The Canons of Dordt

[See the Russian translation of the commentary on this Creed by Homer Hoeksema (Voice of our Fathers),
(Translation)

Introduction

The Canons of Dordrecht, the third of our "Forms of Unity," (Heidelberg Catechism, Netherlands or Belgic Confession of Faith, and The Canons of Dordt), are unique among our confessions in more than one respect. They are the only one of our confessions which was actually composed by an ecclesiastical assembly, the Great Synod of 1618-1619. born out of internal controversy in the Reformed Churches of the Netherlands which was occasioned by the rise of the Arminian heresy, the Canons are the expression of the Synod's judgment concerning the Five Points of the Remonstrance. This also explains the fact that the Canons are divided into five chapters, maintaining the truths of sovereign predestination, particular atonement, total depravity, irresistible grace, and perseverance of saints. Because the Canons are an answer to the Five Points of the Remonstrance, they set forth only certain aspects of the truth rather than the whole body of the truth, as do our other confessions. For this reason also the Canons are referred to in our Formula of Subscription as "the explanation of some points" of the doctrine contained in the Heidelberg Catechism and the Confession of Faith. There is attached to each chapter a Rejection of Errors, which refutes various specific errors taught by the Arminians, and does so on the basis of Scripture, so that in our Canons the truth is defined negatively as well as positively. The Canons represent a consensus of all the reformed churches of that day. For all the Reformed churches participated in the work of the Synod of Dordrecht; and when the Canons were completed, the foreign delegates as well as the Dutch delegates affirmed them by their signatures. A service of thanksgiving to God followed upon the completion of the Canons, a service at which it was thankfully remembered that the Lord had preserved the Reformed Churches in the midst of a life-and-death conflict, and had preserved for the churches the truth that salvation is of the Lord alone.


FIRST HEAD OF DOCTRINE
Of Divine Predestination

Articles 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, and 18
Rejections I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, and IX

SECOND HEAD OF DOCTRINE
Of the Death of Christ, and the Redemption of Men Thereby

Articles 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9
Rejections I, II, III, IV, V, VI, and VII

THIRD AND FOURTH HEADS OF DOCTRINE
Of the Corruption of Man, His Conversion to God, and the Manner Thereof.

Articles 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17
Rejections I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, and IX

FIFTH HEAD OF DOCTRINE
Of the Perseverance of the Saints

Articles 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15
Rejections I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, and IX

CONCLUSION


Return to the literature page.
Return to the Protestant Reformed Churches home page


Last modified, 12-Jan-1997