Arminian theology was created by Dutch theologian Jacob Arminius in opposition to Calvinism, emphasizing free will, general atonement, resistible grace, and present assurance for salvation. It has influenced other movements and is still practiced today.
Arminian theology is a school of religious thought that was created out of opposition to Calvin’s theology in the 17th century. Arminianism was created by a Dutch theologian, Jacob Arminius, who was raised and taught under the influence of Calvinism. He began to question the lack of free will and other ideas expressed in his religious studies and these questions gradually transformed into the fundamental concepts of Arminian theology. Although these ideas met with some controversy throughout Holland, Arminianism became a movement with a significant following and was transcribed for public viewing in the early 17th century. Both Calvinism and Arminianism fall under Protestant Christianity and many concepts of both schools of thought are present today in religious sects.
Some of the key tenets of Arminian theology include the general atonement, agency, resistible grace, and present assurance for salvation. Each of these key tenets is in direct defense of the concepts of Calvinism and are often used to compare one theology with another. Arminius was educated by an extremist Calvinist and became very familiar with the beliefs of that particular movement, which was created in the mid-1500s. His theology arose out of an individual disagreement with the belief system preached by John Calvin. Throughout history, Arminianism has continued to evolve and is currently used as the basis for many religions, including Unitarianism.
The general atonement is the idea that forgiveness is not meant for just a select number of people, but is available to all who believe in Jesus Christ. Free will was one of the first concepts Arminius began to think about because Calvinism expresses that God has total control over the fate of humans. Arminius felt that humans had a freedom of choice that allowed them to participate in their own destiny and that God oversees these choices. Resistible grace is also based on freedom and allows the individual to accept what God grants him instead of having decisions imposed on him. Current assurance for salvation is the idea that not everyone is eternally saved and their salvation depends on their courses of action, behavior, and numerous other factors.
Although Arminianism was slightly underdeveloped at the time of Arminius’ death, his theology was the influential building block for other movements, including the Methodist movement. The popularization of Arminian theology has led to many debates based on Calvinism versus Arminianism. Many people who have adopted the concepts of Arminian theology continue to practice these beliefs within their religious sector.
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