Canons of Dordt

Introduction

formally titled: The Decision of the Synod of Dordt
on the Five Main Points of Doctrine in Dispute in the Netherlands

The Decisions of the Synod of Dort on the Five Main Points of Doctrine in Dispute in the Netherlands is popularly known as the Canons of Dort. It consists of statements of doctrine adopted by the great Synod of Dort which met in the city of Dordrecht in 1618-1619. Although this was a national synod of the Reformed churches of the Netherlands, it had an international character, since it was composed not only of Dutch delegates but also of twenty-six delegates from eight foreign countries.
The Synod of Dort was held in order to settle a serious controversy in the Dutch churches initiated by the rise of Arminianism. Jacob Arminius, a theological professor at Leiden University, questioned the teaching of Calvin and his followers on a number of important points. After Arminius’ death, his own followers presented their views on five of these points in the Remonstrance of 1610. In this document or in later more explicit writings, the Arminians taught election based on foreseen faith, universal atonement, partial depravity, resistible grace, and the possibility of a lapse from grace. In the Canons the Synod of Dort rejected these views and set forth the Reformed doctrine on these points, namely, unconditional election, limited atonement, total depravity, irresistible grace, and the perseverance of saints.

The Canons have a special character because of their original purpose as a judicial decision on the doctrinal points in dispute during the Arminian controversy

The original preface called them a “judgment, in which both the true view, agreeing with God’s Word, concerning the aforesaid five points of doctrine is explained, and the false view, disagreeing with God’s Word, is rejected”. The Canons also have a limited character in that they do not cover the whole range of doctrine, but focus on the five points of doctrine in dispute.
Each of the main points consists of a positive and a negative part, the former being an exposition of the Reformed doctrine on the subject, the latter a repudiation of the corresponding errors. Although in form there are only four points, we speak properly of five points, because the Canons were structured to correspond to the five articles of the 1610 Remonstrance. Main Points 3 and 4 were combined into one, always designated as Main Point III/IV.

The new translation of the Canons, based on the only extant Latin manuscript among those signed at the Synod of Dort, was adopted by the 1986 Synod of the Christian Reformed Church in North America and accepted by the RCA Synod of 1991; translation used by permission of the Christian Reformed Church in North America. The biblical quotations are translations from the original Latin and so do not always correspond to current versions. Though not in the original text, subheadings have been added to the positive articles and to the conclusion in order to facilitate study of the Canons.

Outline

Formally titled: The Decision of the Synod of Dordt on the Five Main Points of Doctrine in Dispute in the Netherlands.

The Canons of Dort clearly and in summary form, explain the Five points of Calvanism.

Those 5 points have for many years been set forth in the acrostic as set out below:

T Total depravity of humanity

U Unconditional election by God of the sinner

L Limited atonement – Christ’s saving work limited to those elected

I Irresistible grace – God’s saving election cannot be resisted by the elect

P Perseverance/Preservation of the saints – those elected cannot be lost

Accordingly the Canons of Dort are divided into 5 main heads of doctrine

Click on the items below to learn more:

First Main Point: Divine Election and Reprobation

Second Main Point: Christ’s Death and Human Redemption Through It

Third and Fourth main Points: Human Corruption, Conversion to God and the Way it Occurs

Fifth Main Point: The Perseverance of the Saints

Conclusion