How did the Remonstrants differ from the Gomarists in the Dutch political struggle?
The political struggle between the Remonstrants and the Gomarists was a fundamental conflict over the nature of the Dutch state and the authority of the Reformed Church.
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The Remonstrants: Led by figures like Hugo Grotius and Johan van Oldenbarnevelt, they were primarily upper-class "regents" who advocated for a latitudinarian, inclusive church under the authority of the civil government. They supported religious toleration to maintain social stability and facilitate trade, and they rejected the strict Calvinist doctrine of predestination.123
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The Gomarists: Also known as Counter-Remonstrants, they were orthodox Calvinists who demanded that the state uphold their rigid theological principles. They believed the church should be independent of civil authorities and sought to suppress or restrict other religious groups. They viewed their faith as the essential "cement" of the United Provinces and sought to establish a church triumphant on the Genevan model.423
This rivalry, which became intertwined with tensions between the province of Holland and the centralizing power of Prince Maurice, ultimately led to the political defeat of the Remonstrants at the Synod of Dort and the execution of Oldenbarnevelt.43