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 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 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. [1] Before the Reformation, groups like the Waldensians similarly affirmed individual freedom over any predetermined predestination. [2] Anabaptist theologian Balthasar Hubmaier (1480–1528) also promoted much the same view as Arminius nearly a century before him. [1] The soteriological doctrines of Arminianism and Anabaptism are roughly equivalent. [3] [4] In particular, Mennonites have been historically Arminian whether they distinctly espoused the Arminian viewpoint or not, and rejected Calvinist soteriology. [5] Anabaptist theology seems to have influenced Jacobus Arminius. [3] At least, he was "sympathetic to the Anabaptist point of view, and Anabaptists were commonly in attendance on his preaching." [4] 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. [6] Another key figure, Sebastian Castellio (1515–1563), who opposed Calvin's views on predestination and religious intolerance, is known to have influenced both the Mennonites and certain theologians within Arminius’s circle. [7] Early critics of Arminians even cited Castellio as a primary inspiration behind the Arminian movement. [8]
Jacobus Arminius (1560-1609) was a Dutch pastor and theologian. [9] 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 is God who unconditionally elects some for salvation. [9] Instead Arminius proposed that the election of God was of believers, thereby making it conditional on faith. [9] Arminius's views were challenged by the Dutch Calvinists, especially Franciscus Gomarus. [10]
In his Declaration of Sentiments (1608) Arminius presented his theology to magistrates of the States General of the Netherlands in The Hague. [11] After his death, Arminius's followers continued to advance his theological vision, crafting the Five articles of Remonstrance (1610), in which they express their points of divergence from the stricter Calvinism of the Belgic Confession . [10] This is how Arminius's followers were called Remonstrants, and following a Counter Remonstrance in 1611, Gomarus' followers were called Counter-Remonstrants. [12]
After some political maneuvering, the Dutch Calvinists were able to convince Prince Maurice of Nassau to deal with the situation. [9] 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 the Five points of Calvinism. [10]
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. [9] Most of the early Remonstrants followed a classical version of Arminianism. However, some of them such as Philipp van Limborch, moved in the direction of semi-Pelagianism and rationalism. [13]
In England, the so-labelled Arminian doctrines [14] were held, in substance, before and in parallel with those of Arminius. [15] The Thirty-nine Articles of Religion (finalised in 1571), were sufficiently ambiguous that they were compatible with either Arminian or Calvinistic interpretations. [15] Arminianism in the Church of England was fundamentally an expression of negation of Calvinism, and only some theologians held to classical Arminianism, but for the rest they were either semi-Pelagian or Pelagian. [9] [15] [16] 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. [17] English Arminianism was represented by Arminian Puritans such as John Goodwin or High Anglican Arminians such as Jeremy Taylor and Henry Hammond. [15] Anglican Arminians of the 17th century such as William Laud fought Calvinist Puritans. [15] They actually saw Arminianism in terms of a state church, an idea that was alien to the views of Arminius. [9] This position became particularly evident under the reign (1625–1649) of Charles I of England. [15] Following the English Civil War (1642–1651) Charles II of England, who tolerated the Presbyterians, re-instituted Arminian thought in the Church of England. [18] It was dominant there after the Restoration (1660) [19] for some fifty years. [15]
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. [20] The Baptist movement originated with Thomas Helwys, who left his mentor John Smyth (who had moved into shared belief and other distinctives of 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 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 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. [21]
