“This church shall develop social statements … that will guide the life of this church as an institution and inform the conscience of its members in the spirit of Christian liberty.” (ELCA social statement, “The Church in Society: A Lutheran Perspective.”)
ELCA social statements are teaching and policy documents that provide broad frameworks to assist us in thinking about and discussing social issues in the context of faith and life. They are meant to help communities and individuals with moral formation, deliberation and thoughtful engagement with current social issues as we participate in God’s work in the world. Social statements also set policy for the ELCA and guide its advocacy and work as a publically engaged church. They result from an extensive process of participation and deliberation and are adopted by a two-thirds vote of an ELCA Churchwide Assembly.
The description and procedures for developing and adopting social teaching and policy documents are established by “Policies and Procedures of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America for Addressing Social Concerns,” adopted by the 1997 ELCA Churchwide Assembly and revised periodically by the ELCA Church Council.
ELCA Social Statements:
Abortion / Aborto (1991)
Church in Society / Iglesia en la Sociedad (1991)
Civic Life and Faith (2025)
Criminal Justice / La Iglesia y la justicia penal (2013)
Death Penalty / Pena de Muerte (1991)
Economic Life / Vida Economica (1999)
Education / Educación (2007)
Caring for Creation / Medio ambiente (1993)
Genetics (2011)
Health and Healthcare / Salud y Asistencia Sanitaria (2003)
Human Sexuality / La Sexualidad Humana (2009)
Peace / Por la Paz (1995)
Race, Ethnicity and Culture / Raza, Etnicidad y Cultura (1993)
Sexism / Sexismo (2019)
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.
These messages draw attention to specific topics or social concerns that arise from our participation in God’s work in the world, and they encourage moral discernment, thoughtful discussion and action. Each message is reviewed by the Conference of Bishops and adopted by the ELCA Church Council, and expresses the convictions of the leadership of this church.
At this time, there are sixteen social messages. All can be accessed on theELCA Website:
Resources
New Study Guide for Faith & Civic Life Social Statement. We’re delighted to have available for congregational use a curriculum to help study and understand the ELCA social statement, Faith and Civic Life: Seeking the Well-being of All, which is now complete. This six-week curriculum walks congregations and faith communities through important parts of the social statemen and offers a starting point for conversation and discernment around topics brought up by the statement.
Current Writing Projects
Reconsiderations of Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust. After a seven-year process of discernment and dialogue across the ELCA, the 2009 Churchwide Assembly voted to adopt Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust as a social statement of the ELCA. In 2022, the Churchwide Assembly authorized two reconsiderations (see pages 4-5 and 11) of the social statement.
- Reconsideration #1: A review of specific text references that “would consider the import that marriage legally is now a covenant between individuals;” review specific wording “in light of public acceptance of marriage of same-gender and gender-non-conforming couples;” and “consider references to diversity of family configurations;” and
- Reconsideration #2: A fresh consideration of the “church’s current concept of the four positions of bound conscience” found on pages 19-21 of Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust.
In Spring 2024, the ELCA Church Council Executive Committee seated a task force to lead work on both reconsiderations. The task force represents a diversity of perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences. Click here to learn about task force members.
The first reconsideration process was completed at the 2025 ELCA Churchwide Assembly. Edits to Section IV were amended and adopted by a two-thirds vote (724-46). The task force has now started the process for the second reconsideration. Resources related to the reconsideration will be made available throughout the process. As with the first reconsideration, the task force will provide a draft statement for public feedback.
