A Reflection on Arminius's Children

This picture of a dutch child learning to walk was drawn by Rembrandt in 1646

Today I find myself coming back to Arminius's writings on The Seventh Chapter of St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans. Instead of looking at the text, I was enamoured by the dedication given to William Bardesius, written by the Nine orphan children of Jacob Arminius. Specifically, this bit at the beginning:

"For both clergy and laity may receive this as a principle, that they are yet rude and complete strangers in true theology, unless they have learned so to theologize, that theology may bear the torch before them to that piety and holiness which they sedulously and earnestly pursue."

It is easy to miss, upon reading this, how much of Arminius is actually here. In fact, it is hard to believe that Arminius did not write this himself, given what I know about him. As a theologian in the 1590s he was an inheritor of the Reformed tradition during a time when the Reformed tradition was fleshing out its own systematics. Quite uniquely, in Arminius's writings, as compared to those Reformers who came before, he spent some time writing about theology, how it should be taught, and its end (see Private Disputations 1-3). It is no secret, then, that Arminius, in good pastoral fashion, viewed theology as a practical science with the end of theology being the blessedness of man, obtained through faith in acts of love, fear, honor, worship, and obedience. In simple terms, he envisioned a theology that would facilitate the union of humanity with God. A theology that would lead to "piety and holiness." This, perhaps, is why many still view him today as a pastoral theologian. He wanted to see lives transformed by the grace of God, first and foremost, and always.

Upon seeing these similarities, between him and his kids, I can't help but think about my own children and their religious upbringing. What am I instilling in my children? What will they remember when I die? Arminius believed wholeheartedly in the grace of God transforming lives. He viewed Romans 7 from the perspective of an unregenerate person, a slave to sin, with our only deliverer being Jesus Christ our Lord. It seems as if his children understood this, adopting their father's view of theology as a practical science for the Christian. What dedication Arminius and Lijsbet must have had towards their children's upbringing! What testimony it is for us in raising our own children!