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. [22] Wesley had limited familiarity with the beliefs of Arminius and largely formulated his views without direct reliance on Arminius' teachings. [23] Wesley was notably influenced by 17th-century English Arminianism and by some Remonstrant spokesmen. [24] However, he is recognized as a faithful representative of Arminius' beliefs. [25] Wesley defended his soteriology through the publication of a periodical titled The Arminian (1778) and in articles such as Predestination Calmly Considered. [26] To support his stance, he strongly maintained belief in total depravity while clarifying other doctrines notably prevenient grace. [27] [28] At the same time, Wesley attacked the determinism that he claimed characterized Calvinist doctrines of predestination. [29] He typically preached the notion of Christian perfection (fully mature, not "sinlessness"). [9] 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. [30] [31] Methodism also navigated its own theological intricacies concerning salvation and human agency. [32] [33] In 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. [34] However, its core is recognized to be Arminianism. [28] [33]
Pentecostalism has its background in the activity of Charles Parham (1873–1929). Its origin as a movement was in the Azusa Street Revival in Los Angeles in 1906. This revival was led by William J. Seymour (1870–1922). [35] Due to the Methodist and Holiness background of many early Pentecostal preachers, the Pentecostal churches usually possessed practices that arose from the Wesleyan Arminianism. [36] During the 20th century, as Pentecostal churches began to settle and incorporate more standard forms, they started to formulate theology that was fully Arminian. [37] 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. [38] [39] [40]
Advocates of Arminianism find a home in many Protestant denominations, [41] and sometimes other beliefs such as Calvinism exist within the same denomination. [42] The Lutheran theological tradition bears certain similarities to Arminianism [43] and there may be some Lutheran churches that are open to it. [44] Newer Evangelical Anglican denominations also show a level of openness to Arminian theology. [44] 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". [45] [46] [44] Arminianism is found within the General Baptists, [46] including the subset of General Baptists known as Free Will Baptists. [47] The majority of Southern Baptists embrace a traditionalist form of Arminianism which includes a belief in eternal security, [48] [49] [50] [44] though many see Calvinism as growing in acceptance. [51] Certain proponents of Arminianism may be found within the Restoration movement in the Christian Churches and Churches of Christ. [47] Additionally, it is found in the Seventh-day Adventist Church. [44] Arminianism (specifically Wesleyan–Arminian theology) is taught in the Methodist churches, [52] 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, [47] and the Salvation Army. [53] It is also found in a part of the Charismatics, including the Pentecostals. [47] [54] [46] [55]
Arminian theology has found support among theologians, Bible scholars, and apologists spanning various historical periods and theological circles. Noteworthy historical figures include Jacobus Arminius, [56] Simon Episcopius, [13] Hugo Grotius, [13] John Goodwin, [57] Thomas Grantham, [58] John Wesley, [59] Richard Watson, [60] Thomas Osmond Summers, [60] John Miley, [61] William Burt Pope [60] and Henry Orton Wiley. [62]
In contemporary Baptist traditions, advocates of Arminian theology include Roger E. Olson, [63] F. Leroy Forlines, [64] Robert Picirilli [65] and J. Matthew Pinson. [66] Within the Methodist tradition, prominent supporters encompass Thomas Oden, [64] Ben Witherington III, [67] David Pawson, [68] B. J. Oropeza, [69] Thomas H. McCall [63] and Fred Sanders. [70] The Holiness movement boasts theologians like Carl O. Bangs [71] and J. Kenneth Grider. [66] Furthermore, scholars such as Keith D. Stanglin, [63] Craig S. Keener [72] and Grant R. Osborne [73] also support Arminian perspectives.
