Martin Luther was eight years old when Christopher Columbus set sail from Europe and landed in the Western Hemisphere. Luther was a young monk and priest when Michaelangelo was painting the Sistine Chapel in Rome...
Full communion is when two denominations develop a relationship based on a common confessing of the Christian faith and a mutual recognition of Baptism and sharing of the Lord’s Supper...
With gratitude for those who have gone before and hope for the future, the ELCA gives thanks to God for the ministry of women. In 2019 and 2020 we celebrate 50 years of Lutheran women being ordained in the United States, 40 years of women of color being ordained, and 10 years of LGBTQIA+ individuals being able to serve freely.
In its simplest form, becoming a sanctuary denomination means that the ELCA is publicly declaring that walking alongside immigrants and refugees is a matter of faith. In baptism, we are brought into a covenantal relationship with Jesus Christ that commits us to strive for justice and peace in all the earth.
The Lutheran Ecumenical and Inter-Religious Relations Network is a group of volunteers representing the 65 synods of the ELCA. Each volunteer is appointed by his or her synod bishop. The network representatives serve as a model for ecumenical and interreligious engagement in the life of the synod and for this church. The network gathers annually during the National Workshop on Christian Unity. If you are interested in serving as part of this network, please contact your synod bishop.