Famous Dutch Theologians

Best known for his iconic book De jure belli ac pacis, or The Rights of War and Peace, Hugo Grotius was a Dutch humanist and author, who had also been a jurist. Due to his involvement in the Calvinist debate, he was exiled to France, where he penned most of his significant works.

Born as an illegitimate child of a priest from Rotterdam, Desiderius Erasmus later grew up to be a significant figure of the northern Renaissance. He is remembered for his research on free will and for being the first to edit the New Testament, replacing traditional elements with new-age humanism.

After studying subjects such as literature and theology, Abraham Kuyper became a pastor and founded the Calvinist paper De Standaard. He later established the Anti-Revolutionary Party and also served the Netherlands as prime minister. He was also the founder of the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands.

Dutch theologian and professor Jacobus Arminius opposed the orthodox Calvinism of his time and introduced a new system, known as Arminianism, in response. He is remembered for his Opera theologica, published posthumously, and for paving the path for the growth of Methodism in the West.

Cornelius Jansen was the Dutch Catholic bishop of Ypres best remembered as the father of an early modern theological movement called Jansenism, which was declared a heresy by the Roman Catholic Church. Jansenism was used as a major political force in France up until the French Revolution.

Geert Groote was a Dutch Catholic deacon best remembered for founding the Brethren of the Common Life. Groote also played an important role in the Devotio Moderna movement, which promoted genuine pious practices like obedience, humility, and simplicity of life. 

Sixteenth-century pope Adrian VI remains the only Dutch to have been a pope and was the last non-Italian pope till John Paul II’s election after over 400 years. He wished to reform the Church but wasn’t able to do much, as he was strongly opposed by many, including Italian cardinals.

A Dutch theologian from the 17th century, Gisbertus Voetius was a Calvinist scholar. He promoted the Calvinist take on predestination, taught theology at Utrecht, and was also the youngest delegate of the Synod of Dort. Politica Ecclesiastica and Diatriba de Theologia remain two of his best-known works.

Gerardus Vossius was a Dutch theologian and scholar. His works as a professor of rhetoric were used as textbooks in many universities. Vossius had a lasting impact on Thomas Farnaby, whose work Latin Grammar was heavily influenced by Gerardus Vossius' works.

Dutch poet Philips of Marnix is best remembered for his translation of the Psalms. He managed to anger the Roman Catholics with his works such as The Beehive of the Roman Catholic Church and thus spent a year as a prisoner. It’s believed that he wrote the Dutch national anthem, Wilhelmus van Nassouwe.

A renowned 17th-century professor of biblical philology and theology, Johannes Cocceius was a prominent part of the Reformed Church. Best known for works such as Summa doctrinae de foedere et testamento Dei, he believed the relation between God and man was a covenant. He thus promoted the covenant, or federal, theology.

Simon Episcopius was a Dutch Remonstrant and theologian who played an important role at the Synod of Dort, an international Synod held by the Dutch Reformed Church in Dordrecht in 1618. A fierce supporter of the Arminian cause, Episcopius is credited with developing and systematizing the principles enunciated by Arminius.  

Willem Visser 't Hooft served the World Council of Churches as its first secretary-general. The Dutch theologian and clergyman had also been the World Committee secretary of the Young Men’s Christian Association. He emerged as a major figure of the ecumenical movement in the post-war era.

Franciscus Gomarus was a Dutch theologian and Calvinist who served as a professor at the University of Leiden. He is best remembered for his disputes with his colleague Jacobus Arminius; Franciscus Gomarus led a group of people opposing Arminius' views and this group came to be known as the Gomarists.

Dirck Volckertszoon Coornhert, or Theodore Cornhert, was the man who introduced Humanism in Dutch literature. Known for works such as Liedekens, De wellevenskunste, and Comedie van Israël, he was an engraver in Haarlem and also worked for the city’s government. He also created the manifesto of William the Silent, Prince of Orange.

Nicolaas Beets was a Dutch author, professor, poet, and preacher. He is credited with founding a Protestant school, which is now known by the name, Nicolaas Beetsschool. Nicolaas Beets is also remembered for his magnum opus Camera Obscura, which continues to be celebrated even today.

Cornelis Tiele was a Dutch scholar of religions and theologian. He is credited with co-founding the Leiden School of modern theology along with J. H. Scholten and Abraham Kuenen amongst others. An early supporter of the Dutch school of science of religion, Cornelis Tiele is also remembered as the originator of the Dutch school of the relative studies of religions.

Jacobus Revius was a Dutch poet, preacher, church historian, and translator. He is counted among the few 17th-century poets whose poems are still read widely today. Seven of his poems can be seen in the Songbook for the Churches. Such is his popularity that many streets are named in his honor.