Arminianists

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A group of Christians advocating for free will and the belief that individuals can choose salvation rather than predestination
2. Followers of a theological perspective emphasizing human choice in salvation against deterministic views of grace and election
3. Individuals who support the teachings of Jacobus Arminius, focusing on a more inclusive view of divine mercy and personal responsibility in faith

Etymology: Arminianists take their name from Jacobus Arminius, a Dutch theologian (Jakob Hermanszoon in Dutch) whose teachings challenged the strict predestinarian doctrines of John Calvin. The name itself is simple in construction: "Arminian" with the suffix "-ist" added, meaning one who holds or follows a particular doctrine. That suffix has a long journey behind it, passing from Ancient Greek through Latin and Old French before reaching English. The Greek ancestor, "-istes", was an agent suffix that turned verbs and nouns into names for practitioners or adherents, as in words for those who practise a craft or hold a belief. Latin borrowed this pattern as "-ista", and Old French carried it forward as "-iste", from which Middle English took "-ist". Once English had the ending, it could be attached to nearly any name of a teacher or doctrine, and "Arminianist" follows that pattern exactly.

Synonyms: Arminians, followers of Arminius

Antonyms: Calvinists, Predestinarians