This article discusses the historical background to the Canons of Dort, particularly the disagreement between the Arminians and the Reformed, which led to the Synod of Dort.

This article gives a historical background and introduction to the Canons of Dort.

This article discusses the background of the Canons of Dort by looking at the historical context of the Synod of Dort, the person of Jacobus Arminius and his articles, and the place of the national government in the Synod of Dort. 

This article considers the value of the Canons of Dort for today. It explains that the Canons are helpful for understanding the relationship between divine sovereignty and human responsibility. The author discusses modern issues like the lordship salvation controversy, as well as the meaning of cheap grace.

This article underlines the truth that the doctrine of election is not a theoretical issue, far removed from the daily faith life of believers. God-fearing parents are comforted in their grief over the death of an infant. The Canons point out that the election and salvation of their child ought not to be doubted.

In the final head of doctrine, the two-fold line unfurled in the previous sections of the Canons is now spread out to its maximum fullness. The lines are drawn to their Scriptural conclusions: perseverance in faith for the believers, and an ever greater hardening for those who persist in unbelief.

The third and fourth heads are taken together, since in the Remonstrance of 1610 the two sections (three and four) really dealt with the same topic. Further, the two maters confessed, though distinct, are also directly complementary. The Articles 1-5 form the third head of doctrine, and maintain the teaching concerning the total depravity of man. All lie under the curse of God's wrath (L,1). Articles 6-17 constitute the fourth point of doctrine, that is, the insuperability of God's work of grace.

The Canons of Dort may be seen as incorporating a simple theme of the gospel upon which one builds in ever widening concentric circles. The theme is the sovereign grace of God and His free election without regard to persons. The sovereign decision of God is enhanced and exalted in His equally free decision to pass by other persons, leaving them in the ruin in which they plunged themselves, and ultimately pronouncing condemnation upon them due to their own hardness of heart and wilful disobedience. The second head of doctrine elaborates on this theme.

The Canons of Dort do not begin with election but move towards it. They begin with the confession of the deep malaise in which man finds himself after the fall into sin. The accent in the first article falls on our communal guilt before God. Since all men have sinned in our first parents, we all deserve eternal death.

The Canons of Dort were drafted and adopted at the great Synod of Dort, 1618-1619. Delegates from several foreign countries contributed to the debates and final rendition of the Canons. The Synod stated that the decision regarding the position of the Remonstrants was taken out of the Word of God. Hence, they intended this document to have creedal status.

This article gives a historical background to the development of the Five Points of Calvinism as they are expressed in the Canons of Dort.

Nicole wants to reword the so-called five points of Calvinism in an effort to prevent misunderstandings.