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<\/div>\nI wrote very extensively about the topic over seven years ago, and much of that research made it into my book about Martin Luther. Way back in 2003 I demonstrated how many Lutheran and other non-Catholic Luther scholars affirmed that Luther believed in Mary\u2019s immaculate conception (in slightly modified form).Anyone interested in the fine (and many!) details can peruse my paper, but for my present purposes, here is a summary of what I found about what these scholars think:<\/p>\n
[T]he following is a summary of the views of scholars on the subject of what Luther believed pertaining to the Immaculate Conception, in his later years (post-1528). I have not discovered a single scholar who treats this subject who denies that the early Luther believed in the Immaculate Conception in some form. The only dispute is over whether he later rejected his earlier views. I shall list the scholars from least convinced about the later Luther to most convinced: even to the point where it is thought his view was identical to that of the Catholic dogma proclaimed ex cathedra<\/span> in 1854:<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
\n1. Hartmann Grisar (Catholic): Luther rejected the Immaculate Conception after 1528 or so.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n
\n2. Horst-Dietrich Preuss (Lutheran): Luther rejected the Immaculate Conception after 1528 or so.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n
\n3. Thomas A. O\u2019Meara (C): later rejection \u201clikely, but not certain.\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n
\n4. Hilda Graef (C): probably accepted, but in somewhat diluted form.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n
\n5. Arthur Carl Piepkorn (L): \u201clife-long\u201d accceptance \u201c(barring two lapses).\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n
\n6. Walter Tappolet (C): accepted (yes).<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n
\n7. Max Thurian (Reformed): yes.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n
\n8. William J. Cole (C): yes.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n
\n9. Eric W. Gritsch (L): yes.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n
\n10. Jaroslav Pelikan (L): yes.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n
\n11. Richard Marius (probably Protestant of some sort): yes.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n
\n12. 10 Catholic scholars on the Lutheran-Catholic Dialogue Committee (C): yes.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n
\n13. 11 Lutheran scholars on the Lutheran-Catholic Dialogue Committee (L): yes.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n
\n14. Reintraud Schimmelpfennig (C): yes, in the same sense as the infallible Catholic dogma proclaimed in 1854.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n
\n15. K. Algermissen (L): yes, in the same sense as the infallible Catholic dogma proclaimed in 1854.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n
\n16. Friedrich Heiler (L): yes, in the same sense as the infallible Catholic dogma proclaimed in 1854.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Total:<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
\nYes: 31 (16 Lutherans, 13 Catholics, 1 Reformed, 1 probably Protestant [uncertain] )<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n
\nProbably: 1 (Catholic)<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n
\nProbably not: 1 (Catholic)<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n
\nNo: 2 (1 Catholic; 1 Lutheran)<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
That makes for an 89% rate of scholars of various religious persuasions who positively affirm that the later Luther believed in the Immaculate Conception. Only one Protestant scholar is firmly against the opinion, while two Catholic scholars are against and probably against (putting to rest the charge of denominational bias and special pleading). The Lutheran scholars can be, I think, fully trusted for the interpretation of the founder of their branch of Christianity. Catholic scholars are, then, only agreeing with the consensus of Lutheran scholarship on this point. I, therefore, rest my case . . .<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Hartmann <\/span>Grisar is one of a few scholars who <\/span>believe that Luther ceased believing in Mary\u2019s immaculate conception after 1527 or 1528, of<\/span> at least of the 35 scholars I\u2019ve run across who give any opinion at all. The only others I\u2019ve found who agree with that opinion are <\/span>Horst-Dietrich Preuss<\/a> (Lutheran) and Thomas A. O\u2019Meara<\/span> (Catholic).\u00a0<\/span>
