborne also support Arminian perspectives. The Pelagian-Augustinian framework can serve as
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#17327654906327626-563: The Netherlands, and one congregation in Friedrichstadt, in northern Germany (2008). The Remonstrant Brotherhood of The Netherlands keeps fellowship with the European Liberal Protestant Network , and is a full, charter member of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches . It is also a member of the Communion of Protestant Churches in Europe . In line with the progressive views on religion, Remonstrants have been blessing same-sex partnerships on an equal footing as different sex weddings from 1986 onwards (church weddings have no legal status in
7749-400: The Netherlands, where the legally acknowledged civil same-sex marriages became possible in 2001). In this the Remonstrants were the first Christian church in the world to bless same-sex relationships similar to other relations. Remonstrants place big emphasis on personal faith and are not in agreement with one another on questions of faith and social issues. They consider that the message of
7872-449: The Philadelphia Baptist Confession), whereas the Standard Confession of 1660 was used by the American heirs of the English General Baptists, who soon came to be known as Free Will Baptists . In the Methodist -Calvinist controversy of the early 1770s involving Anglican ministers John Wesley and George Whitefield , Wesley responded to accusations of semi-Pelagianism by embracing an Arminian identity. Wesley had limited familiarity with
7995-455: The Protestant Reformation, but are not a part of Protestantism (e.g. Unitarianism ), reject the Trinity . This often serves as a reason for exclusion of the Unitarian Universalism , Oneness Pentecostalism , and other movements from Protestantism by various observers. Unitarianism continues to have a presence mainly in Transylvania , England, and the United States. The Five solae are five Latin phrases (or slogans) that emerged during
8118-418: The Protestant reformation. Ratramnus also defended the theology of Gottschalk and denied the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist; his writings also influenced the later Protestant reformation. Claudius of Turin in the 9th century also held Protestant ideas, such as faith alone and rejection of the supremacy of Peter. In the late 1130s, Arnold of Brescia , an Italian canon regular became one of
8241-407: The Reformation and put heavy stress of holiness and piety, Starting in 1475, an Italian Dominican friar Girolamo Savonarola was calling for a Christian renewal. Later on, Martin Luther himself read some of the friar's writings and praised him as a martyr and forerunner whose ideas on faith and grace anticipated Luther's own doctrine of justification by faith alone. Some of Hus' followers founded
8364-480: The Reformation, the term protestant was hardly used outside of German politics. People who were involved in the religious movement used the word evangelical ( German : evangelisch ). For further details, see the section below. Gradually, protestant became a general term, meaning any adherent of the Reformation in the German-speaking area. It was ultimately somewhat taken up by Lutherans, even though Martin Luther himself insisted on Christian or evangelical as
8487-595: The Reformed on this doctrine as they teach prima scriptura , which holds that Scripture is the primary source for Christian doctrine, but that "tradition, experience, and reason" can nurture the Christian religion as long as they are in harmony with the Bible ( Protestant canon ). "Biblical Christianity" focused on a deep study of the Bible is characteristic of most Protestants as opposed to "Church Christianity", focused on performing rituals and good works, represented by Catholic and Orthodox traditions. However, Quakers , Pentecostalists and Spiritual Christians emphasize
8610-408: The Scriptures taught that a true believer was capable of falling away from faith and perishing eternally as an unbeliever. They formalized their views in "The Opinion of the Remonstrants" (1618) which was their official stand during the Synod of Dort. They later expressed this same view in the Remonstrant Confession (1621). Arminius maintained that if the apostasy came from "malicious" sin, then it
8733-429: The ability to choose the spiritual good, particularly the capacity to accept God's call to salvation . Atonement is intended universally : Jesus's death was for all people, Jesus draws all people to himself, with the opportunity for salvation through faith . Jesus's death satisfies God's justice : The penalty for the sins of the elect is paid in full through the crucifixion of Christ . Thus Christ's death atones for
