LCMS and Birth Control

[FaithT]

Is birth control allowed in the LCMS? If so what is allowed and what isn’t?

 

[FaithT]

Anyone?

 

[JM]

Can Lutherans Use Birth Control? – Diary Of A Protestant
Laestadian Lutheran Churches do not permit the use of birth control. Neither the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS) nor the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS) have an official position on contraception.

Can Lutherans Use Birth Control - Answer Foundry

Lutheranism. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America allows for contraception in the event the potential parents do not intend to care for a child. Other Lutheran churches or synods take other positions, or do not take any position at all. The Mormon view of birth control only exists within...

www.answerfoundry.com

 

[JM]

I found a headline but you must pay to read.

https://www.stltoday.com › lifestyles › health-med-fit › lutheran-leader-sides-with-catholics-on-contraceptives-issue-in-fiery-testimony › article_d4d9cb3b-f83f-5887-99f4-8c251618adde.html

Lutheran leader sides with Catholics on contraceptives issue in fiery ...​

Lutherans generally have some differences with Catholics. That was the point of the Reformation. Lutherans believe that the Bible alone has the ability to determine doctrine, for instance, while...

 

[J_B_]

Is birth control allowed in the LCMS? If so what is allowed and what isn’t?

It's not a yes or no answer, but depends on the type of birth control. The concern of the LCMS is that some forms of birth control are essentially abortion, and the LCMS does oppose abortion. While the LCMS has no official position on birth control, studies have been done by the LCMS to provide married couples with information to help them distinguish between preventing conception and terminating sperm/egg.

https://lcmside.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/krueger-contraception.pdf

 

[FaithT]

It's not a yes or no answer, but depends on the type of birth control. The concern of the LCMS is that some forms of birth control are essentially abortion, and the LCMS does oppose abortion. While the LCMS has no official position on birth control, studies have been done by the LCMS to provide married couples with information to help them distinguish between preventing conception and terminating sperm/egg.

https://lcmside.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/krueger-contraception.pdf

So condoms are ok with the LCMS, right?

 

[J_B_]

So condoms are ok with the LCMS, right?

I would say yes. But I'm also trying to convey that you may get slightly different answers from church to church. The LCMS is probably different from what you're used to in your former church. On issues like this the church doesn't make moral proclamations, but guides you to making a prayerful, Christ-centered decision.

 

[kdm1984]

I was in LCMS from 2018-2020 and this topic came up a few times. The answers here provided are accurate; there isn't a hard-and-fast rule prohibiting all forms of contraception -- it depends on the type used, and the rationale behind it. I'll add that, if you're married, there is nonetheless an expectation that one's marriage should be fruitful to some degree, and I know at least one pastor who strongly discouraged married couples from using contraception for life.

 

[FaithT]

I would say yes. But I'm also trying to convey that you may get slightly different answers from church to church. The LCMS is probably different from what you're used to in your former church. On issues like this the church doesn't make moral proclamations, but guides you to making a prayerful, Christ-centered decision.

I’m going to the Lutheran church again.

 

[LizaMarie]

Not sure about the LCMS, I am assuming they are similar to the WELS.
Christian Life Resources addresses this issue.
My husband and I are beyond our childbearing years, but I have looked at their Website.
They are the old WELS Lutherans for life, and have changed their name.
I think what I have gleaned from reading their site is that they are OK with non- abortifacient birth control only, which would rule out
chemical forms of Birth control and the IUD.
I'm not sure if this includes the Pill.
There are some good articles on their website.

 

[LizaMarie]

I was in LCMS from 2018-2020 and this topic came up a few times. The answers here provided are accurate; there isn't a hard-and-fast rule prohibiting all forms of contraception -- it depends on the type used, and the rationale behind it. I'll add that, if you're married, there is nonetheless an expectation that one's marriage should be fruitful to some degree, and I know at least one pastor who strongly discouraged married couples from using contraception for life.

I think this is similar to what I have seen in WELS.

 

[FaithT]

Not sure about the LCMS, I am assuming they are similar to the WELS.
Christian Life Resources addresses this issue.
My husband and I are beyond our childbearing years, but I have looked at their Website.
They are the old WELS Lutherans for life, and have changed their name.
I think what I have gleaned from reading their site is that they are OK with non- abortifacient birth control only, which would rule out
chemical forms of Birth control and the IUD.
I'm not sure if this includes the Pill.
There are some good articles on their website.

Yes,I asked someone from my church this question as well, when he was studying to become a pastor (He’s a pastor now), and he told me the same thing but I wanted to know if he was right since he was and still is very young and was still in seminary At the time.
I’m past childbearing years as well, but that teaching of no birth control at all but Natural Family Planning when I was Catholic really bothered me.