14 Facts About Franciscus Gomarus

Franciscus Gomarus was a Dutch theologian, a strict Calvinist and an opponent of the teaching of Jacobus Arminius, whose theological disputes were addressed at the Synod of Dort.

Franciscus Gomarus's parents, having embraced the principles of the Reformation, emigrated from Bruges to the Electorate of the Palatinate in 1578, in order to enjoy freedom to profess their new faith, and they sent their son to be educated at Strasbourg under Johann Sturm.

Franciscus Gomarus remained there three years, and then went in 1580 to Neustadt, from which the professors of Heidelberg had been driven by the elector-palatine because they were not Lutherans.

Franciscus Gomarus graduated from Cambridge in 1584, and then went to Heidelberg, where the faculty had been re-established by this time.

Franciscus Gomarus was pastor of a Dutch Reformed Church in Frankfurt from 1587 until 1593, when the congregation was dispersed by persecution.

Gomarus taught quietly at Leiden until 1603, when Jacobus Arminius came to be one of his colleagues in the theological faculty, and began to teach what Gomarus viewed as essentially Pelagian doctrines and to create a new school of theology within the university.

Franciscus Gomarus then became the leader of the opponents of Arminius, who came to be known as Gomarists.

Franciscus Gomarus engaged twice in personal disputation with Arminius in the assembly of the States of Holland in 1608, and was one of five Gomarists who met five Remonstrants in the same assembly of 1609.

Franciscus Gomarus took this defeat badly, resigned his post, and went to Middelburg in 1611, where he became preacher at the Reformed church, and taught theology and Hebrew in the newly founded Illustre Schule.

Franciscus Gomarus took a leading part in the Synod of Dort, assembled in 1618 to judge of the doctrines of Arminius.

Franciscus Gomarus was a man of ability, enthusiasm and learning, a considerable Oriental scholar, and a keen controversialist.

Franciscus Gomarus took part in revising the Dutch translation of the Old Testament in 1633.

Franciscus Gomarus's works were collected and published in a one volume folio, in Amsterdam in 1645.

Franciscus Gomarus was succeeded at Groningen in 1643 by his pupil Samuel Maresius.