The Pelagian-Augustinian framework can serve as a key paradigm for understanding the theological and historical legacy of Arminianism. [74] Before Augustine (354–430), the synergistic view of salvation was almost universally endorsed. [75] Pelagius (c. 354–418), however, argued that humans could perfectly obey God by their own will. [76] The Pelagian view is therefore referred to as "humanistic monergism". [77] [78] This view was condemned at the Council of Carthage (418) and Ephesus (431). [79] In response, Augustine proposed a view in which God is the ultimate cause of all human actions, a stance that aligns with soft determinism. [80] The Augustinian view is therefore referred to as "divine monergism". [81] However, Augustinian soteriology implied double predestination, [82] which was condemned by the Council of Arles (475). [83]
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. [84] The Semi-Pelagian view is therefore described as "human-initiated synergism". [85] 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. [86] [87] [88] This highlights the role of prevenient grace enabling human belief. [89] [90] This view, often referred to as "Semi-Augustinian," is therefore described as "God-initiated synergism". [91] [92] [93] [94] The Council also rejected predestination to evil. [95] As Arminianism aligns with key aspects of this view, [91] it is seen by some as a return to early church theological consensus. [96] Moreover, Arminianism can also be seen as a soteriological diversification of Calvinism [97] or more specifically, as a theological middle ground between Calvinism and semi-Pelagianism. [98]
Arminian theology generally divides into two main variations: Classical Arminianism, based on the teachings of Jacobus Arminius, and Wesleyan Arminianism, a closely related variation shaped primarily by John Wesley. [99]
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. [100] [101] [102] This theological system was presented by Jacobus Arminius and maintained by some of the Remonstrants, such as Simon Episcopius [103] and Hugo Grotius. [104]
Arminian theology incorporates the language and framework of covenant theology. [105] [106] Its core teachings are summarized in the Five Articles of Remonstrance , reflecting Arminius’s views, with some sections directly from his Declaration of Sentiments. [107] Some theologians have referred to this system as "classical Arminianism". [108] [109] Others prefer "Reformation Arminianism" [110] or "Reformed Arminianism", [111] as Arminius upheld the principles of Reformation such as Sola fide and Sola gratia . [112]
Arminianism accepts classical theism, which states that God is omnipresent, omnipotent, and omniscient. [113] 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, the author of evil. It would not correspond to the character of God, [114] especially as fully revealed in Jesus Christ. [115] On the other hand, man's responsibility for evil must be preserved. [116] 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 the other hand, it requires for God's election to be a "predestination by foreknowledge". [117] Therefore, God's foreknowledge is exhaustive and complete, aligning his certainty with human freedom of action. [118]
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. [119] In Arminian theology, human beings possess libertarian free will, making them the ultimate source of their choices and granting them the ability to choose otherwise. [120] This philosophical framework upholds the concept of divine providence, allowing God's influence and supervision over creation. [121] However, it permits the idea of God's absolute control over human actions, as long as such control does not involve human responsibility. [122] [123]
Arminianism holds that without the assistance of divine grace, human free will is incapable of choosing the spiritual good. [124] [125] Humans are therefore in a state of total depravity, possessing a corrupted spiritual nature inherited from original sin. [126] Like Augustine, Luther, and Calvin, Arminius agreed that human free will is spiritually captive and enslaved. [127] [128] However, through the action of prevenient grace, human free will can be "freed", [129] meaning it can be restored with the ability to choose the spiritual good, particularly the capacity to accept God's call to salvation. [130]
Atonement is intended universally: Jesus's death was for all people, Jesus draws all people to himself, with the opportunity for salvation through faith. [131]
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 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." [132] Justification, therefore, is seen through mercy by the imputation of righteousness. [133] While not rigidly defined, this view suggests that the righteousness of Christ is attributed to believers, emphasizing that union with Christ (conditioned on faith) transfers his righteousness to them. [134] [135]
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. [136] Hugo Grotius taught that it was satisfied governmentally. [137] Historical and contemporary Arminians have held to one of these views. [138]
In Arminianism, God initiates 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. [139] It functions through a dynamic influence-and-response relationship, allowing individuals to freely accept or reject it. [140] [129] Thus, conversion is described as a "God-initiated synergism." [91]
Election 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." [141] 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." [141]
God predestines 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. [142]
Related to eschatological considerations, Jacobus Arminius [143] and the first Remonstrants, including Simon Episcopius [144] believed in everlasting fire where 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. [145] Arminius believed the Scriptures taught that believers are graciously empowered by Christ and the Holy Spirit "to fight against Satan, sin, the world and their own flesh, and to gain the victory over these enemies." [146] 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." [147] [148]
