The Remonstrants (or the Remonstrant Brotherhood) is a
Protestant
Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...
movement that split from the
Dutch Reformed Church
The Dutch Reformed Church (, , abbreviated NHK ) was the largest Christian denomination in the Netherlands from the onset of the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century until 1930. It was the traditional denomination of the Dutch royal famil ...
in the early 17th century. The early Remonstrants supported
Jacobus Arminius
Jacobus Arminius (; Dutch language, Dutch: ''Jakob Hermanszoon'' ; 10 October 1560 – 19 October 1609) was a Dutch Reformed Christianity, Reformed minister and Christian theology, theologian during the Protestant Reformation period whose views ...
, and after his death, continued to maintain his original views called
Arminianism
Arminianism is a movement of Protestantism initiated in the early 17th century, based on the theological ideas of the Dutch Reformed theologian Jacobus Arminius and his historic supporters known as Remonstrants. Dutch Arminianism was origina ...
against the proponents of
Calvinism
Reformed Christianity, also called Calvinism, is a major branch of Protestantism that began during the 16th-century Protestant Reformation. In the modern day, it is largely represented by the Continental Reformed Christian, Presbyteri ...
. Condemned by the
synod of Dort
The Synod of Dort (also known as the Synod of Dordt or the Synod of Dordrecht) was a European transnational Synod held in Dordrecht in 1618–1619, by the Dutch Reformed Church, to settle a divisive controversy caused by the rise of Arminianism. ...
(1618–1619), the Remonstrants remained a small minority in the
Netherlands
, Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...
. In the middle of the 19th century, the Remonstrant Brotherhood was influenced by the liberal Dutch theological movement.
History
Foundation
In formulating
Arminianism
Arminianism is a movement of Protestantism initiated in the early 17th century, based on the theological ideas of the Dutch Reformed theologian Jacobus Arminius and his historic supporters known as Remonstrants. Dutch Arminianism was origina ...
,
Jacobus Arminius
Jacobus Arminius (; Dutch language, Dutch: ''Jakob Hermanszoon'' ; 10 October 1560 – 19 October 1609) was a Dutch Reformed Christianity, Reformed minister and Christian theology, theologian during the Protestant Reformation period whose views ...
disagreed with
Calvin, especially on
predestination
Predestination, in theology, is the doctrine that all events have been willed by God, usually with reference to the eventual fate of the individual soul. Explanations of predestination often seek to address the paradox of free will, whereby Go ...
. He defended free examination as superior to the doctrines of established churches.
In 1610, Arminius followers presented to the
States of Holland and Friesland the ''
Five Articles of Remonstrance
5 (five) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number, and cardinal number, following 4 and preceding 6, and is a prime number.
Humans, and many other animals, have 5 digits on their limbs.
Mathematics
5 is a Fermat pri ...
'' formulating their points of disagreement with
Calvinism
Reformed Christianity, also called Calvinism, is a major branch of Protestantism that began during the 16th-century Protestant Reformation. In the modern day, it is largely represented by the Continental Reformed Christian, Presbyteri ...
as adopted by the
Dutch Reformed Church
The Dutch Reformed Church (, , abbreviated NHK ) was the largest Christian denomination in the Netherlands from the onset of the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century until 1930. It was the traditional denomination of the Dutch royal famil ...
. Supporters of Arminius were called "Remonstrants", but they were also called "Arminians".
Their adversaries, inspired by
Franciscus Gomarus
Franciscus Gomarus (François Gomaer; 30 January 1563 – 11 January 1641) was a Dutch theologian, a strict Calvinist and an opponent of the teaching of Jacobus Arminius (and his followers), whose theological disputes were addressed at the Synod ...
, became known as Gomarists or
Counter-Remonstrants. Although the
States-General issued an edict tolerating both parties and forbidding further dispute, the conflict continued and became linked to
political conflicts in the
Dutch Republic
The United Provinces of the Netherlands, commonly referred to in historiography as the Dutch Republic, was a confederation that existed from 1579 until the Batavian Revolution in 1795. It was a predecessor state of the present-day Netherlands ...
