The ELCA Church Council has unanimously adopted a new social message: “Government and Civic Engagement in the United States: Discipleship in a Democracy.” This project was called for at the 2019 ELCA Churchwide Assembly, with an intention that it be ready to read before the national election this fall.

The social message defines government as a gift from God that can also be abused and misused. It also delves into how we can view civic engagement as Lutherans. You can find the social message and study guide in English here. A Spanish translation of the message and study guide is in process.

LAMPa sponsored a virtual hearing for the draft of this social message in May, 2020. The hearing was conducted by the Rev. Dr. Roger Willer, the ELCA Director for Theological Ethics. More than eighty advocates participated in the hearing.

Social messages of the ELCA are topical documents adopted by the ELCA Church Council to focus attention and action on timely, pressing matters of social concern to the church and society. They are used to address pressing contemporary concerns in light of the prophetic and compassionate traditions of Scripture and do not establish new teaching or policy. Rather, they build upon previously adopted teaching and policy positions, especially from social statements.