\n
\n<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\nThis was verified by <\/span>the eminent Lutheran scholar\u00a0<\/span>Eric W. Gritsch<\/a>, who studied for his doctorate under the famous Luther biographer Roland H. Bainton<\/a>, and was a major translator of Luther\u2019s Works<\/span> in English (edited by Jaroslav Pelikan), including the lengthy treatise, Against the Roman Papacy: An Institution of the Devil<\/span> (vol. 41, 263-376)<\/span>. He wrote:<\/p>\n
Luther defended Mary\u2019s perpetual virginity and regarded her Immaculate Conception as \u201ca pious and pleasing thought\u201d that should not, however, be imposed on the faithful.<\/span><\/p>\n
(in The One Mediator, the Saints, and Mary, Lutherans and Catholics in Dialogue VIII<\/span><\/a>, edited by H. George Anderson, J. Francis Stafford, Joseph A. Burgess, Minneapolis: Augsburg Fortress Press, 1992; 241)<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
In footnote 43 on page 382, he elaborated:<\/p>\n
\u2018Haec pia cogitatio et placet.\u2019 Exposition of the Ninth Chapter of Isaiah, 1543\/44. WA 40\/3:680.31-32. Two scholars doubt whether Luther affirmed the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception of Mary: Preuss (n. 11 above came to the conclusion that Luther rejected the doctrine after 1528; O\u2019Meara states that \u201cit is likely, but not certain\u201d that Luther rejected the doctrine (118 [n. 11 above]). But Tappolet (32 [n. 1 above]) demonstrated with the use of texts that Luther did not change his mind. The literary evidence from Luther\u2019s works clearly supports the view that Luther affirmed the doctrine, but did not consider it necessary to impose it.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Walter Tappolet is \u201cthe man\u201d as far as documenting Luther\u2019s Mariology. Gritsch writes about him on page 379:<\/p>\n
An exhaustive collection of Luther\u2019s statements on Mary has been offered by Walter Tappolet <\/a>and Albert Ebneter (eds.), Das Marienlob der Reformatoren<\/span><\/a> (Tubingen: Katzmann, 1962), 17-218, 357-64. <\/span>Two studies have analyzed the chronological development of Luther\u2019s views in conjunction with his basic theological views: Hans Dufel, Luthers Stellung zur Marienverehrung<\/span> ( . . . 1968) and William J. Cole, \u201cWas Luther a Devotee of Mary?\u201d Marian Studies<\/span> 21, (1970), 94-202) . . .<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
So Gritsch recommends Tappolet and notes that the latter\u2019s opinion on Luther\u2019s espousal of the Immaculate Conception was that he \u201cdid not change his mind.\u201d<\/span> He also cites the article by Cole that I have had in my library for many years, having copied it from the local Catholic seminary. Cole reaches the same conclusion as Tappolet:<\/p>\n
It is noteworthy that Luther himself with considerable consistency down to the time of his death in 1546 accepted the Immaculate Conception of Mary.<\/span><\/p>\n
. . . Luther\u2019s final attitude can probably best be described by saying that he believed the truth of the Immaculate Conception himself, but did not find it formally and expressly taught in Scriptures.<\/p>\n
(pp. 121, 123)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
That\u2019s only the tip of the iceberg of the many scholars\u2019 views that I detailed seven years ago.<\/p>\n
Addendum:<\/b> shortly after I compiled this paper, I became persuaded that Luther did<\/i> change his later view, to a position which I describe as \u201cimmaculate purification.\u201d Briefly, the later Luther (sometime after 1527) thought that Mary was purified at the time of the birth or conception of Jesus<\/i>, rather than at her own<\/i> conception.<\/p>\n
***<\/p>\n
Meta Description:\u00a0Many Lutheran scholars believed that Martin Luther accepted some form of the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception of Mary.<\/p>\n
