Remonstrantss

Remonstrantss, usually referred to as the Remonstrants, is a Dutch Protestant movement and, in its contemporary form, a small liberal church body. It originated in the early 17th century as the theological following of Jacob Arminius within the Dutch Reformed Church. In response to strict Calvinist predestination, Arminius’s supporters presented the Five Remonstrances (c. 1610–1614), arguing for conditional election, universal atonement, resistible grace, the necessity of cooperation with grace, and the possibility of apostasy. The Remonstrants emphasized human freedom and the belief that salvation could be resisted or forfeited.

The Remonstrants faced strong opposition from the Gomarist Calvinist faction led by Franciscus Gomarus. The conflict culminated in the Synod of Dort (1618–1619), which condemned the Arminian positions and established a doctrinal framework that shaped Dutch Reformed orthodoxy. In the wake of Dort, the Remonstrants organized as a separate church body, initially known as the Remonstrant Brotherhood, to preserve their distinct theology while remaining within the broader Reformed tradition.

Today, Remonstrantss are a small liberal Protestant denomination primarily in the Netherlands and in diaspora communities. They are characterized by theological openness, emphasis on social justice, inclusivity, and ecumenical engagement. Remaining rooted in Arminian impulses, they uphold concepts such as conditional election, universal atonement, resistible grace, and the possibility of apostasy, while fostering modern biblical interpretation, democratic church governance, and dialogue with other Christian traditions.