Racial Justice
We believe Christ’s church is for all people. God calls each by name. It is not our work to sort, divide, categorize or exclude. As saints and sinners, we know both God’s healing and the persistent injustice of racism. In our lives, we join God’s work: insisting on justice, upholding human dignity and welcoming the full inclusion of all people in church and society.
When we confront racism and strive for fairness and justice, the entire community benefits. We begin to honor each person’s story and see how our many stories form the ELCA’s rich, shared witness. Our social statement, Freed in Christ: Race, Ethnicity, and Culture (1993), offers theological grounding for undoing racism and moving toward reconciliation, healing and the embrace of all people.
How We Serve
The Racial Justice Ministries of the ELCA serve as catalysts and bridge-builders by:
- Equipping leaders to recognize and understand the complexity and implications of racism and racial issues.
- Training and education in the areas of anti-racism and racial justice for leaders in partnership with synods, congregations, associations and social service agencies.
- Building alliances and strategies across race, ethnicity, class, gender, age and sexual orientation to break through barriers of racism and oppression.
- Creating and supporting ecumenical networks that call for and help equip the church to be a multiracial and multicultural community.
- Working together throughout the church in public witness, programs and policies that advance racial justice — locally and globally.
- Developing and sharing educational tools and training models for congregations to use in facing the challenges of racism in a diverse, complex and changing world.
Find racial justice resources for synods and congregations here.
Naming White Supremacy in Lutheranism
Find More Resources
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As part of the ELCA’s ongoing commitment to becoming an anti-racist church the ELCA Racial Justice Network is composed of two cohorts, appointed synod leaders and Women of the ELCA, that work to strengthen our collective capacity to advance racial justice in the ELCA.
To learn more about Women of the ELCA's Racial Justice work, click here.
A group of leaders appointed by their synod bishop to do racial justice/anti-racism work for the synod. Follow the button below to find your synod’s contact information.
All our historical and contemporary blog posts about racial justice issues and actions.
Devotionals, study guides, and documents related to racial justice.
Webinars and informative videos about our racial justice work.
ELCA ministries supporting marginalized cultures and communities.