Meta Keywords:\u00a0Blessed Virgin Mary, Catholic Mariology, Immaculate Conception, Immaculate purification, Luther and Mary, Luther\u2019s Mariology, Lutheran Mariology, Marian doctrines, Mariology, Mary mother of Jesus, Mother of God, Theotokos, Virgin Mary<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Immaculate Conception (c. 1667), by\u00a0Juan Antonio de Fr\u00edas y Escalante (1633-1670) [public domain \/ Wikimedia Commons] ** (9-30-10) *** I wrote very extensively about the topic over seven years ago, and much of that research made it into my book about Martin Luther. Way back in 2003 I demonstrated how many Lutheran and other non-Catholic […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2331,"featured_media":7858,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[45,23],"tags":[2357,508,46,683,684,682,675,677,2356,680,507,681,504],"class_list":["post-540","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blessed-virgin-mary","category-martin-luther","tag-blessed-virgin-mary","tag-catholic-mariology","tag-immaculate-conception","tag-immaculate-purification","tag-luther-and-mary","tag-luthers-mariology","tag-lutheran-mariology","tag-marian-doctrines","tag-mariology","tag-mary-mother-of-jesus","tag-mother-of-god","tag-theotokos","tag-virgin-mary"],"yoast_head":"\n
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Formerly a campus missionary, as a Protestant, Dave was received into the Catholic Church in February 1991, by the late, well-known catechist and theologian, Fr. John A. Hardon, S. J. Dave\u2019s articles have appeared in many influential Catholic periodicals, including \\\"This Rock\\\" (now called \\\"Catholic Answers Magazine\\\"), \\\"Envoy Magazine\\\" (Patrick Madrid), \\\"The Catholic Answer,\\\" \\\"The Coming Home Journal,\\\" \\\"Gilbert Magazine\\\" (American Chesterton Society), and \\\"The Latin Mass.\\\" He also writes a featured column for every issue of \\\"The Michigan Catholic\\\": published by the archdiocese of Detroit, and was editor for most of the apologetics tracts published by the St. Paul Street Evangelization apostolate. Dave\u2019s apologetics and writing apostolate was the subject of a feature article in the May 2002 issue of \\\"Envoy Magazine.\\\" He served as the staff moderator at the Internet discussion forum for The Coming Home Network, from 2007-2010. Dave has been interviewed on many nationally syndicated Catholic radio shows, including \\\"Catholic Answers Live\\\" (twice), \\\"Faith and Family Live\\\" (Steve Wood), \\\"Kresta in the Afternoon,\\\" \\\"Son Rise Morning Show,\\\" \\\"Catholic Connection\\\" (Teresa Tomeo), and \\\"The Catholics Next Door.\\\" His large and popular website, \\\"Biblical Evidence for Catholicism,\\\" was online from March 1997 to March 2007, and received the 1998 Catholic Website of the Year award from \\\"Envoy Magazine.\\\" His blog of the same name (now transferred to Patheos), begun in February 2004, contains more than 1,500 papers, at least 500 debates or dialogues, and over 50 distinct \\\"index\\\" web pages. Unsolicited correspondence has indicated many hundreds of conversions (or returns) to the Catholic faith as a result, by God's grace, of these writings. Dave's conversion story was published in the bestselling book \\\"Surprised by Truth\\\" (edited by Patrick Madrid; San Diego: Basilica Press, 1994). Sophia Institute Press has published six of his books: \\\"A Biblical Defense of Catholicism\\\" (Foreword by Fr. John A. Hardon, S. J., 1996 \/ 2003), \\\"The Catholic Verses\\\" (2004), \\\"The One-Minute Apologist\\\" (2007), \\\"Bible Proofs for Catholic Truths\\\" (2009), \\\"The Quotable Newman\\\" (editor: 2012), and \\\"Proving the Catholic Faith is Biblical\\\" (2015). He is co-author (with Dr. Paul Thigpen) of the inserts for \\\"The New Catholic Answer Bible\\\" (Our Sunday Visitor: 2005), and editor for \\\"The Wisdom of Mr. Chesterton: The Very Best Quotes, Quips, and Cracks from the Pen of G. K. Chesterton\\\" (Saint Benedict Press \/ TAN Books: 2009). \\\"100 Biblical Arguments Against Sola Scriptura\\\" was published by Catholic Answers in May 2012. His \\\"Quotable Wesley\\\" compilation was published by (Protestant \/ Wesleyan publisher) Beacon Hill Press in April 2014. Several of his 49 books are bestsellers in their field. Dave maintains a popular personal Facebook page, a Facebook author page, and has a Twitter account as well. He offers almost all of his books in e-book form on his own Biblical Catholicism site (http:\/\/biblicalcatholicism.com\/), at a permanent deep discount: only $2.99 for ePub, mobi, and AZW, and $1.99 for PDF. His writing has been enthusiastically endorsed or recommended by many leading Catholic apologists, authors, and priests, including Dr. Scott Hahn, Fr. Peter M. J. Stravinskas, Marcus Grodi, Patrick Madrid, Steve Ray, Tim Staples, Devin Rose, Mike Aquilina, Al Kresta, Karl Keating, Fr. Dwight Longenecker, Brandon Vogt, Marcellino D'Ambrosio, and Fr. John A. Hardon, S. J. Dave has been happily married to his wife Judy since October 1984. 