Dr Paul Allen

James (Jacob) Arminius was uneasy with some of the teachings that had come to be identified with Calvinism . Did God really choose some men to be damned before he created them? Was Christ's death only intended for those who would finally be saved? Does God exercise his sovereignty so fully that man has no choice in his own salvation ? Does regeneration come first and then repentance? As the professor of  theology at Leyden, James had promised to teach only those things which conformed to the confessions of faith of the state church of the Netherlands . These were Calvinist. In his public teaching, Arminius kept his word, but he laid out Scripture readings in such a way as to cast doubt on Calvin's theology (which was heavily indebted to Augustine of Hippo). Arminius believed there was an island of goodness in everybody that could should freely Christ. Nobody believes this anymore if you take sin seriously. In private, James offered a different interpretation of Scripture t...

Jacobus Arminius (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) After a lengthy exchange of letters, the curators and burgomasters of Leiden officially appointed Jacobus Arminius Professor of Theology at their university on this day, May 8, 1603. When first proposed for the position, Arminius doubted he would take the job. He had formed loving ties with his flock in Amsterdam . Furthermore, he found theological research a hindrance to his growth in personal sanctity. His working relationship with Amsterdam's authorities was good and he seldom found it necessary to oppose them for the sake of conscience. Most importantly, he had a lifelong contract with Amsterdam which he could not simply break. Arminius was Amsterdam's favorite minister. He had served there fifteen years. Yet the possibility of appointment to Leiden raised the question of his orthodoxy. Calvin and Beza taught that Romans 7 referred to a regenerate man. Arminius held that it was the description of an unregenerate person. Hi...