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45-767: By the decrees of the Synod of Dort , the church services of the Remonstrants were prohibited. They united in 1619 at Antwerp , where the basis for a new church community was laid, under the name Remonstrant Reformed Brotherhood. Uytenbogaert and Episcopius , who had found a refuge in Rouen , and Grevinchoven, formerly a preacher of Rotterdam , now in Holstein, assumed the leadership of the Brotherhood while three exiled preachers secretly returned to their country to care for

90-462: A corollary to the rejection of Reformed scholasticism , the Remonstrant insistence that all true theology was entirely practical and not speculative or theoretical. Whatever the modern equivocations over the meaning of “speculative theology,” for Episcopius it signified theology which was derived from reason rather than from Scripture and served to satisfy theological curiosity rather than promote

135-635: A large circulation in its Dutch translation. Episcopius was actually the leading theologian of the Remonstrants. Dr. Mark A. Ellis, states: "They intended it as a concise, easily understandable statement of their faith and a corrective to what they viewed as the misrepresentations published in the Acts of the Synod of Dort ." Concerning the purpose and the scope of the Confession Ellis, states: "Many [Remonstrants] were hesitant, fearful of establishing

180-640: Is a member of Calvary Baptist Church in Waco. Olson studied at Open Bible College in Des Moines, North American Baptist Seminary , and Rice University , where he obtained his Ph.D. in Religious Studies in 1984, under the supervision of Nields Nielsen. He is also an ordained Baptist minister. He was influenced by Donald G. Bloesch , Robert Jenson , Jürgen Moltmann , Bernard Ramm , and Jack Rogers . Since 1999, Olson has been Holder of

225-407: Is an experienced reality necessary for responsibility . Olson wrote a popular and widely acclaimed survey of Christian theology titled The Story of Christian Theology (1999). He is noted for a broad view of what constitutes Protestant "orthodoxy." For example, on annihilationism he commented in his 2002 book The Mosaic of Christian Belief that some evangelical theologians have "resurrected

270-433: Is centered on God's grace and sovereignty , and is intrinsically an evangelical theology . Olson also refers to "classical Arminianism" as "evangelical synergism": synergism referring to cooperation between God and creature and evangelical to distinguish it from Catholic or Eastern Orthodox synergism. Olson says that the first principle of Arminianism is " Jesus Christ as the full and perfect revelation of

315-569: Is customary) but with the person who realizes and accepts "that existence is infinitely greater than we can comprehend". Next, reference is made to the inspiration by the Holy Spirit; this leads to Jesus and Jesus refers to God. This change in the classical order of the Christian confession is remarkable, but it also characterizes the current remonstrants views: faith starts with people. Synod of Dort The Synod of Dort (also known as

360-503: Is defined by being classically Protestant , affirming total depravity , conditional election , unlimited atonement , prevenient grace , and that God is in no way, and by no means the author of sin and evil but that these are only permitted by him. Olson's definition, without taking a position on the conditional preservation , is close to the view of the Remonstrants prior to 1618. For Olson, "classical Arminianism" as defined

405-1066: Is used in some sister churches of the Netherlands Reformed Congregations and similar, smaller denominations. Like its sister translations, the Genevan Bible and the King James Version (Authorized Version), the Dutch pastor-scholars worked in the Old Testament from the Masoretic Text (consulting the Septuagint ) and in the New Testament from the Textus Receptus (consulting the Majority Text ). In 1645,

450-681: The British Isles . Among these groups were also Anglican delegates from the Church of England and the Church of Scotland . Simon Episcopius (1583–1643) was spokesman of the 14 Remonstrants who were summoned before the Synod in 1618. At the opening of the synod, Episcopius asked to speak. Episcopius ... insisted on being permitted to begin with a refutation of the Calvinistic doctrines, especially that of reprobation, hoping that, by placing his objections to this doctrine in front of all

495-825: The Calvinist position regarding the doctrine of the Sovereignty of God in salvation. The Decision of the Synod of Dort on the Five Main Points of Doctrine in Dispute in the Netherlands , popularly known as the Canons of Dort , is the explanation of the judicial decision of the Synod. In the original preface, the Decision is called: a judgment, in which both, the true view agreeing with God's word concerning