. The Remonstrants were assailed both by personal enemies and by the political weapons of
Maurice of Orange. Their foremost ally,
Johan van Oldenbarnevelt
Johan van Oldenbarnevelt (; 14 September 1547 – 13 May 1619), Lord of the manor, Heer van Berkel en Rodenrijs (1600), Gunterstein (1611) and Bakkum (1613), was a Dutch statesman and revolutionary who played an important role in the Dutch rev ...
, was executed, and other leaders were imprisoned. In Amsterdam, as in various other cities, the city government was purged of Oldenbarnevelt supporters;
Jacob Dircksz de Graeff and
Cornelis Hooft fell victim to this action.
In 1618–1619 the
Synod of Dordrecht, after expelling the thirteen
Arminian
Arminianism is a movement of Protestantism initiated in the early 17th century, based on the Christian theology, theological ideas of the Dutch Reformed Church, Dutch Reformed theologian Jacobus Arminius and his historic supporters known as Remo ...
pastors headed by
Simon Episcopius, established the victory of the Calvinist school. It drew up ninety-three canonical rules, and confirmed the authority of the
Belgic Confession
The ''Confession of Faith'', popularly known as the Belgic Confession, is a confession to which many Reformed churches subscribe as a doctrinal standard. The Confession forms part of the Three Forms of Unity, which are the official subordinate st ...
and the
Heidelberg Catechism
The Heidelberg Catechism (1563), one of the Three Forms of Unity, is a Reformed catechism taking the form of a series of questions and answers, for use in teaching Reformed Christian doctrine. It was published in 1563 in Heidelberg, Germany. Its ...
. The judgement of the synod was enforced through the deposition and in some cases banishment of Remonstrant ministers. In this context, owing to the lack of preachers, there originated in Warmond a movement in favor of the lay sermon, the adherents of which founded the Society of
Collegiants. An exile community of Remonstrants was founded in
Antwerp
Antwerp (; ; ) is a City status in Belgium, city and a Municipalities of Belgium, municipality in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is the capital and largest city of Antwerp Province, and the third-largest city in Belgium by area at , after ...
in 1619. In 1621 they were allowed to settle in
Schleswig
The Duchy of Schleswig (; ; ; ; ; ) was a duchy in Southern Jutland () covering the area between about 60 km (35 miles) north and 70 km (45 mi) south of the current border between Germany and Denmark. The territory has been di ...
, where they built the town of
Friedrichstadt.
Institutionalization

The doctrine of the Remonstrants was embodied in 1621 in a ''
Confession
A confession is a statement – made by a person or by a group of people – acknowledging some personal fact that the person (or the group) would ostensibly prefer to keep hidden. The term presumes that the speaker is providing information that ...
'' written by Episcopius, their major theologian. This ''Confession'' serves as a base for the Remonstrant church since his return to the Netherlands in 1626. It confirms the opinion of the remonstrants already expressed in 1618.
Jan Uytenbogaert gave to the Remonstrants a
catechism
A catechism (; from , "to teach orally") is a summary or exposition of Catholic theology, doctrine and serves as a learning introduction to the Sacraments traditionally used in catechesis, or Christian religious teaching of children and adult co ...
and regulated their church order. Their seminary in
Amsterdam
Amsterdam ( , ; ; ) is the capital of the Netherlands, capital and Municipalities of the Netherlands, largest city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It has a population of 933,680 in June 2024 within the city proper, 1,457,018 in the City Re ...
had distinguished pupils, including
Curcellaeus,
Limborch,
Wetstein, and
Le Clerc. Their school of
theology
Theology is the study of religious belief from a Religion, religious perspective, with a focus on the nature of divinity. It is taught as an Discipline (academia), academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itse ...
, which grew more liberal and even rationalistic, forcefully debated the official
Dutch Reformed state church and other Christian denominations.
