Jacobus Arminius (1560 - 1609)

Born 10 Oct 1560 in Oudewater, Utrecht, Nederland

Husband of Lijsbet Laurens Reael — married 16 Sep 1590 in Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Nederland

Died 19 Oct 1609 at age 49 in Leiden, Zuid-Holland, Nederland

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Alex Fransen [send private message]

Biography

Jakob Arminius is geboren in Utrecht in 1560

Jakob Arminius is Notable.

Jacobus Arminius (c. 1560-1609) was a Dutch theologian who taught at the Leiden University. His views on predestination form the foundation of the Remonstrant, or Arminian, faith.

Birth, Family, and Early Life

Not very much is known about his early life. His distinctive surname, Arminius, is a Latinised form of the Dutch patronymic Hermanusz, meaning son of Herman.
Jacobus/Jacob was born around 1560, in Oudewater. Many online articles and family trees about him list his birthdate as the 10th of October, 1560, but there are no actual birth records to support this.

Jacobus' father was the knife-maker Hermanus Jacobsz, and he died when Jacobus was only young. Jacobus' mother was Angelika Jacobsdr, from Dordrecht, and his parents were both members of the Hervormde Kerk in Gouda.
Hermanus died when Jacobus was only young, and the family was left in poverty. Jacobus was adopted by the Catholic bishop-turned-Reformed minister Theodorus Aemilius, of Oudewater. Theodorus fled to Utrecht because of his conversion to Protestantism, and he took young Jacobus with him. Theodorus realised that Jacobus had much natural intelligence and a gift for learning, so he was sent to study, probably at the Hieronumysschool.

Theodorus passed away when Jacobus was only 14, and Jacobus became acquainted with Rudolph Snellius (Rudolph Snel van Royen), a professor of mathematics who was also from Oudewater. He took an interest in young Jacobus and took him to Marburg to study there.

In 1575, the Spanish came to Oudewater, and razed it, massacring the inhabitants. Among the fallen were Jacobus' mother and siblings. Jacobus visited these ruins.

Studies and Ministry

Also in 1575 the University of Leiden was founded, which gave Jacobus an opportunity to study in his own country. He went back to the Netherlands, to Rotterdam, and met with other survivors of the Oudewater massacre. He came into contact with Petrus Bertius (Pieter Bert), who was one of the first Dutch Reformed ministers. Petrus took Jacobus in and sent him to study in Leiden with his son, also named Petrus. He enrolled there as a student of liberal arts on the 23rd of October, 1576.

Rudolph Snellius had since become a professor in Leiden's new University, and through him Jacobus came into contact with the philosophies of Ramus, which was to be a major influence in his life.

Once Jacobus had completed his studies in Leiden, one of the Amsterdam guilds gave him a grant to further his studies in Geneva, on the condition that he serve as a minister there. He was registered as a student in Geneva in January of 1582. In Geneva, Jacobus was to study under Theodore Beza, who in turn was a student of John Calvin.

Jacobus began to teach Ramistic philosophies in Geneva, familiar to him from Leiden, and he was publicly forbidden to teach Ramean philosophy. Because of this Jacobus and a few other students left for Basel, in 1583. However Jacobus contemplated returning to Geneva and finishing his studies under Beza, when the theological faculty in Basel offered him a doctorate. He refused on account of his youth, and moved back to Geneva.

By the time Jacobus had finished his studies, under Beza, a request was sent to him to become a minister in Amsterdam. Beza sent the guilds in Amsterdam a very favourable testimony of Jacobus. Three months later John Grynaeus also sent a letter of commendation to Amsterdam.

Jacobus answered the call to ministry in Amsterdam in 1587, and he was officially ordained in July 1588.

Jacobus, with his friend Adrianus Junius, made a 'study trip' to Italy, in 1586. He taught (probably Ramist philosophies) in Padua, and he began to learn about the ideas of the Aristotelian philosopher Zarabella. More rumours, even slander, began to circulate in Amsterdam once again. He was called back to Amsterdam in November 1587, and was immediately treated with all sorts of hostility and suspicion by the Calvinists.

Jacobus began to acquire many friends in high places and much influence through his eloquence and friendly demeanour.

Gradual Divergence from Calvinism

Over time, Arminius began to realise that his beliefs did not agree with that of the Calvinists. When preaching a series of sermons on the Biblical book of Romans, he stated that man, through grace and rebirth, did not have to live in bondage to sin, and that Romans 7:14 was speaking of a man living under the law and convicted of sin by the Holy Spirit, yet not presently regenerated. This met with resistance from the Calvinist Reformers, who labeled him a 'Pelagian' for teaching that an unregenerate man could feel such conviction and desire for salvation, even with the influence of the Law and the Holy Spirit.

