Three Things Martin Luther said about the name “Lutheran”

There is a long debate about the name “Lutheran”. Is it good? Helpful? Shouldn’t we just call ourselves Christian? What did Martin Luther think about Christians being called by his name?

Here are three places where Martin Luther discusses what this means.

You will notice there is a more nuanced conversation about what it means to be called Lutheran.

Admonition Against Insurrection (1522) 

In the first place, I ask that men make no reference to my name; let them call themselves Christians, not Lutherans. What is Luther? After all, the teaching is not mine [John 7:16]. Neither was I crucified for anyone [1 Cor. 1:13]. St. Paul, in 1 Corinthians 3,  would not allow the Christians to call themselves Pauline or Petrine, but Christian. How then should I—poor stinking maggot-fodder that I am—come to have men call the children of Christ by my wretched name? Not so, my dear friends; let us abolish all party names and call ourselves Christians, after him whose teaching we hold. The papists deservedly have a party name, because they are not content with the teaching and name of Christ, but want to be papist as well. Let them be papist then, since the pope is their master. I neither am nor want to be anyone’s master. I hold, together with the universal church, the one universal teaching of Christ, who is our only master [Matt. 23:8]. (LW 45:70-71)

On Receiving Both Kinds in the Sacrament (1522)

Finally, I see that I must add a good word of admonition to those whom Satan has now begun to persecute. For there are some among them who think that when they are attacked they can escape the danger by saying: I do not hold with Luther or with anyone else, but only with the holy gospel and the holy church, or with the Roman church. For saying so they think they will be left in peace. Yet in their hearts they regard my teaching as the teaching of the gospel and stand by it. In reality this kind of statement does not help them, and it is in effect a denial of Christ. Therefore, I beg such people to be very careful.

True, by any consideration of body or soul you should never say: I am Lutheran, or Papist. For neither of them died for you, or is your master. Christ alone died for you, he alone is your master, and you should confess yourself a Christian. But if you are convinced that Luther’s teaching is in accord with the gospel and that the pope’s is not, then you should not discard Luther so completely, lest with him you discard also his teaching, which you nevertheless recognize as Christ’s teaching. You should rather say: Whether Luther is a rascal or a saint I do not care; his teaching is not his, but Christ’s. 

For you will observe that the tyrants are not out merely to destroy Luther, but to wipe out the teaching. It is on account of the teaching that they attack you and ask you whether you are Lutheran. Here you must be sure not to speak with slippery or evasive words but frankly to confess Christ, no matter who did the preaching—Luther, or Tom, Dick, or Harry. 

The person you can forget; but the teaching you must confess. Paul also writes thus to Timothy in 2 Tim. 1[:8]: “Do not be ashamed then of testifying to our Lord, nor of me, a prisoner for his sake.” If it had been enough here for Timothy to confess the gospel, Paul would not have commanded him not to be ashamed also of Paul—not of Paul as a person but of Paul as a prisoner for the sake of the gospel. Now if Timothy had said, I do not hold with Paul or with Peter, but with Christ, when he knew that Peter and Paul were teaching Christ, then he would actually thereby have denied Christ himself. For Christ says in Matt. 10 concerning those who preach him: “He who receives you receives me, and he who rejects you rejects me.” Why this? Because holding thus with his messengers, those who bring his word, is the same as holding with Christ himself and with his word. (LW 36:266) 

A Christian Letter of Consolation to the People of Miltenberg (1524)

You see, dear gentlemen and friends, I have made bold to write you this letter of consolation though others might have been more competent to do this and have had better reason for doing so. But since my name has been drawn into this and since you are being persecuted as Lutherans, it seemed appropriate that I espouse your cause as my own.

Although I dislike very much that doctrine and people have to suffer to be called Lutheran and thus see God’s word profaned with my name, still they will have to let Luther, as well as Lutheran doctrine and people, alone and [let them] be held in esteem. On the other hand, they and their doctrine will perish and come to shame, even to the dismay of all the world and the vexation of all devils. If we live, they will have no peace from us; and if we die, they will have still less peace. In brief, they will not got rid of us, unless they yield and make common cause with us. Their wrath and fury will not help them. We know whose word it is that we are preaching. They will not deprive us all of it. That is my prophecy, which will not fail [to come true]. May God have pity on them.

I commend you, dear friends, to the grace and compassion of God. Pray God for me, a poor sinner. May your pastors, who preach Christ and not the pope and the Mainz temple crowd, be commended to you. God’s grace be with you. Amen. (LW 43:112)