8856-557: The author of evil . It would not correspond to the character of God, especially as fully revealed in Jesus Christ. On the other hand, man's responsibility for evil must be preserved. Those two postulates require a specific way by which God chooses to manifest his sovereignty when interacting with his creatures. On one hand, it requires for God to operate according to a limited mode of providence . This means that God deliberately exercises sovereignty without determining every event. On
8979-589: The beliefs of Arminius and largely formulated his views without direct reliance on Arminius' teachings. Wesley was notably influenced by 17th-century English Arminianism and by some Remonstrant spokesmen. However, he is recognized as a faithful representative of Arminius' beliefs. Wesley defended his soteriology through the publication of a periodical titled The Arminian (1778) and in articles such as Predestination Calmly Considered . To support his stance, he strongly maintained belief in total depravity while clarifying other doctrines notably prevenient grace . At
9102-524: The body, blood, soul, and divinity of Christ. They disagreed with one another concerning the presence of Christ and his body and blood in Holy Communion. Protestants reject the Catholic doctrine of papal supremacy , and have variant views on the number of sacraments , the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist , and matters of ecclesiastical polity and apostolic succession . Many of
9225-606: The church as a body works), they had a different understanding of the process in which truths in scripture were applied to life of believers, compared to the Catholics' idea that certain people within the church, or ideas that were old enough, had a special status in giving understanding of the text. The second main principle, sola fide (by faith alone), states that faith in Christ is sufficient alone for eternal salvation and justification. Though argued from scripture, and hence logically consequent to sola scriptura , this
9348-579: The city government was purged of Oldenbarnevelt supporters; Jacob Dircksz de Graeff and Cornelis Hooft fell victim to this action. In 1618–1619 the Synod of Dordrecht , after expelling the thirteen Arminian pastors headed by Simon Episcopius , established the victory of the Calvinist school. It drew up ninety-three canonical rules, and confirmed the authority of the Belgic Confession and
9471-495: The concepts of divine predestination and election. While some perceive these differences as fundamental, others regard them as relatively minor distinctions within the broader spectrum of Christian theology. The doctrine of open theism states that God is omnipresent, omnipotent, and omniscient, but differs on the nature of the future. Open theists claim that the future is not completely determined (or "settled") because people have not made their free decisions yet. God therefore knows
9594-462: The consequences [of that theology]." This association is considered as libelous when attributed to Arminius' or Wesley's doctrine, and Arminians reject all accusations of Pelagianism. Semi-Pelagianism holds that faith begins with human will, while its continuation and fulfillment depend on God's grace, giving it the label "human-initiated synergism ". In contrast, both Classical and Wesleyan Arminianism affirm that prevenient grace from God initiates
9717-528: The contemporary world's most dynamic religious movements. As of 2024 , Protestantism has a total of approximately 625 million followers. Six princes of the Holy Roman Empire and rulers of fourteen Imperial Free Cities , who issued a protest (or dissent) against the edict of the Diet of Speyer (1529) , were the first individuals to be called Protestants. The edict reversed concessions made to
9840-506: The death of Arminius in 1609, his followers wrote a Remonstrance (1610) based quite literally on his Declaration of Sentiments (1607) which expressed prudence on the possibility of apostasy. In particular, its fifth article expressed the necessity of further study on the possibility of apostasy. Sometime between 1610 and the official proceeding of the Synod of Dort (1618), the Remonstrants became fully persuaded in their minds that
9963-506: The direction of semi-Pelagianism and rationalism . In England, the so-labelled Arminian doctrines were held, in substance, before and in parallel with those of Arminius. The Thirty-nine Articles of Religion (finalised in 1571), were sufficiently ambiguous that they were compatible with either Arminian or Calvinistic interpretations. Arminianism in the Church of England was fundamentally an expression of negation of Calvinism, and only some theologians held to classical Arminianism , but for