Arminius believed in the possibility of apostasy. However, over the period of time he wrote on this question, [149] he sometimes expressed himself more cautiously out of consideration for the faith of his readers. [150] [151] In 1599, he stated that the question required more scriptural examination. [152] In his "Declaration of Sentiments" (1607), Arminius said, "I never taught that a true believer can, either totally or finally fall away from the faith, and perish; yet I will not conceal, that there are passages of scripture which seem to me to wear this aspect." [153]
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. [154] [155] He argued that God's covenant did not eliminate the possibility of falling away but provided a gift of fear to keep individuals from defecting, as long as it thrived in their hearts. [156] He then taught that had David died in sin, he would have been lost. [157] [134] 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". [158]
For Arminius, a certain class of sin would cause a believer to fall, especially sin motivated by malice. [134] [159] 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". [160] Scholars observe that Arminius clearly identifies two paths to apostasy 1. "rejection", or 2. "malicious sinning". [161] [134] He suggested that, strictly speaking, believers could not directly lose their faith but could cease to believe and thus fall away. [162] [151] [163]
After 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. [161] In particular, its fifth article expressed the necessity of further study on the possibility of apostasy. [164] Sometime between 1610 and the official proceeding of the Synod of Dort (1618), the Remonstrants became fully persuaded in their minds that the Scriptures taught that a true believer was capable of falling away from faith and perishing eternally as an unbeliever. [165] They formalized their views in "The Opinion of the Remonstrants" (1618) which was their official stand during the Synod of Dort. [166] They later expressed this same view in the Remonstrant Confession (1621). [167]
Arminius maintained that if the apostasy came from "malicious" sin, then it was forgivable. [134] [168] If it came from "rejection" it was not. [169] Following Arminius, the Remonstrants believed that, though possible, apostasy was not in general irremediable. [170] However, other classical Arminians, including the Free Will Baptists, have taught that apostasy is irremediable. [171] [172]
John Wesley thoroughly agreed with the vast majority of what Arminius himself taught. [25] Wesleyan Arminianism is a merger of classical Arminianism and Wesleyan perfectionism. [173] [174] [9]
Wesley’s view of atonement is either understood as a hybrid of penal substitution and the governmental theory, [175] or it is viewed solely as penal substitution. [176] [177] [178] Historically, Wesleyan Arminians adopted either the penal or governmental theory of atonement. [138]
In Wesleyan theology, justification is understood as the forgiveness of sins rather than being made inherently righteous. Righteousness is achieved through sanctification, which involves the pursuit of holiness in one's life. [179] 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. [180]
Wesley taught that through the Holy Spirit, Christians can achieve a state of practical perfection, or "entire sanctification", characterized by a lack of voluntary sin. [181] This state involves embodying the love of God and neighbor. [182] 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. [183]
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 a permanent fall from grace. [184] However, he believed that such apostasy was not irremediable. [185]
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. [186] Jesus is seen as the only person elected, and individuals join the elect through faith "in Christ". [187] [188] This view is supported by Old Testament and Jewish concepts, where identity is rooted more in group membership than individuality. [189]
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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; [190] both Arminius and Wesley strongly affirmed that man's basic condition is one in which he cannot be righteous, understand God, or seek God. [191] Arminius referred to Pelagianism as "the grand falsehood" and stated that he "must confess that I detest, from my heart, the consequences [of that theology]." [192] This association is considered as libelous when attributed to Arminius' or Wesley's doctrine, [193] and Arminians reject all accusations of Pelagianism. [194] [195]
Semi-Pelagianism holds that faith begins with human will, while its continuation and fulfillment depend on God's grace, [84] giving it the label "human-initiated synergism". [85] In contrast, both Classical and Wesleyan Arminianism affirm that prevenient grace from God initiates the process of salvation, [196] [197] a view sometimes referred to as "Semi-Augustinian", or "God-initiated synergism". [91] [92] Following the Reformation, Reformed theologians often categorized both "human-initiated synergism" and "God-initiated synergism" as "Semi-Pelagianism", [198] often leading to mistaken belief that Arminianism aligned with Semi-Pelagianism. [199] [200]
Calvinism and Arminianism, while sharing historical roots and many theological doctrines, diverge notably on 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. [201]
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 the future partially in possibilities (human free actions) rather than solely certainties (divinely determined events). [214] Some Arminians, reject open theism, viewing it as a distortion of traditional Arminianism. [215] They believe it shifts away from classical Arminianism toward process theology. [216] Others view it as a valid alternative perspective within Christianity, despite not aligning it with Arminian doctrine. [217]
Predestination, in theology, is the doctrine that all events have been willed by God, usually with reference to the eventual fate of the individual soul. Explanations of predestination often seek to address the paradox of free will, whereby God's omniscience seems incompatible with human free will. In this usage, predestination can be regarded as a form of religious determinism; and usually predeterminism, also known as theological determinism.
