Arminius, Jacobus
Arminius, Jacobus (1560–1609). Dutch theologian who gave his name to the system of theology known as Arminianism. He became professor at Leiden, where there were arguments over predestination, leading to severe divisions. Arminius held that God willed that all people should be saved, and that it is only because God foresaw the belief or unbelief of individuals that he can be said to have predestined some to salvation, others to damnation. After his death, his followers issued the Remonstrance of 1610, from which the major differences from strict Calvinism can be discerned: (i) Christ died for all; (ii) God's saving grace can be resisted; (iii) Christians can fall from grace; (iv) the Holy Spirit is necessary to help the achievement of what is good; (v) salvation is for those who believe in Christ and who persist in holiness, obedience, and faith. Arminius and Arminianism had a wide (though always contested) influence, including such figures as Grotius and John Wesley.
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Arminius, Jacobus
