Arminianism is a theological doctrine that holds humans have the free will to accept or reject God’s grace and may turn from him and lose their salvation. Named after Jacobus Arminius, (1560-1609), a Dutch Reformed theologian, it is a Protestant theological movement. Arminius considered the unconditional view of predestination held by Augustine, Luther, and Calvin to be unscriptural. He thought they had reversed the process by concluding people were either lost or saved prior to hearing the good news of the gospel and went so far as to conclude unconditional predestination makes God the “author of sin.”
He maintained free will and God’s sovereignty are compatible and holds a view of predestination because it is found in Scripture but defines predestination as God’s decision to save those who repent and place their faith in Jesus. The underlying contention is that God knows who will freely accept his offer of saving grace. His Five Articles of Remonstrance stood against Five Point Calvinism (TULIP). The two theological views were at the core of the Dutch Remonstrant issue.
Arminius’s five points were:
1. Free Will or Partial Depravity. All are sinful but all may come to God to be saved by grace. Although we are all sinners and cannot do anything good, including overcoming sin without divine intervention, anyone may be drawn to faith in Jesus by the Holy Spirit and saved by God’s grace.
2. Conditional Election. God “chooses” those he knows will accept his gift of grace.
3. Universal or Unlimited Atonement. Arminius believed that when the Bible says Jesus suffered for all, that is what it means. Jesus suffered for all but did not pay the price of sin for all. Otherwise, everyone would be saved. He died for the sin of those who repent and believe.
4. Resistible Grace. While it is not God’s will that any should die lost, people may resist God’s grace to the point the Holy Spirit quits calling them to repentance and faith.
5. Fall From Grace. A person can lose his or her salvation.
Arminianism is often mischaracterized as Pelagianism, a form of theological liberalism, and syncretistic.[1] Arminianism was an important influence on John Wesley and a more liberal version went into the making of American Unitarianism.
For a divergent view, see Calvinism.
[1] J.K. Grider, “Arminianism,” Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, 2nd ed., Edited by Walter A. Elwell (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2001), p.98.
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