Perseverance of the saints, also known as preservation of the saints, is a Calvinist doctrine asserting that the elect will persevere in faith and ultimately achieve salvation. This concept was initially developed by Augustine of Hippo in the early 5th century, based on the idea of predestination by predeterminism. In the 16th century, John Calvin and other reformers integrated this idea into their theological framework. The doctrine of perseverance of the saints is rooted in this understanding of predestination and continues to be a central tenet of Reformed theology today.
Total depravity is a Protestant theological doctrine derived from the concept of original sin. It teaches that, as a consequence of the Fall, every person born into the world is enslaved to the service of sin as a result of their fallen nature and, apart from the efficacious (irresistible) or prevenient (enabling) grace of God, is completely unable to choose by themselves to follow God, refrain from evil, or accept the gift of salvation as it is offered.
Predestination is a doctrine in Calvinism dealing with the question of the control that God exercises over the world. In the words of the Westminster Confession of Faith, God "freely and unchangeably ordained whatsoever comes to pass." The second use of the word "predestination" applies this to salvation, and refers to the belief that God appointed the eternal destiny of some to salvation by grace, while leaving the remainder to receive eternal damnation for all their sins, even their original sin. The former is called "unconditional election", and the latter "reprobation". In Calvinism, some people are predestined and effectually called in due time to faith by God, all others are reprobated.
In Western Christian theology, grace is created by God who gives it as help to one because God desires one to have it, not necessarily because of anything one has done to earn it. It is understood by Western Christians to be a spontaneous gift from God to people – "generous, free and totally unexpected and undeserved" – that takes the form of divine favor, love, clemency, and a share in the divine life of God. In the Eastern Orthodox Church, grace is the uncreated Energies of God. Among Eastern Christians generally, grace is considered to be the partaking of the Divine Nature described in 2 Peter 1:4 and grace is the working of God himself, not a created substance of any kind that can be treated like a commodity.
Jacobus Arminius was a Dutch Reformed minister and theologian during the Protestant Reformation period whose views became the basis of Arminianism and the Dutch Remonstrant movement. He served from 1603 as professor in theology at the University of Leiden and wrote many books and treatises on theology.
In Christian theology, synergism refers to the cooperative effort between God and humanity in the process of salvation. Before Augustine of Hippo (354–430), synergism was almost universally endorsed. It characterized the so-called Semi-Pelagian position. It also characterized the position of the Second Council of Orange (529), often referred to as Semi-Augustinian. Synergism is affirmed by both the Catholic Church, and Eastern Orthodoxy. It is also present in various Protestant denominations, such as Anabaptist Churches, and is particularly prominent in those influenced by Arminian theology, such as the Methodist Churches.
Semi-Pelagianism is a historical Christian theological and soteriological school of thought about the role of free will in salvation. In semipelagian thought, a distinction is made between the beginning of faith and the increase of faith. Semi-Pelagian thought teaches that the latter half – growing in faith – is the work of God, while the beginning of faith is an act of free will, with grace supervening only later.
