Do Lutherans believe in the immaculate conception like Catholics?

[yogosans14]

I read some where that Martin Luther believed in the Immaculate conception of Mary, that she was free from original sin. I want to convert to the Lutheran or Methodist Church but if they believe this I dont think I will convert.

 

[Tigger45]

No Lutherans do not believe, teach or practice the doctrine of the Immaculate conception of Mary. Martin Luther changed his position himself on the subject. If you dig deep enough you can find declarations of the perpetual virginity of Mary though.

 

[Doctor Strangelove]

I was raised as a Lutheran and and now an Anglican, and I can second Tigger's reply. Lutherans highly respect Mary and think she was blessed of God and obviously had a unique role in God's plan, but I have never encountered a Lutheran who claimed that Mary was sinless.

 

[Shane R]

The immaculate conception is a Catholic doctrine. You may find Lutherans or Anglicans who hold it is a personal opinion. Even in Orthodoxy this doctrine is not taught, thus the assumption feast is celebrated instead as dormition.

 

[Albion]

I read some where that Martin Luther believed in the Immaculate conception of Mary, that she was free from original sin. I want to convert to the Lutheran or Methodist Church but if they believe this I dont think I will convert.

Here's a thought.

Asking on the Lutheran and/or Methodist forums might be worth a try.

 

[MKJ]

I was raised as a Lutheran and and now an Anglican, and I can second Tigger's reply. Lutherans highly respect Mary and think she was blessed of God and obviously had a unique role in God's plan, but I have never encountered a Lutheran who claimed that Mary was sinless.

Belief in the Immaculate Conception /= belief that Mary was sinless. So one could certainly believe the latter without the former, in a number of different ways.

 

[Maid Marie]

I read some where that Martin Luther believed in the Immaculate conception of Mary, that she was free from original sin. I want to convert to the Lutheran or Methodist Church but if they believe this I dont think I will convert.

Methodists do not believe this.

 

[Izdaari Eristikon]

I am an actual confirmed Lutheran (ELCA) as well as Episcopalian. No, I do not believe in Immaculate Conception. My parish calls itself "emergent" Anglo-Catholic but the A-C designation refers more to style and to our New Monastic association with the Benedictines than it does to actual Catholic doctrines.

 

[MarkRohfrietsch]

I was raised as a Lutheran and and now an Anglican, and I can second Tigger's reply. Lutherans highly respect Mary and think she was blessed of God and obviously had a unique role in God's plan, but I have never encountered a Lutheran who claimed that Mary was sinless.

I'm Lutheran Church Canada inf fellowship with the LCMS. No, since Christ died for all (which includes Mary), we reject the idea that Mary was without sin. We do, however accept that she is blessed and found favour with God; such a high favour that He chose her to be mother of His Son.

While the Lutheran Confessions do state belief in the perpetual virginity of Mary, such belief is not considered necessary for salvation. Like wise, we are free to hold a belief in the Assumption/Dormation of Mary; the feast day of which we celebrated on the 15th of this month.

 

[Albion]

I'm Lutheran Church Canada inf fellowship with the LCMS. No, since Christ died for all (which includes Mary), we reject the idea that Mary was without sin. We do, however accept that she is blessed and found favour with God; such a high favour that He chose her to be mother of His Son.

While the Lutheran Confessions do state belief in the perpetual virginity of Mary, such belief is not considered necessary for salvation. Like wise, we are free to hold a belief in the Assumption/Dormation of Mary; the feast day of which we celebrated on the 15th of this month.

A lot of people seem to think that whatever applies to Martin Luther's own thinking must, therefore, be doctrine for all Lutheran churches today. They have a hard time understanding that Luther was not some guru or non-Catholic Pope on whose every utterance and passing thought, all Lutherans must hang.

 

[Doctor Strangelove]

A lot of people seem to think that whatever applies to Martin Luther's own thinking must, therefore, be doctrine for all Lutheran churches today. They have a hard time understanding that Luther was not some guru or non-Catholic Pope on whose every utterance and passing thought, all Lutherans must hang.

Great point! The Lutheran Confessions were the work of several people over years and there was a lot of discussion and contention over doctrine. It is not like Luther was a guru, came out of a cave with a book and everyone bowed down.

