Jacobus Arminius facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jacobus Arminius
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| Jakob Hermanszoon | |
Jacobus Arminius (1620) by David Bailly
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| Born | 10 October 1560 |
| Died | 19 October 1609 (aged 49) |
| Nationality | Dutch |
| Education | Leiden University |
| Occupation | Pastor, theologian |
| Spouse(s) | Lijsbet Reael |
| Theological work | |
| Era | Reformation |
| Tradition or movement | Arminianism |
| Main interests | Soteriology |
| Notable ideas | Prevenient grace, conditional preservation of the saints |
Jacobus Arminius (born Jakob Hermanszoon; 10 October 1560 – 19 October 1609) was a Dutch minister and theologian. He lived during the Protestant Reformation, a time of big changes in the Christian church. His ideas led to a movement called Arminianism.
From 1603, Arminius taught theology at the University of Leiden. He wrote many books and papers about his religious beliefs. After he died, his ideas caused a lot of discussion. These discussions led to the creation of the "five points of Calvinism," which were a response to Arminius's teachings.
Contents
Arminius's Early Life
Jacobus Arminius was born in 1560 in a town called Oudewater in the Netherlands. He became an orphan when he was very young. His father, Herman, who made weapons, died, leaving his mother with small children. Arminius never knew his father. Sadly, his mother was killed in 1575 during a Spanish attack on Oudewater.
A priest named Theodorus Aemilius, who liked Protestant ideas, adopted the young Jacobus. Around 1572, Arminius and Aemilius moved to Utrecht. Jacobus studied there, likely at the Hieronymusschool. After Aemilius died, Arminius met a mathematician named Rudolph Snellius. Snellius helped Arminius study at Leiden University, where Snellius also taught. In 1576, Arminius began his studies at the new Leiden University.
Studying Theology and Becoming a Minister
Arminius studied at Leiden University from 1576 to 1582. He started in liberal arts but also studied theology. His teachers included Lambertus Danaeus and Johannes Drusius. One teacher, Johann Kolmann, taught that focusing too much on God's power in Calvinism could make God seem like a "tyrant."
Leiden University was a Reformed school, but it also had ideas from other groups like Lutherans and Anabaptists. These different ideas might have made Arminius start to question some of the main Reformed teachings of John Calvin. Because he was a successful student, a group of merchants in Amsterdam paid for his next three years of study.
In 1582, Arminius went to Geneva to study under Theodore Beza, a famous theologian. He faced some problems there for using a different way of thinking called Ramism. He was told not to teach it publicly. So, he moved to Basel to continue his studies.
He was a very good student in Basel. In 1583, the theology teachers in Basel offered him a doctorate degree. He said no because he was only about 24 years old. He then went back to Geneva to finish his studies with Beza.
What His Teachers Said About Him
When Arminius finished his studies, leaders in Amsterdam asked him to become a pastor there. Beza wrote a letter praising Arminius. He said Arminius's "life and learning both have so approved themselves to us." Beza believed Arminius had a good mind and would do great things if he continued to grow in his faith.
Three months later, John Grynaeus from the University of Basel also wrote a letter. He said Arminius was pious, moderate, and studied hard. Grynaeus noted that Arminius showed a "gift of a discerning spirit" in their discussions. He believed Arminius would be a great teacher and help the church.
Starting His Public Ministry
Arminius became a pastor in Amsterdam in 1587. He preached on Sundays and during the week. After being tested by church leaders, he was officially made a minister in 1588. He became known as a good preacher and a dedicated pastor.
One of his first jobs was to argue against the teachings of Dirck Volckertszoon Coornhert. Coornhert disagreed with Beza's idea that God chose some people for salvation before anything else happened. Arminius was asked to argue against Coornhert. But as he studied more, Arminius started to have his own doubts about these ideas. He decided to study even more before continuing his argument.
In 1590, he married Lijsbet Reael. Her father was a well-known merchant and poet in Amsterdam. He also helped lead the Protestant Reformation there. Marrying Lijsbet helped Arminius connect with important people in society. He was asked to organize Amsterdam's education system, and he did a good job. In 1602, during a terrible plague, Arminius showed great dedication. He went into homes where people were sick, even when others were afraid, to give them water and help their neighbors care for them.