Limited atonement is a doctrine accepted in some Christian theological traditions. It is particularly associated with the Reformed tradition and is one of the five points of Calvinism. The doctrine states that though the death of Jesus Christ is sufficient to atone for the sins of the whole world, it was the intention of God the Father that the atonement of Christ's death would work itself out in only the elect, thereby leading them without fail to salvation. According to Limited Atonement, Christ died for the sins of the elect alone, and no atonement was provided for the reprobate. This is in contrast to a belief that God's prevenient grace enables all to respond to the salvation offered by God in Jesus Christ Acts 2:21 so that it is each person's decision and response to God's grace that determines whether Christ's atonement will be effective to that individual. A modified form of the doctrine also exists in Molinism.
Irresistible grace is a doctrine in Christian theology particularly associated with Calvinism, which teaches that the saving grace of God is effectually applied to those whom he has determined to save and, in God's timing, overcomes their resistance to obeying the call of the gospel, bringing them to faith in Christ. It is to be distinguished from prevenient grace, particularly associated with Arminianism, which teaches that the offer of salvation through grace does not act irresistibly in a purely cause-effect, deterministic method, but rather in an influence-and-response fashion that can be both freely accepted and freely denied.
The Remonstrants 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.
Prevenient grace is a Christian theological concept that refers to the grace of God in a person's life which precedes and prepares to conversion. The concept was first developed by Augustine of Hippo (354–430), was affirmed by the Second Council of Orange (529) and has become part of Catholic theology. It is also present in Reformed theology, through the form of an effectual calling leading some individuals irresistibly to salvation. It is also in Wesleyan-Arminian theology according to which it is dispensed universally in order to enable people to respond to the offer of salvation, though it does not ensure personal acceptance.
The Five Points of Calvinism constitute a summary of soteriology in Reformed Christianity. Named after John Calvin, they largely reflect the teaching of the Canons of Dort. The five points assert that God saves every person upon whom he has mercy, and that his efforts are not frustrated by the unrighteousness or inability of humans. They are occasionally known by the acrostic TULIP: total depravity, unconditional election, limited atonement, irresistible grace, and perseverance of the saints.
Eternal security, also known as "once saved, always saved" is the belief providing Christian believers with absolute assurance of their final salvation. Its development, particularly within Protestantism, has given rise to diverse interpretations, especially in relation with the defining aspects of theological determinism, libertarian free will and the significance of personal perseverance.
Unlimited atonement is a doctrine in Protestant Christianity that states Jesus died as a propitiation for the benefit of all humans without exception. It is normally associated with Amyraldism, as well as Arminianism and other non-Calvinist tradition. It is a doctrine distinct from other elements of the Calvinist acronym TULIP and is contrary to the Calvinist doctrine of limited atonement.
The Five Articles of Remonstrance or the Remonstrance were theological propositions advanced in 1610 by followers of Jacobus Arminius who had died in 1609, in disagreement with interpretations of the teaching of John Calvin, then current in the Dutch Reformed Church. Those who supported them were called "Remonstrants".
The history of the Calvinist–Arminian debate begins in the early 17th century in the Netherlands with a Christian theological dispute between the followers of John Calvin and Jacobus Arminius, and continues today among some Protestants, particularly evangelicals. The debate centers around soteriology, the study of salvation, and includes disputes about total depravity, predestination, and atonement. While the debate was given its Calvinist–Arminian form in the 17th century, issues central to the debate have been discussed in Christianity in some form since Augustine of Hippo's disputes with the Pelagians in the 5th century.
Roger Eugene Olson is an American theologian and Professor of Christian Theology of Ethics at Baylor University.
Wesleyan theology, otherwise known as Wesleyan–Arminian theology, or Methodist theology, is a theological tradition in Protestant Christianity based upon the ministry of the 18th-century evangelical reformer brothers John Wesley and Charles Wesley. More broadly it refers to the theological system inferred from the various sermons, theological treatises, letters, journals, diaries, hymns, and other spiritual writings of the Wesleys and their contemporary coadjutors such as John William Fletcher, Methodism's systematic theologian.
The Confession or Declaration of the Pastors which are called Remonstrants, or Remonstrant Confession, was the confession of faith of the Remonstrant brotherhood, published in 1621.