 

[snumerouno]

Do Lutherans believe in the immaculate conception like Catholics?

No.

 

[PaladinValer]

No. Nor do Anglicans historically.

 

[Adam Warlock]

I read some where that Martin Luther believed in the Immaculate conception of Mary, that she was free from original sin. I want to convert to the Lutheran or Methodist Church but if they believe this I dont think I will convert.

No, but we do believe in the Immaculate Reception.

 

[Sword of the Lord]

I'm just recently returning to my Lutheran faith, but as a previously baptized and confirmed LCMS member, NO, we do not believe or teach this.

You could, I suppose, hold it as a personal opinion, though.

 

[GratiaCorpusChristi]

I read some where that Martin Luther believed in the Immaculate conception of Mary, that she was free from original sin. I want to convert to the Lutheran or Methodist Church but if they believe this I dont think I will convert.

No Lutherans do not believe, teach or practice the doctrine of the Immaculate conception of Mary. Martin Luther changed his position himself on the subject. If you dig deep enough you can find declarations of the perpetual virginity of Mary though.

Yes.

I was raised as a Lutheran and and now an Anglican, and I can second Tigger's reply. Lutherans highly respect Mary and think she was blessed of God and obviously had a unique role in God's plan, but I have never encountered a Lutheran who claimed that Mary was sinless.

I have, but that person did not believe in immaculate conception.

Belief in the Immaculate Conception /= belief that Mary was sinless. So one could certainly believe the latter without the former, in a number of different ways.

Yes, exactly.

 

[P0ntifex]

Reading Martin Luther's work, it seemed as if he believed in the Immaculate Conception himself.

 

[MarkRohfrietsch]

Reading Martin Luther's work, it seemed as if he believed in the Immaculate Conception himself.

Hi and welcome to Christian forums!

Yes, Luther did... for a time. The more he studied Scripture the more he realized that it could not be so. You see, it was the sin of Adam Eve that brought death to creation in general and the human race in particular. We know that Christ died on the Cross, without a mother who had original sin, such would not have been possible. Some will say that if that's the case, Christ must have sin too. Scripture tells us He did not, so that's that. His divine nature no doubt prevented that. Scripture also tells us that Christ died for all; that would include His mother; had she been sinless, it would not have been for all. Scripture also tells us that all have sinned; none are righteous; hence, she can not be "immaculate" until after her Dormation. Not immaculately conceived, but now immaculate and in heaven!

 

[FireDragon76]

I'm inclined to accept the Immaculate Conception inasmuch as the Virgin Mary was without the guilt of sin, blameless, and pure, but I do know many Christian theologians over the centuries questioned it. I realize too the Immaculate Conception doctrine/dogma is dependent entirely on how we view original sin.

As to how Christ could be both Savior of Mary, and Mary be without sin... Mary was mortal as a result of the Fall of Adam and needed redemption from death the same as any mortal creature. Christ did more than pay for peoples sins, he also defeated death and made a new creation. We do not die because we are guilty of sin, we die because we are descended from Adam and thrown out of paradise. We are only guilty of actual sin we commit.

 

[GratiaCorpusChristi]

I'm inclined to accept the Immaculate Conception inasmuch as the Virgin Mary was without the guilt of sin, blameless, and pure, but I do know many Christian theologians over the centuries questioned it. I realize too the Immaculate Conception doctrine/dogma is dependent entirely on how we view original sin.

As to how Christ could be both Savior of Mary, and Mary be without sin... Mary was mortal as a result of the Fall of Adam and needed redemption from death the same as any mortal creature. Christ did more than pay for peoples sins, he also defeated death and made a new creation. We do not die because we are guilty of sin, we die because we are descended from Adam and thrown out of paradise. We are only guilty of actual sin we commit.

Thomas Aquinas, for one, did not believe in the Immaculate Conception. It was his Franciscan contemporary, Bonaventura, and the leading scholastic of the next generation, Duns Scotus, who really introduced the concept and gave it currency.

And yes, it does depend on your view of original sin. This is why it's never been a question for the Orthodox; they believe everyone is conceived without original sin, but instead are born into a world of sin and death.

But most of the western church does believe in original sin, including Catholics, and thus Mary's Immaculate Conception is a very unique case.