“The Virgin Mary remains in the middle between Christ and humankind. For in the very moment he was conceived and lived, he was full of grace. All other human beings are without grace, both in the first and second conception. But the Virgin Mary, though without grace in the first conception, was full of grace in the second ... whereas other human beings are conceived in sin, in soul as well as in body, and Christ was conceived without sin in soul as well as in body, the Virgin Mary was conceived in body without grace but in soul full of grace.”
~ Martin Luther
(in The One Mediator, the Saints, and Mary, Lutherans and Catholics in Dialogue VIII, edited by H. George Anderson, J. Francis Stafford, Joseph A. Burgess, Minneapolis: Augsburg Fortress Press, 1992, p. 238. He gives further references in his footnote 22 on page 381: “Sermon on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception (December 8?) 1527. Festival Postil (Festpostille). WA 17/2:288.17-34.”)
What is it that Roman Catholics expect with they quote protestants in this fashion? Do they expect us to genuflect and kiss Luther's ring? We are protestants. We believe in sola Scriptura . We know that all men put their pants on one legs at a time. We know that men and councils can and do err.**
If we don't believe in the infallibility of your pope, we certainly do not believe it for the likes of a Luther. Do you think we are so stupid that we'll give up our principles for one erroneous statement?
** 3. All synods or councils, since the Apostles' times, whether general or particular, may err; and many have erred. Therefore they are not to be made the rule of faith, or practice; but to be used as a help in both. (Westminster Confession of Faith)
That statement is soooo wrong....The truth is Christ stands between God and humanity. Mary has no place in the Godhead whatsoever...regardless who states so of whatever faith they hold to.
"From the fullness of HIS GRACE we have all received one blessing after another......Grace and Truth came through Christ" John 1:16
You do realize that Luther was saying Mary was born subject to original sin and therefore was a sinner, don't you?
I'm always amazed by the Jekyll and Hyde reaction ol' Martin provokes amongst Roman Catholics in general, anyway. One day, it's spitting nails and calling him every name in the book, and the next he's nearing sainthood.
Maybe an official Vatican interpretation of Martin Luther would calm things down a bit, make the reaction a little less like an out of control pendulum swinging wildly back and forth.