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Arminianism
ARMINIANISMARMINIANISM, a form of theological thought based on the 1608 Declaration of Sentiments of the Dutch theologian Jacobus Arminius (1559–1609). Often referred to as "anti-Calvinism," Arminianism holds the freedom of the human will as its basic tenet and thus denies one of John Calvin's foundational ideas: the irresistibility of the grace of God. Arminius states that God's grace is indeed resistible because all human beings are responsible for their own thoughts and actions. Accordingly, sin is actual because it is possible, in direct contrast to Calvin's treatment of sin as purely theoretical because of the inability of the elect to sin. Therefore, Arminianism states that salvation requires both willful repentance and willful acceptance of God's grace, not simply a helpless reliance on arbitrary election. Arminianism's belief in the role of man's free will fueled the evangelical fervor of the nineteenth century, and its adoption by John Wesley was a driving force in the formation of the powerful Methodist denomination both in England and in America. Arminianism widely appeared in America during the early 1740s as an engagement of the Puritan and Presbyterian reliance on Calvin's principles; in doing so, ministers addressed the major focuses of Jonathan Edwards's preaching and of the entire Great Awakening (1734–c. 1745). American Arminians combined Armenius's ideas with the Enlightenment's reliance on reason and rational thought to offer a theology that resonated with the beliefs of many of the nation's citizens. Some of these broader philosophies included a work ethic that valued honest and thoughtful toil, the sense that their work ultimately held some meaning and purpose, and the attitude of voluntarism and reform that became prevalent during the nineteenth century. These final attributes were fed by the Second Great Awakening and the general evangelicalism that pervaded American Methodist and Baptist churches during that same period. As a result, the inclusive doctrines of Arminianism passed from heresy into an orthodoxy that remains strong at the beginning of the twenty-first century. BIBLIOGRAPHYSell, Alan P. F. The Great Debate: Calvinism, Arminianism, and Salvation. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Book House, 1983. Barbara SchwarzWachal See alsoGreat Awakening ; Methodism . |
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"Arminianism." Dictionary of American History. 2003. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Arminianism." Dictionary of American History. 2003. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-3401800254.html "Arminianism." Dictionary of American History. 2003. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-3401800254.html |
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Arminianism
Arminianism. Jacobus Arminius ( Jakob Hermansz or Harmensz, 1560–1609) was a Dutch Reformed theologian, ordained in 1588. Study of the Epistle to the Romans led him to doubt the Calvinistic doctrine of predestination. In 1603 he was appointed professor at Leiden and he was immediately drawn into controversy with F. Gomar. He obtained possession of his chair only after a disputation in which he cleared himself of charges of Pelagianism and Socinianism. He tried, unsuccessfully, to obtain the revision of the Belgic Confession and Heidelberg Catechism.
Arminian doctrines, formally set out in the Remonstrance of 1610, were a theological reaction against the deterministic logic of Calvinism. The Arminians insisted that the Divine sovereignty was compatible with a real human free will; that Christ had died for all and not only for the elect; and that both the Supralapsarian and the Sublapsarian views of predestination were unbiblical. The Arminians were condemned at the Synod of Dort (1618–19); many of them were banished and others persecuted. As representatives of a more liberal school of theology than the strict Calvinists, however, they influenced the formation of modern Protestant theology. The anti-Calvinist trend in 17th-cent. English theology was termed ‘Arminian’ by its opponents, though it is doubtful if Arminius' teaching had much direct influence in this case. |
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E. A. LIVINGSTONE. "Arminianism." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church. 2000. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. E. A. LIVINGSTONE. "Arminianism." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church. 2000. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O95-Arminianism.html E. A. LIVINGSTONE. "Arminianism." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church. 2000. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O95-Arminianism.html |
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Arminianism
Arminianism. Under Elizabeth I, though against her will, the Church of England eschewed ritual and adopted the grim Calvinist belief that God, when creating human beings, had predestined them to either salvation or damnation. The 1590s saw a reaction set in, similar to that which was taking place in Holland under the impetus of Jacob Arminius, and English anti-predestinarians came to be called Arminians, even though they were an autonomous movement. The Arminians were given only limited advancement by James I, but with the accession of the high-church Charles I in 1625 they came to dominate the episcopal bench, especially after the appointment of Laud as archbishop in 1633. Not all Arminians were ritualists, but their critics lumped them together as crypto-catholics and Charles's identification with them was one of the principal causes of the lack of trust between him and his subjects which led to the collapse of royal rule.
Roger Lockyer |
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JOHN CANNON. "Arminianism." The Oxford Companion to British History. 2002. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. JOHN CANNON. "Arminianism." The Oxford Companion to British History. 2002. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O110-Arminianism.html JOHN CANNON. "Arminianism." The Oxford Companion to British History. 2002. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O110-Arminianism.html |
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Arminianism
Arminianism, doctrine developed by the followers of Jacobus Arminius (1560–1609), a Dutch theologian and critic of Calvinism. These followers, frequently called Remonstrants, differed from orthodox Calvinists on the following points: (1) predestination is conditional rather than absolute; (2) atonement is universal; (3) regeneration requires the Holy Spirit; (4) divine grace is needed for human effort, but it does not act irresistibly in man; (5) believers can resist sin but may fall from grace. These liberal ideas were inclined toward a belief in the freedom of man's will. The Remonstrants later became an independent church, and among those who shared their views were the Methodists, against whose doctrines Jonathan Edwards was led to write his Freedom of the Will, defending the orthodox Calvinist view.
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James D. Hart and and Phillip W. Leininger. "Arminianism." The Oxford Companion to American Literature. 1995. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. James D. Hart and and Phillip W. Leininger. "Arminianism." The Oxford Companion to American Literature. 1995. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O123-Arminianism.html James D. Hart and and Phillip W. Leininger. "Arminianism." The Oxford Companion to American Literature. 1995. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O123-Arminianism.html |
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Arminianism
Arminianism Under Elizabeth I, though against her will, the Church of England eschewed ritual and adopted the grim Calvinist belief that God, when creating human beings, had predestined them to either salvation or damnation. The 1590s saw a reaction set in, similar to that which was taking place in Holland under the impetus of Jacob Arminius, and English anti‐predestinarians came to be called Arminians. The Arminians were given only limited advancement by James I, but with the accession of the high‐church Charles I in 1625 they came to dominate the episcopal bench. Charles's identification with them was one of the principal causes of the lack of trust between him and his subjects.
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Cite this article
JOHN CANNON. "Arminianism." A Dictionary of British History. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. JOHN CANNON. "Arminianism." A Dictionary of British History. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O43-Arminianism.html JOHN CANNON. "Arminianism." A Dictionary of British History. 2004. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O43-Arminianism.html |
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Arminianism
Arminianism, the doctrine of James Arminius or Harmensen (d. 1609), a Dutch Protestant theologian whose views were opposed to those of Calvin, especially on predestination.
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MARGARET DRABBLE and JENNY STRINGER. "Arminianism." The Concise Oxford Companion to English Literature. 2003. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. MARGARET DRABBLE and JENNY STRINGER. "Arminianism." The Concise Oxford Companion to English Literature. 2003. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O54-Arminianism.html MARGARET DRABBLE and JENNY STRINGER. "Arminianism." The Concise Oxford Companion to English Literature. 2003. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O54-Arminianism.html |
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Arminianism
Arminianism see Arminius, Jacobus . |
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"Arminianism." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Arminianism." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-X-Arminian.html "Arminianism." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-X-Arminian.html |
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