Chosen, Called, Kept: Synod of Dort (1619)

The 300th anniversary of the Synod of Dort was celebrated by some in 2019. For many Christians its conclusions are still hidden away in dusty books and old historical translations. In one such translation, one sentence runs to 23 lines. 

Yet 'The Canons of the Synod of Dort' is a fundamental document of the faith. It answers the question, 'How does God save?' 

All the Reformed Churches (including 'the Reformed Church of England') were invited. The delegates met, discussed, and unanimously accepted the conclusions.  It was the only such Council of the Reformed Churches. One English delegate called it heaven on earth.

This new translation shows how rich and vibrant the Synod's statements of faith really are. The delegates' sheer delight in the Gospel can be seen as they add adjective after adjective, verb after verb to try to express truths that are inexpressible

By imaginative typography, tabulating the conclusions of the Council, the reader is encouraged to carefully and prayerfully meditate line upon line of what was decided. 

Suggested Bible readings are given for each Article. Key Latin words are carefully translated, and their meaning is expanded in a helpful glossary.

To encourage its regular use in personal prayer and reflection, a 52 week reading scheme is included.

This is book is not a paraphrase or an edited version of the Canons of Dort. All the clear positive statements are included, but in a way that makes them more accessible than ever before.

Chosen Called Kept is a helpful resource for meditating on the biblical truths of salvation by grace alone. For centuries, Christians have looked to the Canons of Dort, prepared by an international gathering of Reformed theologians, for a clear and balanced view of salvation. But some modern readers feel like these theologians wrote the Canons in complex Latin sentences. This book presents a modern English translation arranged line by line to allow modern readers to concentrate on one phrase at a time while seeing it in relation to the whole chain of thought. The resulting clarity, combined with suggested Scripture readings, makes this book ideal for personal or family devotion.” 

--Dr. Joel R. Beeke, President, Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary, Grand Rapids, Michigan