to james 15:Luther indeed was quite devoted to Our Lady, and retained most of the traditional Marian doctrines which were held then and now by the Catholic Church. This is often not well-documented in Protestant biographies of Luther and histories of the 16th century, yet it is undeniably true. It seems to be a natural human tendency for latter-day followers to project back onto the founder of a movement their own prevailing viewpoints. Since Lutheranism today does not possess a very robust Mariology, it is usually assumed that Luther himself had similar opinions. We shall see, upon consulting the primary sources (i.e., Lutherâs own writings), that the historical facts are very different. We shall consider, in turn, Lutherâs position on the various aspects of Marian doctrine.
Along with virtually all important Protestant Founders (e.g., Calvin, Zwingli, Cranmer), Luther accepted the traditional belief in the perpetual virginity of Mary (Jesus had no blood brothers), and her status as the
Theotokos (
Mother of God):
Christ . . . was the only Son of Mary, and the Virgin Mary bore no children besides Him . . . âbrothersâ really means âcousinsâ here, for Holy Writ and the Jews always call cousins brothers.
(
Sermons on John, chapters 1-4, 1537-39)
He, Christ, our Savior, was the real and natural fruit of Maryâs virginal womb . . . This was without the cooperation of a man, and she remained a virgin after that.
(
Ibid.)
God says . . . : âMaryâs Son is My only Son.â Thus Mary is the Mother of God.
(
Ibid.)
God did not derive his divinity from Mary; but it does not follow that it is therefore wrong to say that God was born of Mary, that God is Maryâs Son, and that Mary is Godâs mother . . . She is the true mother of God and bearer of God . . . Mary suckled God, rocked God to sleep, prepared broth and soup for God, etc. For God and man are one person, one Christ, one Son, one Jesus, not two Christs . . . just as your son is not two sons . . . even though he has two natures, body and soul, the body from you, the soul from God alone.
(
On the Councils and the Church, 1539)
Probably the most astonishing Marian belief of Luther is his acceptance of Maryâs Immaculate Conception, which wasnât even definitively proclaimed as dogma by the Catholic Church until 1854. Concerning this question there is some dispute, over the technical aspects of medieval theories of conception and the soul, and whether or not Luther later changed his mind. Even some eminent Lutheran scholars, however, such as Arthur Carl Piepkorn (1907-73) of Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, maintain his unswerving acceptance of the doctrine. Lutherâs words follow:
It is a sweet and pious belief that the infusion of Maryâs soul was effected without original sin; so that in the very infusion of her soul she was also purified from original sin and adorned with Godâs gifts, receiving a pure soul infused by God; thus from the first moment she began to live she was free from all sin.
(Sermon: âOn the Day of the Conception of the Mother of God,â December ?] 1527; from Hartmann Grisar, S.J., *Luther, *authorised translation from i hope this help you clarify your doubts about mary. remember this is luther, the main piece on the reformationâŚ