After the death of Maurice of Orange in 1625, some exiles returned. The government became convinced that they posed no danger to the state, and in 1630 they were formally allowed to reside again in all parts of the Republic. They were not, however, officially allowed to build churches until the establishment of the
Batavian Republic
The Batavian Republic (; ) was the Succession of states, successor state to the Dutch Republic, Republic of the Seven United Netherlands. It was proclaimed on 19 January 1795 after the Batavian Revolution and ended on 5 June 1806, with the acce ...
in 1795. Until then they held their services in so-called
Schuilkerken (
house church
A house church or home church is a label used to describe a group of Christians who regularly gather for worship in private homes. The group may be part of a larger Christian body, such as a parish, but some have been independent groups that se ...
es).
Liberalism
In the mid-19th century, the Remonstrant Brotherhood was influenced by liberalism, which in Holland was embodied by
Petrus Hofstede de Groot (1802–1886). His theology had a wide audience in Europe, which is characteristic of the romantic phase of
Christian humanism; in the Netherlands, this line of thought has been represented by the "theologians of Groningen" since 1830.
Early Remonstrants’ theological legacy
Most of the early Remonstrants followed classical Arminianism. However, they are not the only Protestants who can be considered Arminian or who are called Arminians. Arminianism is a minority within the
Reformed
Reform is beneficial change.
Reform, reformed or reforming may also refer to:
Media
* ''Reform'' (album), a 2011 album by Jane Zhang
* Reform (band), a Swedish jazz fusion group
* ''Reform'' (magazine), a Christian magazine
Places
* Reform, Al ...
confession, but it really belongs to the larger, cross-denominational current of
synergism
In Christian theology, synergism refers to the cooperative effort between God and humanity in the process of Salvation in Christianity, salvation. Before Augustine of Hippo (354–430), synergism was almost universally endorsed. Later, it came to ...
, that is to say, historic, majority Christianity. As Arminianism, it made inroads into the
Church of England
The Church of England (C of E) is the State religion#State churches, established List of Christian denominations, Christian church in England and the Crown Dependencies. It is the mother church of the Anglicanism, Anglican Christian tradition, ...
. As a broader synergism, it appears in
Methodism
Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a Protestant Christianity, Christian Christian tradition, tradition whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's brother ...
, the
General Baptists
General Baptists, also called Arminian Baptists, are Baptists that hold to the doctrine of general atonement (belief that Jesus Christ died for all humanity and not only for the elect). General Baptist soteriology initially was not Arminian, bu ...
, the
Adventist Church, the
Holiness movement
The Holiness movement is a Christianity, Christian movement that emerged chiefly within 19th-century Methodism, and to a lesser extent influenced other traditions such as Quakers, Quakerism, Anabaptism, and Restorationism. Churches aligned with ...
,
Pentecostalism
Pentecostalism or classical Pentecostalism is a movement within the broader Evangelical wing of Protestantism, Protestant Christianity that emphasizes direct personal experience of God in Christianity, God through Baptism with the Holy Spirit#Cl ...
, the
Charismatic movement
The charismatic movement in Christianity is a movement within established or mainstream denominations to adopt beliefs and practices of Charismatic Christianity, with an emphasis on baptism with the Holy Spirit, and the use of spiritual gift ...
, and a number of other
Protestant
Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...
denominations.
Modern Remonstrant Brotherhood
The church
The Remonstrant Brotherhood continues as a church in the
Netherlands
, Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...
. The Remonstrants first received official recognition in 1795. Their chief congregation has been in
Rotterdam
Rotterdam ( , ; ; ) is the second-largest List of cities in the Netherlands by province, city in the Netherlands after the national capital of Amsterdam. It is in the Provinces of the Netherlands, province of South Holland, part of the North S ...
.
In 2016, the Remonstrant Brotherhood has about 5,000 members and "friends", in more than 40 congregations in the Netherlands, and one congregation in Friedrichstadt, in northern Germany (2008).