10086-424: The doctrines of Calvinism related to its interpretation of predestination . Classical Arminianism , to which Arminius is the main contributor, and Wesleyan Arminianism , to which John Wesley is the main contributor, are the two main schools of thought. Central Arminian beliefs are that God's preparing ( prevenient ) grace for regeneration is universal, and that God's justifying grace allowing regeneration
10209-653: The doctrines of established churches. In 1610, Arminius followers presented to the States of Holland and Friesland the Five Articles of Remonstrance formulating their points of disagreement with Calvinism as adopted by the Dutch Reformed Church . Supporters of Arminius were called "Remonstrants", but they were also called "Arminians". Their adversaries, inspired by Franciscus Gomarus , became known as Gomarists or Counter-Remonstrants . Although
10332-427: The elect to a glorious future: Predestination is not the predetermination of who will believe, but rather the predetermination of the believer's future inheritance. The elect are therefore predestined to sonship through adoption , glorification , and eternal life . Related to eschatological considerations, Jacobus Arminius and the first Remonstrants, including Simon Episcopius believed in everlasting fire where
10455-589: The excommunication of Luther and condemnation of the Reformation by the Pope, the work and writings of John Calvin were influential in establishing a loose consensus among various groups in Switzerland, Scotland, Hungary, Germany and elsewhere. After the expulsion of its Bishop in 1526, and the unsuccessful attempts of the Bern reformer William Farel , Calvin was asked to use the organizational skill he had gathered as
10578-434: The faith, and perish; yet I will not conceal, that there are passages of scripture which seem to me to wear this aspect." However, elsewhere Arminius expressed certainty about the possibility of falling away: In c. 1602, he noted that a person integrated into the church might resist God's work and that a believer's security rested solely in their choice not to abandon their faith. He argued that God's covenant did not eliminate
10701-614: The first theologians to attempt to reform the Catholic Church. After his death, his teachings on apostolic poverty gained currency among Arnoldists , and later more widely among Waldensians and the Spiritual Franciscans , though no written word of his has survived the official condemnation. In the early 1170s, Peter Waldo founded the Waldensians. He advocated an interpretation of the Gospel that led to conflicts with
10824-486: The four main doctrines on the Bible: that its teaching is needed for salvation (necessity); that all the doctrine necessary for salvation comes from the Bible alone (sufficiency); that everything taught in the Bible is correct (inerrancy); and that, by the Holy Spirit overcoming sin, believers may read and understand truth from the Bible itself, though understanding is difficult, so the means used to guide individual believers to
10947-513: The future partially in possibilities (human free actions) rather than solely certainties (divinely determined events). Some Arminians, reject open theism, viewing it as a distortion of traditional Arminianism. They believe it shifts away from classical Arminianism toward process theology . Others view it as a valid alternative perspective within Christianity, despite not aligning it with Arminian doctrine. Protestantism Protestantism
11070-414: The individual ideas that were taken up by various reformers had historical pre-cursors; however, calling them proto-reformers is controversial, as often their theology also had components that are not associated with later Protestants, or that were asserted by some Protestants but denied by others, or that were only superficially similar. One of the earliest persons to be praised as a Protestant forerunner
11193-520: The language and framework of covenant theology . Its core teachings are summarized in the Five Articles of Remonstrance , reflecting Arminius’s views, with some sections directly from his Declaration of Sentiments . Some theologians have referred to this system as "classical Arminianism". Others prefer "Reformation Arminianism" or "Reformed Arminianism", as Arminius upheld the principles of Reformation such as Sola fide and Sola gratia . Arminianism accepts classical theism , which states that God
11316-521: The mid-19th century, the Remonstrant Brotherhood was influenced by liberalism, which in Holland was embodied by Petrus Hofstede de Groot (1802–1886). His theology had a wide audience in Europe, which is characteristic of the romantic phase of Christian humanism ; in the Netherlands, this line of thought has been represented by the "theologians of Groningen" since 1830. Most of the early Remonstrants followed classical Arminianism. However, they are not
