Contraception in Protestantism
Lest anyone think that the previous posts have been particularly directed towards Roman Catholics, let me add that almost all Protestants until the 20th century thought contraception was wrong. The first occasion I can find of Protestants taking a different view is the Lambeth Conference of the Anglican Communion in 1930. In 1980 the Lambeth Conference was, apparently, still condemning contraception.
Charles D. Provan has written a whole book, The Bible and Birth Control, on this topic. Here are some choice extracts:
Martin Luther once proclaimed that "the purpose of marriage is not pleasure and ease but the procreation and education of children and the support of a family.... People who do not like children are swine, dunces, and blockheads, not worthy to be called men and women, because they despise the blessing of God, the Creator and Author of marriage" (Christian History, Issue 39, p. 24). Luther also said that birth control was the equivalent of sodomy (probably because of the likeness between homosexual wickedness and impotent sex). John Calvin declared that birth control was the murder of future persons and the Synod of Dort issued a Bible commentary which stated that contraception was the same as abortion.
Of course, I don't endorse the sentiments expressed above, but they make interesting reading. If you have any comments or know of earlier Protestant support for contraception please post below.
Charles D. Provan has written a whole book, The Bible and Birth Control, on this topic. Here are some choice extracts:
Martin Luther once proclaimed that "the purpose of marriage is not pleasure and ease but the procreation and education of children and the support of a family.... People who do not like children are swine, dunces, and blockheads, not worthy to be called men and women, because they despise the blessing of God, the Creator and Author of marriage" (Christian History, Issue 39, p. 24). Luther also said that birth control was the equivalent of sodomy (probably because of the likeness between homosexual wickedness and impotent sex). John Calvin declared that birth control was the murder of future persons and the Synod of Dort issued a Bible commentary which stated that contraception was the same as abortion.
Of course, I don't endorse the sentiments expressed above, but they make interesting reading. If you have any comments or know of earlier Protestant support for contraception please post below.
posted by Daniel Hill | 5/28/2006 08:39:00 am
2 Comments:
Daniel, part of this old protestant belief was based on the erroneous scientific belief that the semen contained actual human beings in embryo, i.e. contraception would have been akin to abortion in their understanding.
I used to oppose contraception, but I have since come to a different understanding based on Scripture.
See this useful article.
Thanks very much for this, Tim. Daniel
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