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Formerly a campus missionary, as a Protestant, Dave was received into the Catholic Church in February 1991, by the late, well-known catechist and theologian, Fr. John A. Hardon, S. J. Dave\u2019s articles have appeared in many influential Catholic periodicals, including \"This Rock\" (now called \"Catholic Answers Magazine\"), \"Envoy Magazine\" (Patrick Madrid), \"The Catholic Answer,\" \"The Coming Home Journal,\" \"Gilbert Magazine\" (American Chesterton Society), and \"The Latin Mass.\" He also writes a featured column for every issue of \"The Michigan Catholic\": published by the archdiocese of Detroit, and was editor for most of the apologetics tracts published by the St. Paul Street Evangelization apostolate. Dave\u2019s apologetics and writing apostolate was the subject of a feature article in the May 2002 issue of \"Envoy Magazine.\" He served as the staff moderator at the Internet discussion forum for The Coming Home Network, from 2007-2010. Dave has been interviewed on many nationally syndicated Catholic radio shows, including \"Catholic Answers Live\" (twice), \"Faith and Family Live\" (Steve Wood), \"Kresta in the Afternoon,\" \"Son Rise Morning Show,\" \"Catholic Connection\" (Teresa Tomeo), and \"The Catholics Next Door.\" His large and popular website, \"Biblical Evidence for Catholicism,\" was online from March 1997 to March 2007, and received the 1998 Catholic Website of the Year award from \"Envoy Magazine.\" His blog of the same name (now transferred to Patheos), begun in February 2004, contains more than 1,500 papers, at least 500 debates or dialogues, and over 50 distinct \"index\" web pages. Unsolicited correspondence has indicated many hundreds of conversions (or returns) to the Catholic faith as a result, by God's grace, of these writings. Dave's conversion story was published in the bestselling book \"Surprised by Truth\" (edited by Patrick Madrid; San Diego: Basilica Press, 1994). Sophia Institute Press has published six of his books: \"A Biblical Defense of Catholicism\" (Foreword by Fr. John A. Hardon, S. J., 1996 \/ 2003), \"The Catholic Verses\" (2004), \"The One-Minute Apologist\" (2007), \"Bible Proofs for Catholic Truths\" (2009), \"The Quotable Newman\" (editor: 2012), and \"Proving the Catholic Faith is Biblical\" (2015). He is co-author (with Dr. Paul Thigpen) of the inserts for \"The New Catholic Answer Bible\" (Our Sunday Visitor: 2005), and editor for \"The Wisdom of Mr. Chesterton: The Very Best Quotes, Quips, and Cracks from the Pen of G. K. Chesterton\" (Saint Benedict Press \/ TAN Books: 2009). \"100 Biblical Arguments Against Sola Scriptura\" was published by Catholic Answers in May 2012. His \"Quotable Wesley\" compilation was published by (Protestant \/ Wesleyan publisher) Beacon Hill Press in April 2014. Several of his 49 books are bestsellers in their field. Dave maintains a popular personal Facebook page, a Facebook author page, and has a Twitter account as well. He offers almost all of his books in e-book form on his own Biblical Catholicism site (http:\/\/biblicalcatholicism.com\/), at a permanent deep discount: only $2.99 for ePub, mobi, and AZW, and $1.99 for PDF. His writing has been enthusiastically endorsed or recommended by many leading Catholic apologists, authors, and priests, including Dr. Scott Hahn, Fr. Peter M. J. Stravinskas, Marcus Grodi, Patrick Madrid, Steve Ray, Tim Staples, Devin Rose, Mike Aquilina, Al Kresta, Karl Keating, Fr. Dwight Longenecker, Brandon Vogt, Marcellino D'Ambrosio, and Fr. John A. Hardon, S. J. Dave has been happily married to his wife Judy since October 1984. They have three sons and a daughter, and reside in southeast Michigan (metro Detroit).","sameAs":["https:\/\/biblicalcatholicism.com\/","https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/dave.armstrong.798","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@LuxVeritatisApologetics"],"url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/author\/davearmstrong"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/540","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2331"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=540"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/540\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7858"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=540"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=540"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=540"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}