Also in 1591, his colleague Petrus Plancius, a zealous Calvinist, began to dispute Jacobus' positions on this matter. However Jacobus insisted that he was not teaching anything in contradiction to the Bible or the Heidelberg Catechism. Jacobus was astonished that he was not to be allowed to interpret this passage according to the dictates of his own conscience and within the pattern of historic orthodoxy. The Amsterdam burgemeesteren intervened and restored peace in the congregation, albeit temporarily.

Jacobus continued to express his views, insofar as he had reached agreement with himself. Complaints and rumors persisted. Controversy continued to grow as he preached through Romans 9. Although he did not directly contradict Calvinist interpretations, he focused on the Apostle Paul's theme of "justification by faith" in contradiction to works, rather than focusing on God's eternal decrees. During this time he gradually developed opinions on grace, predestination and free will that were inconsistent with the doctrine of the Reformed teachers Calvin and Beza.

Escalating Controversy in Leiden

In 1603 he was called back to Leiden University to teach theology. This came about after almost simultaneous deaths in 1602 of two faculty members, Franciscus Junius and Lucas Trelcatius the elder, in an outbreak of plague. Lucas Trelcatius the younger and Jacobus (despite Plancius' protest) were appointed, the decision resting largely with Franciscus Gomarus, the surviving faculty member. While Gomarus cautiously approved Arminius, whose views were already suspected of unorthodoxy, his arrival opened a period of debate rather than closed it. The appointment had also a political dimension, being backed by both Johannes Uytenbogaert at The Hague and Johan van Oldenbarnevelt.

Gomarus, a Fleming who had been in Leiden since 1594, has been described as a rather mediocre scholar but a forceful defender of the Calvinistic doctrine, and a man of deep-rooted faith. In contrast Arminius has been described as a seeker and a doubter. On the question of predestination Gomarus was a supralapsarian (meaning he believed that God's decrees of election and reprobation logically preceded the decree of the fall, whereas Jacobus was a infralapsarian, and he believed that God's decrees of election and reprobation logically succeeded the decree of the fall) and it was in debate over this point that the conflict between the two began. Jacobus advocated revising the Belgic Confession and the Heidelberg Catechism, but was not explicit, until much later when the debate became an open conflict.

The dispute took a public turn on 7 February 1604, when Willem Bastingius in his disputation De divina praedestinatione defended a number of Jacobus's theses, Jacobus himself presiding. This event led Gomarus to have Samuel Gruterus argue an opposite position to these theses on 14 October 1604, but not on the official schedule. Gomarus ascribed the positions he disliked to Calvin's adversary Sebastian Castellio and his follower, Dirck Volckertszoon Coornhert. While Jacobus pointed to the Bible to defend his positions, the Calvinist views set forth by "the Genevan patriarchs gradually acquired the force of Res judicata, so that resistance against it was no longer tolerated."

Opponents of Jacobus outside the university gradually expanded the controversy. The classis in Dordrecht drew up a gravamen in which differences that were said to have arisen in the Church and University of Leiden on the doctrine of the Reformed Churches was laid out. In response the three Leiden professors of theology (Lucas Trelcatius Jr. joining Jacobus and Gomarus) and the Regent of the State College, Johannes Cuchlinus, wrote an indignant letter, stating "that as far as was known to them there was no conflict between the professors on any fundamental doctrine whatsoever."

Gomarus was incited to increase his opposition to Jacobus by Leiden minister Festus Hommius and Petrus Plancius, Jacobus's old opponent. An anonymous series of thirty-one articles was circulated, "in which all kinds of unorthodox opinions held by Arminius were exposed". Sibrandus Lubbertus, Professor of Theology at the University of Franeker, began sending letters to foreign theologians attacking Jacobus with charges of heresy; and one of these letters fell into Jacobus's hands. Because his opponents remained anonymous or bypassed official procedures, Jacobus in April 1608 requested from the States of Holland permission to expound his views. On 30 May 1608 Jacobus and Gomarus were allowed by the States to deliver speeches before the Supreme Court in The Hague. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Reinout van Brederode (Oldenbarnevelt's son-in-law) concluded that "the points of difference between the two professors, mostly relating to the subtle details of doctrine of predestination, were of minor importance and could co-exist... enjoined both gentlemen to tolerate one another lovingly".

