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What Have Lutherans and Protestants

Had to Say about Contraception?




Being Open to LiIe in Marriage



Collected by Pr. H. R. Curtis
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Martin Luther

The purpose oI marriage is not to have pleasure and to be idle but to procreate
and bring up children. (Luther's Works, 5.363)

But the greatest good in married liIe, that which makes all suIIering and labor
worth while, is that God grants oIIspring and commands that they be brought up
to worship and serve him. In all the world this is the noblest and most precious
work, because to God there can be nothing dearer than the salvation oI souls.
Now since we are all duty bound to suIIer death, iI need be, that we might bring a
single soul to God, you can see how rich the estate oI marriage is in good works.
(The Estate of Marriage, 1522; Luthers Works, Vol. 45, 46 )

|Commenting on Genesis 38 and Onan's coitus interruptus|This is a most
disgraceIul sin. It is Iar more atrocious than incest and adultery. We call it
unchastity, yes, a Sodomitic sin. For Onan goes in to her; that is, he lies with her
and copulates, and when it comes to the point oI insemination, spills the semen,
lest the woman conceive. Surely at such a time the order oI nature established by
God in procreation should be Iollowed. Accordingly, it was a most disgraceIul
crime. (LW 7.20-21).

Martin Chemnitz

Chemnitz was the greatest Lutheran theologian oI the generation that
Iormed a bridge between Luther and the age oI Lutheran Orthodoxy. Here
Chemnitz draws a distinction between contraception and abortion but
condemns them both as contrary to God's will oI liIe Ior the human race.

"|I|n the Decalog it simply says, 'Thou shalt not kill,' without mentioning either
the instruments or the circumstances oI the crime. In Judg. 20:5 the wiIe oI the
Levite who was ravished by a mob oI Gibeanites was said to have been
'murdered.' Pertinent here also are those things which hinder contraception, Gen.
38:9. Likewise, the matter oI destroying the Ietus in the womb, Ex. 21:22, 'II a
pregnant woman is struck. .. .' I Kings 3:19 reIers to those who in their sleep lie
on and smother children." (Loci Theologici, Preus translation, vol. II, p. 406, Iirst
column.)

Modern Lutheranism and Wider Christianity

Nor should we think that opposition to contraception in Christianity ceased long
ago. Indeed, leaders in Lutheranism and the Protestant denominations were
uniIormly opposed to contraception well into the 20
th
century.

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r. John H. C. Fritz

Dr. Fritz was a proIessor at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis and wrote !astoral
Theology, a textbook which was used Ior decades to train Missouri Synod pastors.
In this book he speaks at length concerning contraception and how Lutheran pastors
should discourage their use as sinIul. Here is a small quote Irom his much longer
discussion Irom the second edition oI the book, which was printed in 1945.

Man has no right arbitrarily or deIinitely to limit the number oI his oIIspring
(birth control), especially not iI done with artiIicial or unnatural means, Gen.
1:28; Ps. 127:3-6; Ps. 128:3,4; Gen. 38:9-10; Rom. 1:26-27. . . . Birth control,
that is, the Irustration oI conception or the limitation oI the number oI children
by the use oI artiIicial means, by drugs or unnatural practices, is a sin that has
become widespread in modern civilization. . . .Due to the Iact that spiritual
indiIIerentism and Modernism have made inroads into the church oI our day and
have dulled the conscience also in respect to Christian ethics, it is not surprising
that birth control is advocated even by men and women in the churches oI this
modern age (Dr. John H. C. Fritz, !astoral Theology, 2
nd
Edition, Concordia
Publishing House, 1945. p. 162).

r. Walter A. Maier

Dr. Maier was not only a proIessor at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, but he also
Iounded the Lutheran Hour radio program. In 1931 he said,

Birth Control, as popularly understood today and involving the use oI
contraceptives, is one oI the most repugnant oI modern aberrations, representing
a 20
th
century renewal oI pagan bankruptcy (cited by J. F. Noll in Catechism
on Birth Control, 6
th
edition. (Huntington: OSV press, 1939) p. 31).

Concordia Pulpit

Concordia !ulpit is a resource Ior Lutheran Church Missouri Synod pastors which
suggests outlines Ior sermons. In 1939, Concordia !ulpit, Volume XI, included a
'Series on the Christian Marriage Relation, which contained the Iollowing:

The main purpose oI marriage is the propagation oI the human race. God HimselI
clearly stated this purpose: 'Be IruitIul, etc. (both a command and a blessing
bestowed upon the human Iamily). Also Ps. 128:3,4; 127:3-5. ... Various sinIul
methods oI birth control. Abortion. ...
Second sinIul method, the sin oI Onan, Gen. 38:9. Very common practice.
(Catholic priest in this city told the writer that in the conIessional he has learned
this to be the most common practice among his people; guilty oI the sin oI birth
control.) Today use oI mechanical devices prevalent. Reasons: greed, career,
enjoyment oI liIe, lust, Iear oI labor and pain in childbirth. Additional prooI Ior
our position: voice oI conscience; terrible consequences oI this unnaturalness,
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such as impaired health physically and mentally.
Some who are not Christians place these practices on the same plane with selI-
abuse. Bernard Shaw: 'Contraceptive practices are reciprocal masturbation.
St. Augustine: 'Contraception makes a prostitute out oI the wiIe and an
adulterer out oI the husband. Companionate marriage has been termed 'licensed
prostitution.
Dr. Howard Kelly, perhaps America`s ablest gynecologist, neither a Lutheran
nor a Catholic, uses these words: 'All meddling with the sexual relation to secure
Iacultative sterility degrades the wiIe to the level oI a prostitute. The preacher
will be chieIly positive in this matter and show Iorth the blessings oI parentage.

