The ELCA, as a community of moral deliberation, is guided in its teaching and policies by a body of documents called social teachings. These social teachings include social statements, social messages, and social policy resolutions on important issues of moral concern to the church. Social teachings guide the church’s public messages, financial investments, advocacy, and ministry.

In 1990, the ELCA Church Council adopted a social message on “Homelessness: A Renewal of Commitment.” Since 1990, much has changed in our understanding of homelessness and the experiences of people who are unhoused. Also, new ministries in the ELCA with and among people who are unhoused have contributed to the church’s knowledge of homelessness and growing understanding of the church’s responsibilities. In addition, changes in civil law and the economy present new challenges for housing in the United States.

Because of these changes, the ELCA Church Council authorized a reconsideration of two sections of the social message on “Homelessness.” Reconsideration is a formal process that allows the church to revisit a social teaching and to propose possible revisions to the text.

This process involves an extensive period of public comment by ELCA members on a draft of the social message. The feedback gathered in a public comment period helps guide the church in revising the draft social message. Given your ministry, your feedback is vital to this process of discernment by the church.

The reconsidered draft of “Homelessness; A Renewal of Commitment” is now available online at ELCA.org/homelessness for public comment and feedback until November 30, 2026. On the webpage, you can also find:

  • The original 1990 social message.
  • A marked version of the draft social message that shows the draft revisions in context of the original text.
  • Large-print versions of the draft social message and the FAQs.
  • A link to a survey to submit feedback.

Your feedback will shape revisions to the draft before it is considered for adoption by the ELCA Church Council.

How you can help:

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