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On December 3rd, X user The Layman Apologist posted a poll asking if contraceptives are sinful.
Contrceptives are sinful:
— The Layman Apologist (@apologistlayman) December 3, 2024
The poll results were as follows:
Protestant: Yes – 385 votes
Protestant: No – 299 votes
RC/EO: Yes – 136 votes
RC/EO: No – 20 votes
To determine the percentage of Protestants who said “no” to contraception being sinful, I used the formula (299 / 684) * 100 ≈ 43.7%. This means that approximately 43.7% of the Protestants polled believe that contraception is not sinful.
For Roman Catholics and Eastern Orthodox Christians, the stance on contraception is clear; it generally contradicts their teachings. However, for Protestants, the answer is less clear-cut, and this left me puzzled. Given that this topic is not one I am generally interested in, I assumed the views were commonly understood. Yet, the divide in the poll results suggests otherwise.
This leads us to this article, which I am writing to help us explore the Protestant view on contraception. To do so, I will examine both scriptural texts and the teachings of the Reformers, aiming to clarify what the historical Protestant position might be. That said, let’s start with scripture.
Biblical View of Contraception
When exploring the Biblical view on contraception, we need to acknowledge that the Bible does not directly address modern contraceptive methods. However, various passages can be interpreted to discuss related themes such as reproduction, sexuality, and God’s will, all of which influence our views on contraception.
All that said let’s get into this. Scripture often emphasizes the importance of procreation. One of the first commands given to humanity in Genesis 1:28 is to “be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth.” This command has been interpreted as a divine mandate for humans to reproduce, which could suggest that limiting reproduction through contraception could be seen as contrary to God’s command. However, this command was given in a context where humanity was not numerous, and interpretations have evolved as the population has grown.
Psalm 127:3-5 speaks of children as a heritage from the Lord, describing them as arrows in the hands of a warrior, blessed are those with many. This imagery of children as blessings implies a celebration of fertility and even large families, this again potentially argues against any practice that might limit this blessing, like contraception.
For the most famous argument against contraception, we have the story of Onan in Genesis 38:9-10. This passage has been historically interpreted as a condemnation of contraception. Onan’s act of spilling his seed on the ground to avoid fulfilling his duty to produce offspring for his deceased brother has historically been viewed as a form of contraception or birth control. The text states that this act displeased the Lord, and Onan was struck down for it. That said this passage has been used to argue against contraception, though interpretations vary. Some would say it was more about Onan’s duty under levirate marriage rather than contraception itself.
In the New Testament, 1 Corinthians 7:5 advises couples not to deprive each other of sexual relations except perhaps by mutual consent for a time, so they may devote themselves to prayer, and then come together again. This passage, while not directly about contraception, underscores the unity and continuity of marital relations, which some might interpret against using contraception to separate the unitive and procreative aspects of sex.
Matthew 19:12 discusses eunuchs (castrated men), including those who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven. While this passage doesn’t directly relate to contraception, it has been used in discussions about voluntary celibacy or control over one’s reproductive choices, though this is a broader interpretation not strictly about contraception.
The absence of explicit commands against contraception in scripture has led to a wide range of interpretations. Some theologians argue that the lack of direct prohibition implies a degree of freedom for individuals within marriage to decide on reproduction. Others might draw from the general ethos of scripture, where children are seen as blessings and life is to be upheld as sacred, inferring that contraception might go against said ethos.
Moreover, the principle of responsible stewardship—how humans manage God’s creation—enters into modern discussions. Proponents of contraception might argue that it’s a form of stewardship, ensuring that children are born into environments where they can be well cared for, aligning with the broader biblical theme of loving and caring for others, as seen in passages like Matthew 22:37-39.
All this to say the Bible does not provide a straightforward ‘yes’ or ‘no’ on contraception, interpretations of its texts have led to diverse views within Christianity, as can be seen in the aforementioned poll. Some see contraception as against biblical commands to multiply or as an affront to the natural order of procreation. Others interpret the Bible’s teachings on love, responsibility, and stewardship to support family planning that considers the well-being of potential children and the family unit.
