The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America was formed during one of the largest church unions. In 1988, the American Lutheran Church, the Lutheran Church in America, and the Association of Evangelical Lutheran Churches united to form the ELCA, now the largest Lutheran body in the country.
The American Lutheran Church and the Lutheran Church in America were themselves the product of previous mergers, and the Association of Evangelical Lutheran Churches had previously separated from the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod.
Although the ELCA is one of the youngest Lutheran bodies, its roots go all the way back to the 1748, and the formation of the first synod in North America.
Moves to form the ELCA began in 1982 when the uniting church bodies elected a commission to draft the constitution and other documents. The conventions of the three Lutheran bodies approved the merger in 1986, and its constituting assembly convened in May of 1987.
Headquartered in Chicago, the ELCA is comprised of sixty-five synods throughout the United States and the Caribbean region, each led by an elected bishop. The Churchwide Assembly is the highest governing body of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. A Church Council, elected by the Assembly, serves as its board of directors, which holds legislative authority between assemblies. The presiding bishop is the chief pastor of the ECLA and executive officer of the organization. A lay vice president chairs the Church Council.
The churchwide organization provides for congregational ministries, rostered ministries, outreach, education, and missions.
Outside of the United States, the ELCA has congregations in the Bahamas, Bermuda, Puerto Rico, and the United States Virgin Islands, as well as in Ontario, Canada.
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America sponsors a variety of programs and ministries, including those designed for global missions, outdoor ministries, campus ministries, social ministries, and education. Performing some of these operations are ELCA Youth Gathering, the Lutheran Peace Fellowship, Lutheran Women's Caucus, and Lutheran Volunteer Corps.
Several colleges, universities, and seminaries previously associated with ELCA's predecessors are now affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
Its publishing company, Augsburg Fortress Publishers, is based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Its chief periodical, The Lutheran, is published monthly.
Known overall as a theologically liberal denomination, there are several differences in opinion between the national organization and many of its constituent congregations. The ELCA includes socially conservative and liberal congregations, as well as churches with differing emphases on such topics as liturgical renewal, Lutheran confessionalism, charismatic revivalism, and liberal activism.
Socially liberal factions of the denomination are represented by the Evangelical and Ecumenical Women's Caucus, Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries, and Lutherans Concerned/North America. The socially conservative organization, Lutheran Coalition for Renewal, has argued against the ELCA's stance on gay clergy, and is now active in other Lutheran bodies as well.
Within the ELCA, clergy tend not to believe in the inerrancy of the Bible, but give credence to various scholarly methods of analysis to help understand the Bible. This is a common among the more liberal Protestant bodies.
The ELCA recognizes the sacraments of communion and baptism, which includes infant baptism. In addition to these sacraments, the ELCA has other practices that are sacramental in nature, such as anointing the sick, confession and absolution, confirmation, ordination, and marriage. Unlike most Lutheran bodies, the ELCA practices open communion, permitting every baptized person in attendance to receive communion.
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America ordains women as pastors. Many of its hymns and liturgy have been altered in order to remove masculine pronouns referring to God. As of 2009, the denomination also ordains gays and lesbians. In opposition to this decision, a faction of the denomination, known as Lutheran CORE, left to form the North American Lutheran Church.
The ELCA is a member of the World Council of Churches, the National Council of Churches, and Christian Churches Together, and the denomination maintains full communion relationships with member churches of the Lutheran World Federation, and has established relationships with the Episcopal Church, the Moravian Church in America, the Presbyterian Church (USA), the Reformed Church in America, the United Church of Christ, and the United Methodist Church. The ELCA is not in full communion with the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod, due to a number of cultural, historical, and theological differences.
Recommended Resources
Presented and maintained by the Life of Faith Initiative, a grassroots effort within the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the Book of Faith is intended to increase biblical literacy and fluency. An introduction to the program is put forth, as well as four Bible study methods, a list of Bible resources, group presentation, graphics, historical documents, leader resources, a downloadable assessment tool, and other resources.
http://www.bookoffaith.org/
Providing financial services and benefits to members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the ELCA-FCU was created to provide services to members, employees of synods, congregations, and other ELCA-related ministries. The benefits of membership are outlined, and its products and services are defined, rates, locations, hours of operation, and ATM locations. Membership may be applied for online, and members may access their accounts.
https://www.elcafcu.org/
Created as an outreach of eight Evangelical Lutheran Churches in America, and endorsed by the Greater Milwaukee Synod, the ELCA Outreach Center offers programs and services to children, youth, and adults, such as clothing and personal care items, assistance with prescription needs, job search assistance, training programs, youth programming, and others. Volunteer opportunities are published to the site.
https://elcaoutreachcenter.org/
ELCA Schools and Learning Centers
In operation since 1988, the Evangelical Lutheran Education Association supports and advocates for ELCA-based schools and learning centers. Its history, regions, staff, and boards are identified, along with the benefits of membership, membership forms, and its accreditation programs, awards, recognition, and testing programs. Schools may be located through the site, and other resources are available for purchase or for download from the site.
http://www.eleanational.org/
The Network strengthens and empowers adult leaders of children, youth, and family ministries within the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. A promotional video is featured, along with, the benefits and costs of membership, member discounts, its strategic plan, leadership, volunteer and employment opportunities, a calendar of programs and events, publications, and an online bookstore.
http://www.elcaymnet.org/
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
The ELCA is a mainline Protestant denomination created in 1988 through the merger of three Lutheran denominations. Its history, synods, congregations, and leadership are highlighted, including an interactive map showing ELCA regional bodies throughout the world. Downloadable resources are available through the site, and its relief and development programs and related ministries are included, and announcements are posted to the site.
http://www.elca.org/
Created and maintained by people who are opposed to the liberal theology of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the site offers a perspective on the ELCA’s positions on the Bible, Universalism, homosexuality, Israel, abortion, prophecy, and other issues, including responses to the ELCA position on these and other issues. A blog includes news and additional information showing the ELCA in a negative light. Readers comments are posted, and readers are invited to contribute.
https://www.exposingtheelca.com/
Learn What’s Wrong With the ECLA
Part of the Exposing the ECLA ministry, the site’s purpose is to highlight ways in which the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has departed from the Scripture and to demonstrate its policy errors. Various ELCA teachings, positions, and actions are discussed from an opposition perspective. Reactions to the ELCA’s controversial LGBT decisions by pastors, churches, Scripture, and members of the Lutheran community are included.
http://www.theelca.com/
Published for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the monthly print magazine is available by subscription. Discounts are available, and subscriptions may be completed online. Its web edition includes articles from the print edition on such topics as congregational life, voices of faith, religious news and social issues, children and family, mission and ministry, spiritual practices and resources, and reformation. Advertising opportunities may be available.
https://www.livinglutheran.org/
Created and maintained by a lay member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, Spirit Home is a resource on Lutheran Christian spirituality, the Holy Spirit, religion, and faith, as viewed from a Christian perspective. Its topics include the work and fruit of the Holy Spirit, spiritual gifts, practices, disciplines, reconciliation, following Christ, and learning from the Bible. Available in several translations, its content may be found through a variety of drop-down categories.
http://www.spirithome.com/
Made up of women within ELCA congregations throughout the United States and the Caribbean, the church-wide women’s group organizes study and fellowship groups and takes part in service work and advocacy programs. Its history, executive board, and staff are identified, along with an overview of its ministries, action projects, a calendar of events, blog, publications, and an online shopping area.
https://www.womenoftheelca.org/
