Remonstrants
The Remonstrants are the Dutch Protestants who, after the death of Jacobus Arminius, maintained the views associated with his name. In 1610 they presented to the States of Holland and Friesland a remonstrance in five articles formulating their points of disagreement with Calvinism.
History
The five articles include:
that the divine decree of predestination is conditional, not absolute;
that the Atonement is in intention universal;
that man cannot of himself exercise a saving faith;
that though the grace of God is a necessary condition of human effort, it does not act irresistibly in man; and
that believers are able to resist sin but are not beyond the possibility of falling from grace.
Their adversaries, inspired by Franciscus Gomarus, 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 Remonstrants were assailed both by personal enemies and by the political weapons of Maurice of Orange. Their foremost ally, Johan van Oldenbarnevelt, was executed, and other leaders were imprisoned.