%he Lutheran Witness

The Lutheran Witness is the oIIicial periodical oI the Lutheran Church Missouri
Synod and is written Ior the laity oI the church. In decades past, contraception was
oIten singled out Ior censure in its pages.

In 1895 there were 17,000 more deaths than births |in France|. Thus this nation is
dying out, and the cause is the sins against the sixth commandment, especially
abortion and the prevention oI pregnancy. . . .It is apparent, however, that this sin
is a dreadIul evil in our country. Where are the Iamilies blessed with many
children? How does it come that the number oI births is decreasing? Here the evil
lies hidden. (The Lutheran Witness, October 7, 1899, pages 67-68)

'Be IruitIul and multiply ' was a benediction which the merciIul Creator
pronounced upon the Iirst couple and hence upon all couples, but in so many
cases to-day husbands and wives consider it a burden, iI not a positive curse to
have children; and iI they have any they maliciously design to have as Iew as
possible. But the intended prevention oI oIIspring at any time in wedlock is a
willIul Irustration and a bold violation oI a divinely ordained purpose oI marriage
and an oIIense against the moral law. (The Lutheran Witness, May 14, 1908,
page 76)

'Birth control is immoral, degrading. . . .It is a perversion oI a natural Iaculty'
(quoted by The Lutheran Witness, June 16, 1917, page 196)

'Inconceivably distressing and disgusting' are the worlds applied by Dr. Howard
Atwood Kelly oI Johns Hopkins University to the methods oI the birth-
controllers who are again seeking a repeal oI the laws which Iorbid the
dissemination oI birth-control inIormation. . . .Dr. Kelly's opinion should be
shared by every good citizen. (The Lutheran Witness, February 13, 1934, page
59)

%he Lutheran

Missouri Synod Lutherans were not alone in the Lutheran world in their
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condemnation oI contraception. Reacting to the Federal Council oI Churches
decision to allow contraception in 1931 (only the second time in Church history that
any body oI Christians made such a decision. See below.), the president oI the
United Lutheran Churches, Dr. F. H. Knubel, wrote in the April 2
nd
, 1931 edition oI
The Lutheran,

It is oI prime signiIicance that the present agitation Ior birth control occurs at a
period which is notorious Ior looseness in sexual morality. This Iact creates
suspicion as to the motives Ior the agitation, and should warn true-minded men
and women against the surrender oI themselves as tools Ior unholy purposes.

John Calvin

Lest we think that opposition to contraception was only a peculiarity oI
Lutheranism, we read this Irom the French ReIormer John Calvin (Iounder oI the
Presbyterian and ReIormed churches) as he commented on the Onan incident.

The voluntary spilling oI semen outside oI intercourse between man and woman
is a monstrous thing. Deliberately to withdraw Irom coitus in order that semen
may Iall on the ground is doubly monstrous. . . . deservedly Onan incurred upon
himselI the same kind oI punishment, inIecting the earth by his semen, in order
that Tamar might not conceive a Iuture human being as an inhabitant oI the earth.
(Calvin's Commentary on Genesis 38:8-10)

John Wesley

John Wesley (1703-1791) was proIoundly inIluenced by Luther and Calvin and
sought to reIorm the Anglican Church. This led to his Iounding oI Methodism.
Speaking, once again, on Gen 38:9-10, Wesley writes,

Those sins that dishonor the body are very displeasing to God, and the evidence
oI vile aIIections. Observe, the thing which Onan did displeased the Lordand it
is to be Ieared; thousands, especially oI single persons, by this very thing, still
displease the Lord, and destroy their own souls. (Wesley's Commentary on
Genesis)

%he Presbyterian

Protestant theologians oI various conIessions also joined the Lutherans in
opposition to birth control in the 20
th
century. Reacting to the same Federal
Council oI Churches decision to allow contraception in 1931, the editors
oI The !resbyterian wrote on April 2, 1931:

Its recent pronouncement oI birth control should be enough reason, iI there were
no other, to withdraw support Irom that body, which declares that it speaks Ior
the Presbyterian and other Protestant churches in ex cathedra statements.
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Methodist Bishop Warren Chandler

The Methodist Church also reacted unIavorably to the Federal Council oI
Churches decision. On April 13
th
, 1931 Bishop Chandler oI the Methodist
Episcopal Church South wrote,

The whole disgusting movement rests on the assumption oI man's
sameness with the brutes. . .It certainly does not represent the Methodist
Church, and I doubt iI it represents any other Protestant Church.

ther readings.
Aaron WolI (Lutheran) oI Chronicles Magazine:
http://www.chroniclesmagazine.org/Chronicles/June2003/0603WolI.html

Should Christian Couples use Birth Control?
A paper by Pr. H. R. Curtis (email: pastorcurtisgmail.com)

pen Embrace
by Sam and Bethany Tarode








A Closing Thought

From the beginning, God's Word shows IruitIulness within marriage to be a blessing
which married couples should receive with thanksgiving: Genesis 1:28, "Be IruitIul
and multiply." God speaks oI children as his blessing and reward (Ps. 127) and
states plainly in Malachi that he joins man and wiIe because he seeks oIIspring
(2:15). Blessings Irom God are to be received with thanks and the Bible could not
be clearer in saying that children are a blessing. The one example in the Bible oI
someone reIusing God's blessing oI IruitIulness (Onan in Genesis 38) certainly
paints that attitude in a negative light to say the least.

These are weighty reasons in and oI themselves but there is another: trust in your
heavenly Father. In the end, who can plan your Iamily better than God? He knows
how small or large your Iamily should be, and he will always provide. For that
reason, the call oI the historic Lutheran Church, and the uniIied call oI all Christians
prior to 1930, is this: Be open to liIe and Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding. Proverbs 3:5