You might find some of this good winter reading. Or listening.
Then again you might think 🤔 I’m crazy.
I’m continuing to explore the reformation after my book group’s long multi year reading in J. A. Wylie’s History of Protestantism. Having been officially in the Presbyterian world for some 40 years, I’m branching out to understand the side of the visible church known as as the Reformed, which has its roots in the Netherlands.
The Dutch of course had their own issues as did the German’s and English. (This probably played a roll in my identification with the Presbyterian side, which found its greatest days with John Knox and Scotland).
Since we are just out of the Thanksgiving Holiday, we connect historically with the Pilgrims, who originally fled Persecution in England, to Holland but then for similar issues decided to make the journey to America. All this was centered 400+ years ago…and is another story.
For a definitive history I recommend Wylie’s book.
There are various free versions in PDF on the web. Here is one. Some versions are PDF scans and have the original illustrations, but are harder to read.
Nevertheless, there was certainly an organic relation between Arminius and the Remonstrants who complained (hence their name) against the Reformed theology of the Belgic Confession. Many of the views Arminius was alleged to have taught (which he denied teaching) were articulated in the Five Articles of the Remonstrance (to which the Synod of Dort replied several years later in their Five Canons) almost immediately after Arminius’ death. It seems reasonably certain that Arminius taught essentially what became the Five Points of the Remonstrants—one is almost forced to think he dissembled during the interviews with Franciscus Gomarus (1563–1641) and others.
It is particularly useful to read carefully the Five Articles and the Five Canons details to see for yourselves the subtleties.
The pastor at the small Reformed Church I’ve gotten to know is just finishing an evening sermon series on the Canons of Dort. I highly recommend these.
Btw, there is no Tulip 🌷 in the actual Canons.
The Canons teach what has come to be known as the five points of Calvinism. Those five points have often been presented in the acronym TULIP, although the order of the teaching in the Canons was ULTIP: unconditional election, limited atonement, total depravity, irresistible grace, and perseverance of the saints.
Rev. Joghinda Gangar graduated in 1984 from Westminster Theological Seminary in Escondido, CA. He was ordained in the Christian Reformed Church in 1986 and served churches in Calgary and Wellandport in Canada. Since 1998, he has been serving Trinity URC in Walnut Creek. Rev. Gangar was born in Punjab, India, and raised in England. He is married to Sheena and has seven children who ranged in age from 20 years to 6 years.
Three Forms of Unity
Trinity United Reformed Church subscribes to the historic doctrines of the Reformation. These are collectively summarized in what is known as the Three Forms of Unity which is composed of:
1.) The Belgic Confession [Netherlands A.D. 1561]
2.) The Heidelberg Catechism [Heidelberg, Germany A.D. 1563]
3.) The Canons of Dordt [Dordrecht, Netherlands A.D. 1619]
and are accepted as official statements of doctrine by many of the Reformed churches, including the URCNA. These doctrines maintain that the Old and New Testaments are the infallible, inerrant, unchanging and inspired Word of God.
Scripture’s primary subject is the Message of redemption from sin through Jesus Christ, but all Scripture’s subject matter is God’s Word and always true. God’s special revelation in the Bible is compatible in every respect with His general revelation in nature.
Human interpretations of general revelation and special revelation must submit to the Authority of His Word. When Scripture speaks to matters of the knowledge of God, history, nature, ethics or anything else, when rightly divided by His Spirit it is true and authoritative. God does not need man to validate His Word as truth. His Word stands as truth on its own Divine Authority.
“Your Word is Truth” {John 17:17b NKJV}
“But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to Him who formed it, ‘Why have you made me like this?’. Does not the Potter have power over the clay…?” {Romans 9:20-21aNKJV}
“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” {II Timothy 3:16-17 NKJV}
Rainbow Trout 