11439-554: The middle of the 16th century, in order to distinguish themselves from other groups such as the Philippists and Calvinists . The German word reformatorisch , which roughly translates to English as "reformational" or "reforming", is used as an alternative for evangelisch in German, and is different from English reformed ( German : reformiert ), which refers to churches shaped by ideas of John Calvin , Huldrych Zwingli , and other Reformed theologians. Derived from
11562-640: The official Dutch Reformed state church and other Christian denominations. After the death of Maurice of Orange in 1625, some exiles returned. The government became convinced that they posed no danger to the state, and in 1630 they were formally allowed to reside again in all parts of the Republic. They were not, however, officially allowed to build churches until the establishment of the Batavian Republic in 1795. Until then they held their services in so-called Schuilkerken ( house churches ). In
11685-464: The only Protestants who can be considered Arminian or who are called Arminians. Arminianism is a minority within the Reformed confession, but it really belongs to the larger, cross-denominational current of synergism , that is to say, historic, majority Christianity. As Arminianism, it made inroads into the Church of England . As a broader synergism, it appears in Methodism , the General Baptists ,
11808-509: The only acceptable names for individuals who professed faith in Christ. French and Swiss Protestants instead preferred the word reformed ( French : réformé ), which became a popular, neutral, and alternative name for Calvinists. The word evangelical ( German : evangelisch ), which refers to the gospel , was widely used for those involved in the religious movement in the German-speaking area beginning in 1517. Evangelical
11931-499: The other hand, it requires for God's election to be a " predestination by foreknowledge". Therefore, God's foreknowledge is exhaustive and complete, aligning his certainty with human freedom of action. Arminianism is aligned with classical free-will theism, adopting an incompatibilist position. It asserts that the free will essential for moral responsibility is inherently incompatible with determinism . In Arminian theology, human beings possess libertarian free will , making them
12054-406: The possibility of apostasy . However, over the period of time he wrote on this question, he sometimes expressed himself more cautiously out of consideration for the faith of his readers. In 1599, he stated that the question required more scriptural examination. In his "Declaration of Sentiments" (1607), Arminius said, "I never taught that a true believer can, either totally or finally fall away from
12177-410: The possibility of falling away but provided a gift of fear to keep individuals from defecting, as long as it thrived in their hearts. He then taught that had David died in sin, he would have been lost. In 1602, Arminius also wrote: "A believing member of Christ may become slothful, give place to sin, and gradually die altogether, ceasing to be a member". For Arminius, a certain class of sin would cause
12300-430: The process of salvation by extending his grace, commonly referred to as prevenient grace , to all people. This grace works within each individual, drawing them toward the Gospel and enabling sincere faith, leading to regeneration . It functions through a dynamic influence-and-response relationship, allowing individuals to freely accept or reject it. Thus, conversion is described as a "God-initiated synergism." Election
12423-457: The process of salvation, a view sometimes referred to as "Semi-Augustinian", or "God-initiated synergism". Following the Reformation , Reformed theologians often categorized both "human-initiated synergism" and "God-initiated synergism" as "Semi-Pelagianism", often leading to mistaken belief that Arminianism aligned with Semi-Pelagianism. Calvinism and Arminianism, while sharing historical roots and many theological doctrines, diverge notably on
12546-417: The pursuit of holiness in one's life. Wesley taught that imputed righteousness , which refers to the righteousness credited to a believer through faith, must transform into imparted righteousness , where this righteousness becomes evident in the believer’s life. Wesley taught that through the Holy Spirit , Christians can achieve a state of practical perfection, or " entire sanctification ", characterized by
12669-692: The reformation: Wessel Gansfort , Johann Ruchat von Wesel , and Johannes von Goch . They held ideas such as predestination , sola scriptura , and the church invisible , and denied the Roman Catholic view on justification and the authority of the Pope, also questioning monasticism . Wessel Gansfort also denied transubstantiation and anticipated the Lutheran view of justification by faith alone. Electors of Saxony Holy Roman Emperors Building Literature Theater Liturgies Hymnals Monuments Calendrical commemoration The Protestant Reformation began as an attempt to reform
