Gomarus taught quietly at Leiden until 1603, when
Jacobus Arminius came to be one of his colleagues in the theological faculty, and began to teach what Gomarus viewed as essentially
Pelagian doctrines and to create a
new school of theology within the university. Gomarus immediately set himself earnestly to oppose these beliefs in his classes at college, and was supported by
Johann B. Bogermann (1570–1637), who afterwards became professor of theology at
Franeker. Arminius sought to make election dependent upon faith, whilst they sought to enforce absolute
predestination as the rule of faith, according to which the whole Scriptures are to be interpreted. Gomarus then became the leader of the opponents of Arminius, who came to be known as Gomarists (Dutch:
contra-remonstranten). He engaged twice in personal disputation with Arminius in the assembly of the
States of Holland in 1608, and was one of five Gomarists who met five
Remonstrants (
Arminians) in the same assembly of 1609. On the death of Arminius shortly after this time,
Konrad Vorstius, who sympathized with Arminius's views, was appointed to succeed him, in spite of the opposition of Gomarus and his friends. Gomarus took this defeat badly, resigned his post, and went to
Middelburg in 1611, where he became preacher at the Reformed church, and taught theology and Hebrew in the newly founded Illustre Schule. He was then called in 1614 to a chair of theology at the
Academy of Saumur, where he remained four years, and then accepted a call as professor of theology and Hebrew at
Groningen, where he stayed until his death in Groningen on 11 January 1641. Gomarus, despite his position as a professor of Hebrew, urged that restrictions be placed on the Jews. ==Synod of Dort==