But we’re not here just to explore random interpretations of scripture. We’re here to find the Protestant view of contraception, well… at least the Historical view.
Protestant Views on Contraception
The historical Protestant views on contraception were shaped by the teachings of key figures during the Reformation, who admittedly often mirrored the traditional Christian stance on marriage and procreation. Historically, there was a strong consensus among Protestant Reformers that contraception was against the natural order and divine command to be fruitful and multiply.
Martin Luther, one of the pivotal figures of the Reformation, had a traditional view of marriage where procreation was seen as its primary purpose. In his “Commentary on Genesis,” Luther emphasized that the intent of marriage was not pleasure but the generation of children. This view aligns with the broader Reformation sentiment that sex should lead to procreation, thus implicitly condemning contraception.
John Calvin, another cornerstone of Protestant theology, in his extensive biblical commentaries, particularly addressed Genesis 38:9-10, where Onan’s act of contraception was met with divine punishment. Calvin interpreted this narrative not merely as a condemnation of Onan’s refusal to fulfill his levirate duty but also as an example of the sinfulness in preventing conception. This interpretation suggests Calvin’s disapproval of contraception, viewing it as an unnatural act against God’s will.
Philipp Melanchthon, a close colleague of Martin Luther, shared similar views on marriage and procreation. His theological writings imply a stance against contraception, aligning with the broader Reformation’s traditional values on marriage.
John Knox, the leader of the Scottish Reformation, was known for his strict moral codes, which included views on family and marriage that would likely extend to a condemnation of contraception. His focus on moral purity and adherence to biblical commands would have likely seen contraception as an interference with God’s natural order.
Theodore Beza, who succeeded Calvin in Geneva, continued the tradition of seeing marriage primarily through the lens of procreation. While less is written specifically about contraception, Beza’s views on moral living and scriptural adherence would naturally align in opposition to contraception, viewing it as a moral issue.
Heinrich Bullinger, another Swiss Reformer, although not focusing extensively on contraception, his theological work emphasized the importance of marriage for procreation, aligning with the broader anti-contraceptive sentiment.
Peter Martyr Vermigli, an influential Italian-born Reformer who taught in various parts of Europe, also contributed to the Protestant theological discourse with his emphasis on the natural law, which would have included an implicit condemnation of contraception.
From these historical views, we see that the early Protestant stance on contraception was largely negative, rooted in scriptural interpretations that emphasized procreation as a fundamental aspect of marriage. However, as time progressed, Protestantism has seemingly become more diverse, with different denominations and theological strands beginning to diverge in their interpretations and applications of these teachings. This shift allows for a more nuanced approach to contraception. That said, I plan on discussing that shift in a future article, shedding light as to why Protestantism has seemingly split on this issue.
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Footnotes/Refrences
Luther, M. (1955). Luther’s Works, Vol. 4, Lectures on Genesis, ed. Jaroslav Pelikan, Concordia Publishing House.
Calvin, J. (1855). Commentaries on the Four Last Books of Moses, trans. Charles William Bingham, Calvin Translation Society.
Beza, T. (1582). A Brief Declaration of the Chief Points of Christian Religion, translated by Robert Waldegrave.
Bullinger, H. (1553). The Decades of Henry Bullinger, ed. Thomas Harding, Parker Society, Cambridge University Press, 1841-52.
Vermigli, P. M. (1996). Loci Communes, ed. by Robert Letham, Sixteenth Century Essays and Studies, Vol. 48, Sixteenth Century Journal Publishers.
Knox, J. (1846). Works of John Knox, ed. David Laing, Volume 6, The Banner of Truth Trust.
Melanchthon, P. (1840). Loci Communes, ed. Carl Brettschneider, Corpus Reformatorum, Vol. 21.
The Layman Apologist @apologistlayman (2024). Poll results on contraception, X post, accessed December 3, 2024. [https://x.com/apologistlayman/status/1864042106995589405]
OrthodoxWiki (n.d.). Birth Control and Contraception. Retrieved from [https://orthodoxwiki.org/Birth_Control_and_Contraception]
Catholic Answers (n.d.). Birth Control. Catholic Answers Tract. Retrieved from [https://www.catholic.com/tract/birth-control]