12792-452: The relationship between Christianity and the law, good works, and the sacraments. The Reformation was a triumph of literacy and the new printing press invented by Johannes Gutenberg . Luther's translation of the Bible into German was a decisive moment in the spread of literacy, and stimulated as well the printing and distribution of religious books and pamphlets. From 1517 onward, religious pamphlets flooded much of Europe. Following
12915-457: The remission of the temporal punishment of sins to their purchasers. The term, however, derives from the letter of protestation from German Lutheran princes in 1529 against an edict of the Diet of Speyer condemning the teachings of Martin Luther as heretical . In the 16th century , Lutheranism spread from Germany into Denmark–Norway , Sweden , Finland , Livonia , and Iceland . Calvinist churches spread in Germany, Hungary ,
13038-443: The rest they were either semi-Pelagian or Pelagian . In this specific context, contemporary historians prefer to use the term "proto-Arminians" rather than "Arminians" to designate the leanings of those divines who generally didn't follow classical Arminianism. English Arminianism was represented by Arminian Puritans such as John Goodwin or High Anglican Arminians such as Jeremy Taylor and Henry Hammond . Anglican Arminians of
13161-410: The right to interpret the Bible apart from the Christian community at large because universal priesthood opened the door to such a possibility. There are scholars who cite that this doctrine tends to subsume all distinctions in the church under a single spiritual entity. Calvin referred to the universal priesthood as an expression of the relation between the believer and his God, including the freedom of
13284-473: The righteousness of Christ is attributed to believers, emphasizing that union with Christ (conditioned on faith) transfers his righteousness to them. Christ's atonement has a substitutionary effect which is limited only to the elect. Arminius held that God's justice was satisfied by penal substitution . Hugo Grotius taught that it was satisfied governmentally . Historical and contemporary Arminians have held to one of these views. In Arminianism, God initiates
13407-467: The same time, Wesley attacked the determinism that he claimed characterized Calvinist doctrines of predestination. He typically preached the notion of Christian perfection (fully mature, not "sinlessness"). His system of thought has become known as Wesleyan Arminianism , the foundations of which were laid by him and his fellow preacher John William Fletcher . Methodism also navigated its own theological intricacies concerning salvation and human agency. In
13530-401: The same view as Arminius nearly a century before him. The soteriological doctrines of Arminianism and Anabaptism are roughly equivalent. In particular, Mennonites have been historically Arminian whether they distinctly espoused the Arminian viewpoint or not, and rejected Calvinist soteriology . Anabaptist theology seems to have influenced Jacobus Arminius. At least, he was "sympathetic to
13653-432: The sins of all, but requires faith to be effected. Arminius states that "Justification, when used for the act of a Judge, is either purely the imputation of righteousness through mercy [...] or that man is justified before God [...] according to the rigor of justice without any forgiveness." Justification , therefore, is seen through mercy by the imputation of righteousness . While not rigidly defined, this view suggests that
13776-580: The situation. Maurice systematically removed Arminian magistrates from office and called a national synod at Dordrecht . This Synod of Dort was open primarily to Dutch Calvinists (102 people), while the Arminians were excluded (13 people banned from voting), with Calvinist representatives from other countries (28 people), and in 1618 published a condemnation of Arminius and his followers as heretics. The Canons of Dort responded, among other topics, to Arminian doctrines, anticipating their later articulation as
13899-510: The thinking they represent was also part of the early Reformation. The Protestant movement began to diverge into several distinct branches in the mid-to-late 16th century. One of the central points of divergence was controversy over the Eucharist . Early Protestants rejected the Catholic dogma of transubstantiation , which teaches that the bread and wine used in the sacrificial rite of the Mass lose their natural substance by being transformed into
