Dreams in Contemporary Protestantism

Dreams, spiritual visions and revelations in the Lutheran tradition: from Luther and Böhme to modern Protestants.

The Orthodox tradition, recognizing in principle the possibility of divine revelations through dreams (this is stated in the lives of the saints), in ascetic practice treats them with deep “sobriety”, as a potentially dangerous area of delusion.

The Lutheran tradition, however, shows a more multilayered and sometimes contradictory attitude to these phenomena. Yes, for it, sola Scriptura remains an unshakable foundation — the Word of God as the only source of revelation. But already in the earliest Lutheran spirituality, from Luther to Jacob Böhme, there is a glimmer of interest in inner experience, with one indispensable condition: it must be strictly subordinated to Scripture.

Martin Luther: The Word as the Measure of All Visions

Luther resolutely rejected any claims to revelations that would challenge or surpass the authority of Scripture. In the era of the Reformation, when “prophets” were emerging everywhere, from the Zwickau prophets to the Münster Anabaptists, he persistently reminded people that faith is not based on voices, dreams, or visions, but on the Gospel, the message of justification by faith in Christ.

However, Luther did not deny that God could speak through dreams, but only as an exception, to strengthen faith, rather than to introduce new teachings. Luther himself recalled his youthful dreams as spiritual warnings, but he always emphasized that such experiences should not become the basis of faith. The main criterion of authenticity is conformity to Christ and His Cross.

Of particular interest is Luther’s use of the image of “sleep of the soul” (Seelenschlaf). In his sermons and commentaries, Luther sometimes described death as “sleep” to contrast it with the Catholic doctrine of purgatory and to comfort the faithful. He based himself on “many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, others to everlasting reproach and dishonour.”

Daniel 12:2, etc. similar passages. However, he never developed a systematic doctrine from this, nor did he regard it as a dogma. Later Lutheran theology preferred to speak of the soul’s immediate abode with Christ (cf. Phil. 1:23). Thus, Luther’s “sleep of the soul” is a pastoral metaphor rather than a doctrine.

Jacob Boehme: Mysticism, Dreams, and the “Birth of God in the Soul”

Jacob Boehme (1575-1624), a shoemaker from Görlitz, was much more open to inner experience. His mystical writings had a profound impact not only on Protestant spirituality but also on European philosophy as a whole. Although he was a Lutheran by faith (although his views were suspicious to the church authorities), Böhme did not reject the Scriptures, but he argued that true knowledge of God comes through the “birth of God in the soul” — through an inner, direct experience of the divine.

For Böhme, sleep is not just a rest for the mind, but a special state in which the soul, freed from the noise of external senses, immerses itself in its own inner world. This world is a kind of “matrix of the soul,” a place where both the “heavenly” and “hellish” natures are present in every individual. In dreams, this hidden reality comes to the surface in the form of images and symbols, reflecting the true spiritual struggle between divine light and the dark, wrathful force that Böhme referred to as “God’s wrath,” not as a punishment but as the inherent tension of created existence. Moreover, in this state, the soul can approach the very foundation of all existence — the Ungrund, the “abyss” or “Primal Nature,” which precedes even God as the Creator and from which all the forces of existence, both light and dark, emanate. This is why dreams for Böhme are not fantasies, but genuine encounters with a reality that is deeper than the everyday world.

In his first work, Aurora, he describes a mystical revelation that he experienced in a state of contemplation, where “all creation appeared before him in divine light.” Although it was not a dream, Böhme believed that dreams could also be a “shadow of the spiritual world,” as long as they were properly understood. He distinguished between divine dreams (which brought comfort or revelation), natural dreams (which reflected passions, fears, or memories), and diabolical dreams (which were tempting and led to fear or pride). All of these dreams spoke the language of symbols, which he believed was the language of nature that Adam had access to before his fall. However, it was crucial not to accept them blindly. As he repeatedly reminded us, “Test the spirits.” If a dream leads to humility, love, and peace in Christ, it is from God. If it causes confusion, pride, or carnal desires, its source is different.

Thus, even in the mystical tradition that grew out of Lutheran soil, Christ remains the measure of the authenticity of any revelation.

Dreams in Contemporary Protestantism: From Skepticism to Charismatic Revival

While Luther and his orthodox followers were cautious, and Böhme was selectively open, modern Protestantism has a highly differentiated attitude towards dreams and visions.

Calvin and his followers believed that with the completion of the canon of Scripture, there was no longer a need for new revelations. The Enlightenment era further reinforced this skepticism by reducing dreams to psychophysiological phenomena. However, since the 19th century, particularly within the Pentecostal and Charismatic movements, attitudes have undergone a significant shift.

For Pentecostals and Charismatics, dreams and visions are not uncommon, but rather a normal form of guidance from the Holy Spirit. They refer to the prophecy of Joel (2:28), which states, “Your elders will dream dreams, and your young men will see visions,” which they believe was fulfilled on the day of Pentecost and continues to be active today. This is especially evident in the missionary context: numerous testimonies from Muslim countries describe people who are converted to Christ after seeing Him in a dream, often in the form of a “Shining Man” who tells them, “I am the Jesus you are persecuting.”

Some charismatic theologians, such as Rick Joyner and others, distinguish between personal revelations (for comfort, guidance, and leadership) and public prophecy (for the Church). The former do not add anything to Scripture and are not binding on others, but they can be genuine if they are in line with the Gospel. Even in a charismatic environment, the principle of testing applies: “Test the spirits” (1 John 4:1). Genuine revelation leads to humility, love, and obedience, rather than pride or division.

Criteria for Authenticity: Unchanging Guidelines

Despite historical and denominational differences, the Protestant tradition, from Luther to the present day, maintains three key criteria for evaluating spiritual dreams and visions:

Consistency with Scripture — no experience can contradict Scripture.

Fruit in life — genuine revelation produces humility, love, and service, rather than spiritual pride.

Church validation — the experience must be open to discussion within the community of believers.

The Lutheran tradition, particularly in the person of Luther and Böhme, demonstrates a delicate balance between respect for the Word and openness to inner experience, provided that the latter is always subordinate to the former. Modern charismatics and Pentecostals have taken this theme further, arguing that God continues to speak through dreams and visions, especially in the context of spiritual quest and persecution.

But in all cases, whether it be Luther, Böhme, or a missionary in Indonesia, Christ remains the ultimate measure. It is not the uniqueness of the experience that determines its authenticity, but rather its fidelity to the Cross. This is the essence of genuine Christian spirituality.