Essential Writings on Predestination, Free Will, and the Nature of God
James Arminius
Edited by John D. Wagner
Foreword by Robert E. Picirilli
WIPF & STOCK • Eugene, Oregon
Essential Writings on Predestination, Free Will, and the Nature of God
Copyright © 2011 John Wagner. All rights reserved. Except for brief quotations in critical publications or reviews, no part of this book may be reproduced in any manner without prior written permission from the publisher. Write: Permissions, Wipf and Stock Publishers, 199 W. 8th Ave., Suite 3, Eugene, OR 97401.
Contents previously published in The Works of James Arminius, published in 1825, 1828 (volumes 1 and 2) by Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, Brown and Green; and 1875 (volume 3) by Thomas Baker.
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Society of Evangelical Arminians
2 A Declaration of the Sentiments of James Arminius: Part 1
3 A Declaration of the Sentiments of James Arminius: Part 2
4 An Examination of Predestination and Grace in Perkins’ Pamphlet: Part 1
5 An Examination of Predestination and Grace in Perkins’ Pamphlet: Part 2
6 A Defense Against Several Theological Articles
7 A Letter to Hippolytus A. Collibus
John D. Wagner has done us all a service in presenting these selections from Arminius. The three-volume set of Arminius’ works, while it can be found in many theological libraries, is not always easily available. And the set is imposing. One encounters difficulty deciding where to turn to find the key discussions. The contents are not arranged in an orderly manner. Most people, on looking at the small-print table of contents, tend to find it mysterious and intimidating. Mr. Wagner has selected from this corpus several of the most helpful writings of this sixteenth-century theologian whose name has been given to a theology of salvation that offers saving grace to everyone.
Arminius was born Jacob Harmenszoon in Holland in 1559 or 1560. He took the Latin name Jacobus (= James) Arminius for his theological pursuits. After study at Leiden, Geneva, and Basel, he returned to his homeland to serve first as a pastor and subsequently as a professor of theology at Leiden. His study of the Scriptures led him to resist the unconditional predestination of Calvin and Beza that dominated the Reformed churches, and that resistance led to serious upheaval in the Dutch church. Those who were influenced by him filed a “remonstrance” with the authorities of the Dutch state (which had extensive power over the church) and came to be known as Remonstrants. They, in turn, were condemned by the Synod of Dort in 1618–19.
As a result, the “Arminian” position on the theology of salvation came to be summarized—with oversimplification—as counter to the five points—“TULIP”—of the “Calvinism” that prevailed ...
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About Arminius Speaks: Essential Writings on Predestination, Free Will, and the Nature of GodJames Arminius is one of the most maligned and misunderstood theologians in church history. In an era of major debate over predestination, free will, and related concepts, Arminius was accused of being Pelagian, Semi-Pelagian, or a heretic of all sorts. This is a trend that started in his time and has continued to this day. The truth is that he was a brilliant theologian who shook the foundations of Calvinism to the core. Yet he was quite orthodox in his thinking, as he had come right out of the Protestant Reformation, though he sought to reform some ideas of Calvin and Luther. Contrary to common belief, Arminius believed in the utter depravity of man and that a major work of grace, i.e., prevenient grace, is necessary to bring a person to repentance. He also emphatically rejected Pelagianism and Semi-Pelagianism. He thoroughly answers every accusation against him and masterfully refutes William Perkins, a major Calvinist writer of that time. How do we ultimately understand what he thought? By carefully reading his writings. Until now, this was not an easy task. The only way has been to wade through his three-volume “Works,” totaling 2, 300 pages. Hence the need for a compendium of some of his best writings, edited for modern readers. Our hope is to help a new generation of Christians understand this much-misunderstood theologian, an understanding especially needed in an era in which Calvinism is experiencing a major resurgence. |
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