14022-760: The town of Friedrichstadt . The doctrine of the Remonstrants was embodied in 1621 in a Confession written by Episcopius, their major theologian. This Confession serves as a base for the Remonstrant church since his return to the Netherlands in 1626. It confirms the opinion of the remonstrants already expressed in 1618. Jan Uytenbogaert gave to the Remonstrants a catechism and regulated their church order. Their seminary in Amsterdam had distinguished pupils, including Curcellaeus , Limborch , Wetstein , and Le Clerc . Their school of theology , which grew more liberal and even rationalistic, forcefully debated
14145-515: The true teaching is often mutual discussion within the church (clarity). The necessity and inerrancy were well-established ideas, garnering little criticism, though they later came under debate from outside during the Enlightenment . The most contentious idea at the time though was the notion that anyone could simply pick up the Bible and learn enough to gain salvation. Though the reformers were concerned with ecclesiology (the doctrine of how
14268-439: The ultimate source of their choices and granting them the ability to choose otherwise. This philosophical framework upholds the concept of divine providence , allowing God's influence and supervision over creation . However, it permits the idea of God's absolute control over human actions, as long as such control does not involve human responsibility. Arminianism holds that without the assistance of divine grace , human free will
14391-472: The word "Reformation", the term emerged around the same time as Evangelical (1517) and Protestant (1529). Many experts have proposed criteria to determine whether a Christian denomination should be considered part of Protestantism. A common consensus approved by most of them is that if a Christian denomination is to be considered Protestant, it must acknowledge the following three fundamental principles of Protestantism. The belief, emphasized by Luther, in
14514-465: The world and their own flesh, and to gain the victory over these enemies." Furthermore, Christ and the Spirit are ever present to aid and assist believers through various temptations. But this security was not unconditional but conditional—"provided they [believers] stand prepared for the battle, implore his help, and be not wanting to themselves, Christ preserves them from falling ." Arminius believed in
14637-556: Was forgivable. If it came from "rejection" it was not. Following Arminius, the Remonstrants believed that, though possible, apostasy was not in general irremediable. However, other classical Arminians, including the Free Will Baptists , have taught that apostasy is irremediable. John Wesley thoroughly agreed with the vast majority of what Arminius himself taught. Wesleyan Arminianism is a merger of classical Arminianism and Wesleyan perfectionism . Wesley’s view of atonement
14760-609: Was fully Arminian. Today, Pentecostal denominations such as the Assemblies of God hold to Arminian views such as resistible grace , conditional election , and conditional security of the believer . Advocates of Arminianism find a home in many Protestant denominations, and sometimes other beliefs such as Calvinism exist within the same denomination. The Lutheran theological tradition bears certain similarities to Arminianism and there may be some Lutheran churches that are open to it. Newer Evangelical Anglican denominations also show
14883-756: Was in the Azusa Street Revival in Los Angeles in 1906. This revival was led by William J. Seymour (1870–1922). Due to the Methodist and Holiness background of many early Pentecostal preachers, the Pentecostal churches usually possessed practices that arose from the Wesleyan Arminianism. During the 20th century, as Pentecostal churches began to settle and incorporate more standard forms, they started to formulate theology that
15006-470: Was increasingly persecuted by Catholics and Holy Roman Emperor's armies. In the 14th century, a German mysticist group called the Gottesfreunde criticized the Catholic church and its corruption. Many of their leaders were executed for attacking the Catholic church and they believed that God's judgement would soon come upon the church. The Gottesfreunde were a democratic lay movement and forerunner of
15129-843: Was the Standard Confession of 1660. In the 1640s the Particular Baptists were formed, diverging from Arminian doctrine and embracing the strong Calvinism of the Presbyterians and Independents . Their robust Calvinism was publicized in such confessions as the London Baptist Confession of 1644 and the Second London Confession of 1689. The London Confession of 1689 was later used by Calvinistic Baptists in America (called
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