Did Luther teach “soul sleep”?
Posted on September 14th, 2012
Matthew Levering, in his Jesus and the Demise of Death, writes:
Wright considers that the metaphor of sleep describes the death of the body, “while the real person—however we want to describe him or her—continues.” In this regard, Wright’s position is the largely same as that of John Calvin, who disagreed with Martin Luther’s view that those who die in Christ are “asleep” until the day of resurrection. For Calvin, “the souls of the righteous, after their warfare is ended, obtain blessed rest where in joy they wait for the fruition of promised glory.”
There’s no footnote or other reference regarding this view that Luther allegedly held. I’m no Luther scholar. Anybody know what Levering might be talking about here? It seems foreign to the Lutheran theology I’ve learned.
I recall reading about Luther’s view in “A Theology to Live By: The Practical Luther for the Practicing Christian” by Herman Preus (CPH). Preus argues that Luther didn’t hold to the view of “soul sleep” that some have attributed to him (can’t remember who!). I’m not in my study at the moment, so I can’t pull it off the shelf and check.
Interesting, thanks. I’m not familiar with that book.
Coming from a Seventh-day Adventist background into Lutheranism, I’ve definitely heard some SDAs say that Luther taught it. Not sure if there is anyone else out there saying it or no.
Fascinating. Thanks, Nate!
Julius Kostlin’s The Theology of Luther (1897)Reprint. Concordia Heritage Series, 1986 — has several references listed in its index for “Soul, sleep of the.”
Bill H.
The Preus book mentioned in the previous comment covers Luther’s view in a chapter entitled “Immortality and Resurrection.” Preus goes into some detail, including a quotation where Luther draws parallels between earthly sleep and that of the “departed soul.” Ultimately, Luther “prefers to say that this question is too ambitious and difficult for us to answer. For God did not want us to understand the mooted matter in this life. We should, therefore, be satisfied to know that souls do not leave their bodies only to be threted by the torments and punishments of hell, but that a chamber has been prepared for them in which they rest in peace.” (WATr 4, no. 4833) Preus concludes the chapter with some citations that show how Luther turned his focus away from these unknowns to the cartainty that “God intends to bring with him you and all others who have been baptized and have fallen asleep in Christ, because he has wrapped them in Christ’s death and included them in his resurrection.” (LW 51:235)
Excellent – many thanks!
From Rev. Michael S. Taylor
Pieper says
Pieper Dogmatics Vol 3 p. 512
“A soul sleep which excludes a blessed enjoyment of God [psychopannychism] must be definitely rejected on the basis of Phil. 1:23 and Luke 23:43. A sleep of the soul which includes enjoyment of God (says Luther) cannot be called a false doctrine. ”
Note on this
Luther, St. L. I:1758 ff.; II:215 ff. A complete history of this doctrine in Gerhard, loc. cit., “De morte, ” § 293 ff. Luther speaks more guardedly of the state of the soul between death and resurrection than do Gerhard and the later theologians, who transfer some things to the state between death and resurrection which can be said with certainty only of the state after the resurrection. Luther: “It is divine truth that Abraham [after death] lives with God, serves Him, and also rules with Him. But what sort of life that is, whether he be asleep or awake, that is another question. How the soul rests, we are not to know; it is certain, however, that it lives.” (II:216.)
Luther did not teach ‘soul sleep’ as is currently asserted.
He just wasn’t gushing over walking the heavenly pathways drinking ice tea.
Having responded once, I respond again.
Treasury of Daily Prayer daily devotion for October 7 had a quote from Luther about ‘sleep.’ The TDP references words of Luther from Luther’s Works AE Vol 53 pp. 325 ff. The words are from Luther’s preface to a funeral hymnal. He quotes numerous passages on ‘sleep’ from scripture with an emphasis on the disposition of the human body now dead.
He says at one point to consider the coffin as “nothing but paradise and the bosom of Christ, and the grace as nothing but a soft couch or sofa.
The emphasis Luther has is that the burial is a teaching opportunity to point to the resurrection of the body that was ‘asleep.’
Still, no teaching of soul sleep!
FWIW
Rev. Michael S. Taylor
Thanks so much for the helpful quotations!