Had a day of rest today. Didn’t step out of the house. Ate mostly fruit and only managed to fast dinner. But quite happy to have a ‘guo te’-less and ‘xioa long bao’-less day.

Spent most of my day with my new friend Jacob Arminius.

I bought 5 books on this sabbatical break. Have been reading Blase Pascal’s “Pennses”, on and off as it is a bit like the book of proverbs and you can pick it up and put it down whenever. Pascal was a Frenchman who lived about 400 years ago. Jacob Arminius was a Dutchman who also lived about 400 years ago. For the past 10 days I have been reading his biography called; “Arminius, A Study in the Dutch Reformation” by Carl Bangs, 388 pages, published in 1971. Finished it today.

Arminius was the husband of one wife, a father of 11 children, a Pastor, a Theological Seminary Professor, and a man who was branded as a heretic (a false teacher) after he died. His followers were fired from their Church Pastoral positions and many had to flee from Holland for their lives. One was hanged…. by other Christians!! And even to this day many Christians still think he was a heretic, and that those who follow his teaching are, at worst; not true Christians, at best; teaching false doctrines. (Some of the Pilgrim Fathers who sailed to America seeking religious tolerance, were the ones who could not tolerate Arminius’ different teaching, and got the Government Authorities to throw Arminius’ followers out of the Church!!! Pretty weird huh!?  Often you find people who cannot tolerate others demand that others tolerate them! I alway think that if you want to “give it” you must be prepared to “take it”!)

One of Arminius’ most famous followers was John Wesley the man who founded the Methodist church. I admire John Wesley a great deal.

Why was Arminius branded a heretic? This book looked into this question in very fine detail. This book revealed to me that the issues that surrounded Arminius were not simple. The issue was not just about his theological teaching. Arminius got caught up in issues of Holland’s political struggles, and their Colonial ambitions. There were issues of greed, professional jealousy, selfishness, and human weakness all swirling around Arminius at that time. His Calvinist enemies hated him. Lies, false accusations, exaggerations, and desire for power and control….. all mixed up, all converging on the Church Synod of Dort where Arminius and his followers were condemned by those who had taken over the Church in Holand. All very ugly stuff.

It is so sad that this kind of thing happens in the Church, and happens to such sincere, and Godly people like Jacob Arminius. His name and memory are still despised by so many.

It is sad that things like this still happen in some Churches today.

Oh Lord, may it never happen in CCC!