Canons of Dort

[Kalos]

Hello all

I have a question...well that would be why I'm posting.

For the last month I have been making my rather slow walk through the Canons of Dort, and I've been noticing (or perhaps making my own assertions) that the Dutch prior to publishing of this document, was rather unitarian or even gnostic in thought. So, could Calvin perhaps have responded to this theology by swinging the other direction with such extremetism that he went off the deep end? That is, that in his response to heresy of the Dutch Church he ultimately was bent on complete, radical change than that of biblical truth.

I have always thought well Calvinistic thought, but after reading the Canons of Dort, I found it hard to grasp. For the point at which I was drawn to Calvinism was that it granted God the ultimate wisdom and authority of choice without trying to explain his methods. But then after finishing my study, I found myself confused, in that Calvinism now could not live in the dynamic tension of is His sovereign choice. It also tried to explain God's indefinite wisdom.

 

[bradfordl]

Calvinism now could not live in the dynamic tension of is His sovereign choice. It also tried to explain God's indefinite wisdom.

Huh?

Maybe you could expand.

 

[Kalos]

Sorry. I apologize, I wrote faster than I was thinking...
scratch that...

Just was the dutch church proir to the writing of the canons, gnostic?

 

[frumanchu]

The confessional standard of the Reformed churches prior to Dordt was the Belgic Confession.

The Synod of Dordt was to deal more specifically with the Remonstrance, and it included delegates from Reformed churches throughout all of Europe, not just the Dutch.

 

[heymikey80]

Well, Calvin was dead by this time. Beza was working on institutionalizing Calvinist thought, continuing the Reformation. I don't know how involved he was in Dordt, though.

Dordt was definitely politically charged as well as theologically. The sides had already reached and passed the breaking point by the time the Canons were written. And Arminius had just died, the Remonstrants were in disarray.

It intrigues me, what do you think is gnostic about Dordt? Some particular quotes might help. I'm not really sure what you're calling attention to as to its tendencies.

 

[Rick Otto]

"indefinite wisdom"?
On the surface, it sounds oxymoronic, and a little like an attempt to make an end-run around omniscient predestination to make room for random chance, and perhaps free will.
Now I'M making assumptions!