The young Reformed scholar Arminius returned from finishing his studies
to Amsterdam in 1588 to begin pastoral ministry. His personal interests
had been philosophical rather than theological, and in the Bible, the
Old Testament rather than the New. To his dismay, he found the Dutch
Reformed Church divided on theological issues, especially
predestination. He was reluctant to get involved, though in his Bible
exposition in 1593 he got into trouble for expressing unacceptable views
on Romans 9. He was hoping that Franciscus Junius, the new Theological
Professor at Leiden University, would intervene in the controversy and
restore harmony. The two met in December 1596 and began a
correspondence. Arminius was disappointed with Junius' views.
Nevertheless, he learned from Junius the centrality of Christ and his
work for all that belongs to human salvation, including predestination.
Arminius began to construct his own theology, setting Christ's work at
the heart of it. This study retells the story with new emphases,
concentrating on Arminius' theological development up to his magnum
opus, the Declaration of Sentiments, in 1608, and summarizing his
conclusions: in particular, that Christ himself is the foundation of
election, and that we are saved by a new relationship with God through
Christ. Both these insights led him at last to reject the Calvinist
concept of salvation and damnation through a hidden decree made in a
Christ-less secret counsel of the divine wisdom. Arminius was
unsuccessful in the short term, but this study contends that his views
have much to teach us. ""For those who want to get to grips with what
Arminius actually wrote, as opposed to what others have said he wrote or
have written about him, this is now the first place to turn. From
beneath centuries of misunderstanding and misinterpretation Stuart
Clarke has unearthed the real Arminius."" --John Darch, Lecturer in
Church History and Liturgy, St. John's College Nottingham ""Dr. Clarke's
historical and theological study shows Arminius to be both more and less
than an adversary of Calvin. His lucid account forms an invaluable
companion to the 1986 English edition of Arminius's writings."" --Paul
Ellingworth, Honorary Lecturer, University of Aberdeen ""This thorough
study of the writings of James Arminius will be of great interest to all
Christians who are unhappy with the Calvinist view of predestination,
but it also suggests how wide of the mark some so-called ""Arminians""
have been. In this intellectual biography, Arminius emerges as a
champion of Christian orthodoxy whose opponents were marginalizing the
work and person of Christ and were portraying God as other than a God of
love. This Christocentric interpretation of Arminius is a significant
new development in historical theology."" --Tom Noble, Professor of
Theology, Nazarene Theological Seminary F. Stuart Clarke is a retired
Methodist minister. He spent most of his ministry in Circuit (pastoral)
work in the Midlands and North of England and Scotland, and also served
seven years in theological education in Sierra Leone. This book is the
fruit of nearly fifty years' interest in the subject, but also recent
study and doctoral research.