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540-489: The Confession the prevenient grace of God: “We think therefore that the grace of God is the beginning, progress and completion of all good, so that not even a regenerate man himself can, without this preceding, or preventing, exciting, following and cooperating grace, think, will, or finish any good thing to be saved, much lest resist any attractions and temptations to evil.” They differed with their opponents not over

585-466: The Confession , the Remonstrants simply confirmed that opinion in several ways. For instance they held that: Even if it is true that those who are adept in the habit of faith and holiness can only with difficulty fall back to their former profaneness and dissoluteness of life, yet we believe that it is entirely possible, if not rarely done, that they fall back little by little and until they completely lack their prior faith and charity. And having abandoned

630-533: The Synod of Dordt or the Synod of Dordrecht ) was a European transnational Synod held in Dordrecht in 1618–1619, by the Dutch Reformed Church , to settle a divisive controversy caused by the rise of Arminianism . The first meeting was on 13 November 1618 and the final meeting, the 154th, was on 9 May 1619. Voting representatives from eight foreign Reformed churches were also invited. Dort

675-655: The Twelve Years' Truce , a pause in the Dutch war with Spain . After the death of Jacobus Arminius his followers presented objections to the Belgic Confession and the teaching of John Calvin , Theodore Beza , and their followers. These objections were published in a document called The Remonstrance of 1610 , and the Arminians were therefore also known as Remonstrants . They taught conditional election on

720-667: The Westminster Assembly appointed Theodore Haak to translate the Statenvertaling met kanttekeningen ( The Dort Bible and its Commentary ) into English for wider distribution. This work was published by Henry Hill in London 1657. The Synod rejected the teachings of the Remonstrants on the controverted points as falling outside the bounds of the Reformed confessions. There followed the political condemnation of

765-567: The confession , the Remonstrants gave a clear repudiation of Socinianism ‟s denials of the divinity of Christ and the trinity: Therefore, the Son and the Holy Spirit, although both are divine with respect to their hypostasis, manner, and order, are truly distinct from the Father; yet they are truly partakers with the Father of the same deity or divine essence and nature absolutely and commonly considered [...] The remonstrants had denied Pelagianism in

810-515: The Anabaptists. The Remonstrant confession of 1621 was revised and published in a succinct form in 1940, losing most of its original details. This revision was made as a testimony against the spiritual pretensions of National Socialism at the start of the German occupation of the Netherlands (1940-1945). Afterwards a revision was done in 2006. The text does not start with God the Father (as

855-770: The Foy Valentine Professor of Christian Theology of Ethics at George W. Truett Theological Seminary of Baylor University , Waco, Texas . Olson retired in December 2021. Olson identifies himself as a classical Arminian , and is known for his stance in favor of Arminianism. He has written several books including Arminian Theology: Myths and Realities (2006) in which he defined and defended his vision of Arminianism. Olson fundamentally defines Arminianism by God's "limited" mode of providence and by God's "predestination by foreknowledge " mode of election . According to him, adherence to classical Arminianism

900-476: The Remonstrants argued. This decision was worked out in 1617, with outside input from the English ambassador Dudley Carleton . The purpose of the Synod was to settle the controversy over Arminianism. It was subsequently alleged, but never proven, that the outcome had already been decided. According to Frederick Calder, "condemnation [of the Remonstrant doctrines] was determined before the national synod met." On

945-698: The States or, the Dutch Authorized Version ) from the original languages that would be completed in 1637. Translators were appointed, and the States-General were asked to fund the project. It had a lasting impact on the standard Dutch language , which was just then beginning to gain wider acceptance and developing a literary tradition. It would remain the standard translation in Protestant churches for more than three centuries and still

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990-719: The Synod proceeded without them. He concluded by expressing his dissatisfaction with the organization of the assembly, and that the Contra-Remonstrants had prevented an accurate representation of the Arminian supporters in the Dutch Reformed Church with votes in the synod. A delegation of Episcopius consisting of Bernard Arentsz Dwinglo (1582–1652) and Johannes Arnoldi Corvinus called on the Church of England representatives, and others coming from outside, asking for support and giving written accounts of

1035-493: The aforesaid five points of doctrine is explained and, the false view disagreeing with God's Word is rejected. The thirteen Remonstrant ministers, including Episcopius, had been charged to remain in Dort until further instruction. On 20 May 1619 the Remonstrant ministers who had been present were summoned by the lay-commissioners of the synod and directed to abstain from ministerial activities such as preaching, exhorting, administering