The Remonstrant Brotherhood of
The Netherlands
, Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...
keeps fellowship with the
European Liberal Protestant Network, and is a full, charter member of the
World Alliance of Reformed Churches
The World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC) was a fellowship of more than 200 churches with roots in the 16th century Reformation, and particularly in the theology of John Calvin. Its headquarters was in Geneva, Switzerland. They merged with the ...
. It is also a member of the
Communion of Protestant Churches in Europe.
In line with the progressive views on religion, Remonstrants have been blessing
same-sex partnerships on an equal footing as different sex weddings from 1986 onwards (church weddings have no legal status in the Netherlands, where the legally acknowledged civil same-sex marriages became possible in 2001). In this the Remonstrants were the first Christian church in the world to bless same-sex relationships similar to other relations.
Remonstrants place big emphasis on personal faith and are not in agreement with one another on questions of faith and social issues. They consider that the message of the
Gospel
Gospel originally meant the Christianity, Christian message ("the gospel"), but in the second century Anno domino, AD the term (, from which the English word originated as a calque) came to be used also for the books in which the message w ...
can not be separated from true choices in the struggle to live together, on the road to a world with peace and justice. What binds them is the Statement of Principle:
''The Remonstrant Church is a community of faith which, rooted in the gospel of Jesus Christ, and true to its principle of freedom and tolerance, seeks to worship and serve God.''
Confessions of faith
In addition to the Statement of Principle, most contemporary Remonstrants write their own declaration or profession of faith when they become a member of the community. The brotherhood did express at three times in their history the faith they share in a confessional statement, in 1621, 1940 and 2006. Remonstrants however, being a
non-creedal denomination, consider no confession to have indisputable authority.
References
Sources
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Further reading
* Aken, Lucie J N K van, 1947. ''De Remonstrantse Broederschap in Verleden en Heden. Historische Schets,'' Arnhem: Van Loghum Slaterus
* Brouwers, J F e.a. (red), 2005. ''Wat We Nog Weten. Amsterdamse Remonstranten in de 20ste eeuw. 375-jarig Bestaan Remonstrantse Gemeente Amsterdam,'' Amsterdam: Remonstrantse Gemeente Amsterdam
* Barnard, T, 2006. ''Van verstoten kind tot belijdende kerk: de Remonstrantse Broederschap tussen 1850 en 1940'', Amsterdam: De Bataafsche Leeuw
* Barnard, T, en E Cossee, 2007. ''Arminianen in de Maasstad: 375 jaar Remonstrantse Gemeente Rotterdam'', Amsterdam: De Bataafsche Leeuw
* Cossee, E, 1988. ''Abraham des Amorie van der Hoeven, 1798–1855: een Remonstrants theoloog in de Biedermeiertijd,'' Kampen: Kok
* Cossee, E, Th M van Leeuwen, M A Bosman-Huizinga, 2000. ''De remonstranten'', Kampen: Kok
*
Episcopius, Simon, 1627. ''Vrye godes-dienst, of t'Samen-spreeckinghe tusschen Remonstrant en Contra-Remonstrant, over de vrye godts-dienstighe vergaderinghen der Remonstranten.: Met wederlegginge van Douchers oproerighe predicatie: C. Dungani redeloose salvatien, &c''.
* Goud, J en K Holtzapffel (red), 2004. ''Wij Geloven – Wat Geloven Wij?. Remonstrants Belijden in 1940 en Nu.'' Zoetermeer: Meinema
* Keune, W T, C Ginjaar, J Schaafstra, 1978. ''Doopsgezind en Remonstrant in Dokkum'', Van der Helm
* Sirks, G J, 1955. ''Verantwoording en verantwoordelijkheid van ons Remonstrant-zijn,'' Lochum: De Tijdstroom
* Slis, P L, 2006. ''De Remonstrantse Broederschap: Biografische Naamlijst, 1905–2005 : Gemeenten, Landelijke Organen, Predikanten en Proponenten, Publicaties'', Eburon
*, 2002. ''De Dronken Arminiaanse Dominee. Over de Schaduwzijde der Verlichte Remonstranten'', Amsterdam: De Bataafsche Leeuw
External links
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