In direct defiance of the Court, Gomarus then published the speech he had made before it, and Jacobus followed suit by publishing his own speech. In response to the Court's opinion Gomarus declared that "he would not dare die holding Jacobus' opinion, nor to appear with it before God's judgement seat." Jacobus then asked to defend his positions in public or for a national or provincial synod to be called to examine the matter. Seeking to avoid a synod, the States of Holland allowed Jacobus to expound on his views to their assembly on 30 October 1608.

Before the assembly, Jacobus finally explained his call to rewrite the Belgic Confession and the Heidelberg Catechism, saying that he did not feel obligated to explain his position before, for "as a professor, he considered himself subject only to the authority of the Leiden Curators and the States, not to the Church". Arminius then gave an overview of all the various opinions existing on predestination. He claimed that supralapsarianism was contrary to the Confession and Catechism and that "supra- and infralapsarianism, basically amount to the same thing." Jacobus put forward his own view on predestination which he held was in concordance with the Confession and the Catechism.

Learning that Jacobus had appeared before the States assembly, Gomarus requested permission to address it as well, which was granted. On 12 December 1608 Gomarus blasted Jacobus, accusing "his colleague of being a supporter of Pelagianism and the Jesuits; he also attacked Johannes Wtenbogaert, whom he branded a 'courtly trumpeter.'" The assembly took offence against this polemical tone, and ordered the speeches made before them by both men to be banned from publication. Despite the ban the speeches soon appeared in print.

On 25 July 1609 Jacobus Bontebal defended the theses De vocatione hominis ad salutem under Jacobus' presidency. A Roman Catholic priest (rumored to be a Jesuit) was in the audience and dared to oppose Jacobus' positions. While an already seriously ill Jacobus refuted the arguments, Gomarus "who was among the audience, became alternately flushing and deathly pale, and afterwards, while the Papist was within earshot, he insultingly remarked to his colleague that now the door to Papism had been widely opened."

Final Days

Jacobus remained as a teacher at Leiden until his death, and was valued by his students. Still, the conflict with Gomarus widened out into a large-scale split within Calvinism. Of the local clergy, Adrianus Borrius supported Jacobus, while Festus Hommius opposed him. Close friends, students and supporters of Jacobus included Johannes Drusius, Conrad Vorstius, Anthony Thysius, Johannes Halsbergius, Petrus Bertius, Johannes Arnoldi Corvinus, the brothers Rembert and Simon Episcopius. His successor at Leiden (again selected with the support of Uytenbogaert and Oldenbarnevelt) was Vorstius, a past influence on Jacobus by his writings.

Once again the States attempted to tamp down the growing controversy without calling a synod. Jacobus was ordered to attend another conference with Gomarus in The Hague in on the 13th–14th of August, 1609. When the conference was to reconvene on 18 August, Jacobus' health began to fail and so he returned to Leiden. The States suspended the conference and asked both men for a written reaction to their adversary's viewpoint.

Arminius died on 19 October 1609 at his house at the Pieterskerkhof. He was buried in the Pieterskerk at Leiden, where a memorial stone on his behalf was placed in 1934 (see image).

Legacy

In attempting to defend Calvinistic predestination against the teachings of Dirck Volckertszoon Coornhert, Jacobus began to doubt aspects of Calvinism and modified some parts of his own view. He attempted to reform Calvinism, and lent his name to a movement—Arminianism—which resisted some of the core Calvinist tenets (unconditional election, the nature of the limitation of the atonement, and irresistible grace). The early Dutch followers of his teaching became known as Remonstrants after they issued a document containing five points of disagreement with mainstream Calvinism, entitled Remonstrantiæ (1610).

Jacobus wrote that he sought to teach only those things which could be proved from the Scriptures and that tended toward edification among Christians (with the exception of Roman Catholics, with whom he said there could be no spiritual accord). His motto was reputed to be Bona conscientia paradisus, meaning, A good conscience is a paradise.

Jacobus taught of a "preventing" (or prevenient) grace that has been conferred upon all by the Holy Spirit and this grace is "sufficient for belief, in spite of our sinful corruption, and thus for salvation." Jacobus stated that "the grace sufficient for salvation is conferred on the Elect, and on the Non-elect; that, if they will, they may believe or not believe, may be saved or not be saved." William Witt states that "Jacobus has a very high theology of grace. He insists emphatically that grace is gratuitous because it is obtained through God's redemption in Christ, not through human effort."