1080-674: The basis of foreseen faith, unlimited atonement , resistible grace , and the possibility of lapse from grace . The opposing Calvinists or Gomarists, led by Franciscus Gomarus of the University of Leiden , became known as the Contra-Remonstrants . The Arminians were accused of propagating false doctrine and perceived as ready to compromise with the Spanish, whereas the Dutch Calvinists were not, so Arminianism

1125-482: The character of God". This principle has a particular significance within the Calvinism-Armininian debate , where the character of God (and especially his love) as revealed by Jesus Christ, is for Olson, better represented by the Arminian view. Olson says that, as a consequence of this point, Arminians only believe in libertarian free will to avoid making God the author of sin and evil, and because it

1170-488: The congregations left there; for in spite of the unfavorable decree, there was still left a considerable number who would not hear the doctrine of absolute grace preached, and there were not wanting deposed preachers who dared to serve them. In 1621 Episcopius drew up a Confessio sive declaratio sententiæ pastorum qui Remonstrantes vocantur [ Confession or Declaration of the Pastors which are called Remonstrants ], which found

1215-420: The context. After that a month was spent on procedural matters concerning the Remonstrants. They were finally ejected from the Synod at session 57 on 14 January. Christianity • Protestantism The Synod concluded with a rejection of the Arminian views, and set forth the Reformed doctrine on each point, namely: total depravity , unconditional election , limited atonement (arguing that Christ's atoning work

1260-409: The faith and obedience. Sometime between 1610, and the official proceeding of the Synod of Dort (1618), the Remonstrants became persuaded of conditional preservation of the saints , and of the possibility of apostasy , which is that a true believer is capable of falling away from faith and perishing eternally as an unbeliever. They formalized their views in "The Opinion of the Remonstrants" (1618). In

1305-472: The help of his wife. Both Van Oldenbarnevelt and Grotius had in fact been imprisoned since 29 August 1618. Roger Olson Roger Eugene Olson (born 1952) is an American Baptist theologian and Professor of Christian Theology of Ethics at Baylor University . Olson was born on February 2, 1952, in Des Moines, Iowa . He is married and he and his wife have two daughters and one granddaughter. He

1350-623: The legalization of the order to desist from the ministry. When they refused to sign it, they were sentenced as "disturbers of the public peace" and ordered to leave the United Provinces. However, in the 18th century, Arminian theology spread to England where it became integral to the theology of the Methodist churches . The synod also initiated an official Dutch Bible translation (the Statenvertaling , i.e. Translation of

1395-459: The necessity of grace, but in their belief that a person can “despise and reject the grace of God and resist its operation". Roger Olson sees here and elsewhere in the Confession a depiction of the prevenient grace , consistent with the one presented by Charles Wesley . In the Five articles of Remonstrance , the Remonstrants proposed that the perseverance of the saints , may be conditional upon

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1440-731: The now distressed and scattered Remonstrants. They selected Episcopius and two others to write it, but in the end, he did the work alone." The confession was completed and approved in 1620. The Dutch edition was published in 1621, the Latin in 1622. The text itself is composed of one preface and 25 chapters, which deal successively with: Roger E. Olson notes that the Confession is substantially aligned with Jacobus Arminius ' views. Ellis adds that "the Confession does not reflect Arminius theology alone. It also represents those who were Arminian before Arminius (such as Wtenbogaert and older pastors), together with Episcopius' own creative impulses." In

1485-410: The old polemical labels of heresy and aberrational teaching" in order to marginalize other evangelicals holding the view. Olson has described two "loose coalitions" developing within evangelical theology in response to postmodernism, which he referred to as "Traditionalists" and "Reformists." Olson coined the label "Pannenberg's Principle" for Wolfhart Pannenberg 's argument (1969) that God's deity

1530-746: The original Five articles of Remonstrance of 1610, and repeated the same in the Confession , affirming again the total depravity of man: Because Adam was the stock and root of the whole human race, he therefore involved and implicated not only himself, but also all his posterity (as if they were contained in his loins and went forth from him by natural generation) in the same death and misery with himself, so that all men without any discrimination, only our Lord Jesus Christ excepted, are by this one sin of Adam deprived of that primeval happiness, and destitute of true righteousness necessary for achieving eternal life, and consequently are now born subject to that eternal death of which we spoke, and manifold miseries. It

