“There is no way to deny that what is expressed in the Canons of Dort is the authentic concern of the Reformation” (Karl Barth). Have you ever wondered where we got the so-called ‘Five Points of Calvinism?’ This past year marked the 400th anniversary of the Synod of Dordt (1618–1619), an international assembly of Reformed churches held in Dordrecht, Netherlands. The Synod’s most significant outcome, the Canons of Dordt, is considered by many to be the genesis of the ‘Five Points of Calvinism.’ Participants in the Synod included prominent Dutch, British, German, and Swiss theologians and ministers. This Synod marked the high point of Reformed orthodoxy. In this class we will explore the historical and theological aspects of the Canons of Dordt with an in-depth investigation of early modern Remonstrant and Reformed soteriology.