The theology of Arminianism did not become fully developed during Arminius' lifetime, but after his death (1609) the Five Articles of the Remonstrants (1610) systematized and formalized the ideas. But the Calvinist Synod of Dort (1618–19), convening for the purpose of condemning Jacobus' theology, declared it and its adherents anathemas, defined the five points of Calvinism, and persecuted Arminian pastors who remained in the Netherlands. But in spite of persecution, "the Remonstrants continued in Holland as a distinct church and again and again where Calvinism was taught Arminianism raised its head."

Publishers in Leiden (1629) and at Frankfurt (1631 and 1635) issued the works of Jacobus in Latin.

John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist Movement, came to his own religious beliefs while in college and through his Aldersgate Experience or epiphany and expressed himself strongly against the doctrines of Calvinistic election and reprobation. His system of thought has become known as Wesleyan Arminianism, the foundations of which were laid by Wesley and his fellow preacher John William Fletcher. Although Wesley knew very little about the beliefs of Jacobus Arminius and arrived at his religious views independently of Arminius, Wesley acknowledged late in life, with the 1778 publication of The Arminian Magazine, that he and Jacobus were in general agreement. Theology Professor W. Stephen Gunther concludes he was "a faithful representative" of Jacobus' beliefs. Wesley was perhaps the clearest English proponent of Arminianism. He embraced Arminian theology and became its most prominent champion. Today, the majority of Methodists remain committed (unknowingly) to Arminian theology, and Arminianism itself has become one of the dominant theological systems in the United States, thanks in large part to the influence of John and Charles Wesley.

Marriage and Children

Jacobus Arminius was betrothed to Lijsbet Lourens Reael on August 31, 1590 in Amsterdam.^[1]. Lijsbeth was the daughter of Louren Jacobs Reael, a prominent corn merchant and an early Reformer.

Jacobus had the following children with Lijsbeth:

• Harmen, bap. 11 Jul 1591^[2]

• Harmen, bap. 8 Apr 1592^[3]

• Engheltien, bap. 15 Jun 1593^[4]

• Harmen, bap. 25 Dec 1594^[5]

• Pieter, bap. 10 Oct 1596^[6]

• Jan, bap. 1 Sep 1598^[7]

• Lourens, bap. 11 May 1600^[8]

• Louwerens, bap. 23 Sep 1601^[9]

• Jacob, in 1603 (can't find baptism)

• Willem, in 1605 (can't find his or the following)

• Daniel, 1606

• Geertruyd, 1608

Sources

1. ↑ Ondertrouwregister, archiefnummer 5001, inventarisnummer 405, blad p.331 Gemeente: Amsterdam Periode: 1588-1591 [1]
2. ↑ other:DTB Dopen 1591, Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Nederland. Akte DTB 2 (1591-07-11), Stadsarchief Amsterdam accessed via OpenArch Permalink
3. ↑ other:DTB Dopen 1592, Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Nederland. Akte DTB 2 (1592-04-08), Stadsarchief Amsterdam accessed via OpenArch Permalink
4. ↑ other:DTB Dopen 1593, Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Nederland. Akte DTB 38 (1593-06-15), Stadsarchief Amsterdam accessed via OpenArch Permalink
5. ↑ other:DTB Dopen 1594, Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Nederland. Akte DTB 2 (1594-12-25), Stadsarchief Amsterdam accessed via OpenArch Permalink
6. ↑ DTB Dopen 1596, Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Nederland. Akte DTB 3, p.45 Stadsarchief Amsterdam accessed via OpenArch Permalink
7. ↑ other:DTB Dopen 1598, Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Nederland. Akte DTB 38 (1598-09-01), Stadsarchief Amsterdam accessed via OpenArch Permalink
8. ↑ DTB Dopen 1600, Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Nederland. Akte DTB 3, p.232 Stadsarchief Amsterdam accessed via OpenArch Permalink
9. ↑ DTB Dopen 1601, Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Nederland. Akte DTB 38, p.900 Stadsarchief Amsterdam accessed via OpenArch Permalink

• Wikipedia article - Jacobus Arminius
• Album studiosorum Academiae Lugduno Batavae MDLXXV-MDCCCLXXVaccedunt nomina curatorum et professorum per eadem secula, 1875, editor Willem Nikilaas Du Rieu, via Google Books
• Find A Grave memorial #6238805
• Nieuw Nederlandsche Biografisch Woordenboek, Deel 1, 170-173