1575-681: The other hand, beyond the condemnation of the Arminians, the theological formulations of the Canons of the Synod by no means gave support to all the Gomarists wanted. In fact, Johannes Bogerman , president of the synod, himself a Supralapsarian , argued for the inclusion of the Infralapsarian position in the Canons. The more extreme views of Dutch Calvinists were moderated in the detailed debates. The Synod had 27 members representing Reformed groups from continental Europe , as well as from

1620-530: The rest, he might excite such prejudice against the other articles of the system, as to secure the popular voice in his favor. The Synod, however, very properly, reminded him ... that, as the Remonstrants were accused of departing from the Reformed faith, they were bound first to justify themselves, by giving Scriptural proof in support of their opinions. The Arminians would not submit to this plan of procedure because it destroyed their whole scheme of argument ... and were thus compelled to withdraw. Upon their departure,

1665-520: The sacraments, and visiting the sick. Furthermore, Episcopius was commanded not to write letters or books promoting the doctrines of the Remonstrants. The Remonstrants agreed to refrain from ministering in the government-ordained churches, but confessed their duty to expound their doctrines wherever people would assemble to hear them. On 5 July they were called to the States-General assembly where they were requested to sign The Act of Cessation ,

1710-426: The same type of creedalism which had resulted in their persecution and banishment. The Preface to the Confession , which the Remonstrants considered an integral part of the document, emphasized its non-binding character. The society eventually judged it more important to prove their orthodoxy to those who wanted to assist them, to silence the misrepresentations of their opposition, and most of all, to encourage and unite

1755-452: The statesman Johan van Oldenbarnevelt who had been the protector of the Remonstrants. For the crime of general perturbation in the state of the nation, both in Church and State (treason), he was beheaded on 13 May 1619, only four days after the final meeting of the Synod. As consequence of the Arminian defeat, the jurist Hugo Grotius was given a life sentence in prison; but he escaped with

1800-409: The way of righteousness, they revert to their worldly impurity which they had truly left, returning like pigs to wallowing in the mud and dogs to their vomit, and are again entangled in lusts of the flesh which they had formerly, truly fled. And thus totally and at length also they are finally torn from the grace of God unless they seriously repent in time. Ellis says : We find in the Confession

1845-473: The worship of God. […] This emphasis on theology as a practical science became one of the hallmarks of Remonstrant theology. The reception of the Confession was mixed among the Dutch Reformed , some praised it while others considered it heterodox. Several theologians from the Netherlands, France, England, Denmark and Germany in particular declared it to be orthodox and moderate. It was also approved by

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1890-561: Was a contemporary Dutch term for the town of Dordrecht (and it remains the local colloquial pronunciation). In 2014, the first entire critical edition of the Acts and Documents of the Synod was published. There had been previous provincial synods of Dort, and a National Synod in 1578. For that reason the 1618 meeting is sometimes called the Second Synod of Dort . The acts of the Synod were tied to political intrigues that arose during

1935-502: Was considered by some to be not only theologically unsound but also political treason; in 1617–1618 there was a pamphlet war and Francis van Aarssens expressed the view that the Arminians were working for Philip IV of Spain . Planning for a National Synod was begun by Adriaan Pauw in March 1618. Before that, there had been a debate as to whether the synod should be national, as the Contra-Remonstrants wished, or provincial for Holland, as

1980-602: Was from this that the highest necessity and also advantage of divine grace, prepared for us in Christ the Savior before the ages, clearly appeared. For without it we could neither shake off the miserable yoke of sin, nor do anything truly good in all religion, nor finally ever escape eternal death or any true punishment of sin. Much less could we at any time obtain eternal salvation without it or through ourselves. The Remonstrants had previously denied Semipelagianism and reaffirmed in

2025-540: Was intended only for the elect and not for the rest of the world), irresistible (or irrevocable) grace , and the perseverance of the saints . These are sometimes referred to as the Five points of Calvinism . The nomenclature did not imply that all of Calvinism could be reduced to a mere five points, but that TULIP—the acronym that was later developed for the teachings of Dort in the English-speaking world—summarized

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