Becoming a Professor at Leiden
In 1603, Arminius was asked to teach theology at Leiden University. This happened because two professors, Franciscus Junius and Lucas Trelcatius the elder, died from the bubonic plague in 1602. Arminius was chosen, even though some people like Plancius protested. The decision was largely made by Franciscus Gomarus, the only remaining theology professor. Gomarus was careful about approving Arminius, whose ideas were already seen as a bit different. Arminius's arrival started a period of big debates. His appointment also had political support from important figures like Johannes Uytenbogaert and Johan van Oldenbarnevelt.
Final Debates and Last Days
Arminius taught at Leiden until he died. His students respected him. However, his disagreements with Gomarus grew into a major split within Calvinism. Some local clergy supported Arminius, while others opposed him. Many of Arminius's close friends, students, and supporters included Johannes Drusius, Conrad Vorstius, and Simon Episcopius. Vorstius, who had influenced Arminius with his writings, became his successor at Leiden.
The government tried to calm the growing arguments without calling a big church meeting. Arminius was ordered to attend another discussion with Gomarus in The Hague in August 1609. But Arminius's health started to fail, and he returned to Leiden. The government stopped the discussion and asked both men to write down their views on their opponent's ideas.
Jacobus Arminius died on 19 October 1609, at his home in Leiden. He was buried in the Pieterskerk church in Leiden. A memorial stone was placed there for him in 1934.
Arminius's Ideas and Legacy
When Arminius tried to defend the Calvinist idea of predestination, he started to question some parts of it. He changed some of his own beliefs. He tried to reform Calvinism, and his name became linked to a movement called Arminianism. This movement disagreed with some Calvinist ideas, such as unconditional election (God choosing people without any conditions).
Arminius wrote that he only wanted to teach things that could be proven from the Bible and that helped Christians grow. His motto was said to be "Bona conscientia paradisus," which means "A good conscience is a paradise."
Arminius taught about ""preventing" or prevenient grace." He believed this grace is given to everyone by the Holy Spirit. This grace is "enough for belief, despite our sinful nature, and so for salvation." Arminius said that this grace is given to both those who are chosen and those who are not. This means that if people want to, they can choose to believe or not believe, and be saved or not be saved. William Witt, a theology professor, says that "Arminius has a very high theology of grace." He strongly believed that grace is a free gift from God through Christ, not something earned by human effort.
The ideas of Arminianism were not fully developed during Arminius's lifetime. But after he died in 1609, his followers, known as Remonstrants, wrote down their beliefs in a document called the Five articles of the Remonstrants (1610). However, the Calvinist Synod of Dort (1618–19) met to condemn Arminius's theology. They declared his ideas wrong and persecuted Arminian pastors in the Netherlands. Despite this, the Remonstrants continued as a separate church in Holland.
The works of Arminius were published in Latin in Leiden (1629) and Frankfurt (1631 and 1635).
John Wesley (1703–91), who started the Methodist Movement, developed his own religious beliefs. He strongly disagreed with the Calvinist ideas of election and reprobation (God choosing some for damnation). His system of thought is known as Wesleyan Arminianism. Even though Wesley knew little about Jacobus Arminius's specific beliefs and came to his views independently, he later realized they agreed on many things. Today, most Methodists follow Arminian theology. Arminianism has become one of the main theological systems in the United States, largely thanks to John and Charles Wesley.
Personal Life
Arminius and his wife, Lijsbet Laurensdochtor Reael, married in 1590. They had 12 children together, but three died when they were very young. They had ten sons: Harmen (born 1594), Pieter (born 1596), Jan (born 1598), Laurens (born 1600, died young), Laurens (born 1601), Jacob (born 1603), Willem (born 1605), and Daniel (born 1606). The names of their two other sons who died as babies are not known. Their daughters were Engelte (born 1593) and Geertruyd (born 1608). Arminius was survived by his wife and children when he passed away.
Images for kids
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Jacobus Arminius (1620) by David Bailly
See Also
In Spanish: Jacobo Arminio para niños
