CHICAGO (ELCA)-- The 4.8 million member Evangelical Lutheran
Church in America (ELCA) will develop a social statement -- the
church's most authoritative teaching document -- on criminal
justice issues to be prevented to the denomination for adoption
in 2013.
By a vote of 957 to 68, the voting members of the ELCA
churchwide assembly approved the initiative that grew out of
memorials from three of the denomination's synods or regional
units.
The churchwide assembly is the chief legislative authority
of the ELCA, which is meeting here Aug. 6-11at Navy Pier's
Festival Hall. About 2,000 people are participating, including
1,071 ELCA voting members. The theme for the biennial assembly is
"Living in God's Amazing Grace: Thanks be to God!"
The social statement will be developed following widespread
consultation with church members and others involved in criminal
justice, and is likely to deal with such issues as the prison
system, rehabilitation for those convicted of crimes, and the
current cost of incarcerating criminals, all subjects mentioned
in the memorials from the Rocky Mountain Synod, the South Dakota
Synod, and the La Crosse (Wisconsin) Area Synod.
A 1991 social statement of the ELCA dealt with the death
penalty.
The preparation of the social statement is expected to cost
about $35,000 per year for the four or five years it takes to
develop the statement. The 2013 date was chosen for the statement
because the ELCA already has a social statement on sexuality
under way, being prepared for consideration by the churchwide
assembly in 2009.
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Information about the 2007 ELCA Churchwide Assembly is at
http://www.ELCA.org/assembly on the ELCA Web site.
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org
http://www.elca.org/news
ELCA News Blog: http://www.elca.org/news/blog
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About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with 2.8 million members in more than 8,500 worshiping communities across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands.," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer Martin Luther.
For information contact:
Candice Hill Buchbinder
Public Relations Manager
Candice.HillBuchbinder@ELCA.org
