Jacobus Arminius (1560-1609)

Jacobus Arminius was a Dutch theologian.

He tried to liberalize severe Calvinist views on predestination, which stated that God unconditionally chooses some people to be saved and others to be damned. Arminius denied absolute predestination. He taught that predestination was based on God's knowing in advance who would believe in Jesus. But people can still resist the Holy Spirit's call to grace and even lose salvation. Thus, complete assurance of final salvation is impossible. Arminius's doctrines were called Arminianism.

Arminius's followers published a Remonstrance in 1610 that summarized his views.

Orthodox Calvinists claimed that Arminianism would weaken Dutch national unity by dividing Calvinism, the national religion. A council called the Reformed Synod of Dort (1618-1619) condemned Arminianism.

The doctrines still spread to England and the English colonies in America. Arminianism influenced other Protestant denominations, especially Methodism.

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