ELCA reaffirms commitment to combat racism and white supremacy

What does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6:8).

 

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) reaffirms its commitment to combating racism and white supremacy following the recent murders of Black Americans. Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Dreasjon (Sean) Reed, and George Floyd were our neighbors. Ahmaud Arbery was chased down, shot, and killed by a retired police officer and his son while jogging in Brunswick, Ga. (Feb. 23, 2020). Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old emergency medical technician, was shot eight times by Louisville Metro Police Department officers who entered her apartment while serving a “no-knock warrant” (March 13, 2020). Dreasjon (Sean) Reed, a 21-year-old from Indianapolis died after being shot at least eight times by an Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officer (May 6, 2020). George Floyd was killed by police in Minneapolis while begging for his life, a block away from Calvary Lutheran, an ELCA congregation (May 25, 2020). As the Conference of Bishops, we condemn the white supremacy that has led to the deaths of so many unarmed Black, Indigenous, and Persons of Color in our country. We grieve with, pray for and stand in solidarity with the families and friends of all whose loved ones have been and continue to be victims of injustices run amok, racist violence and the insidious venom of white supremacy.

The ELCA’s social policy resolution, “Condemnation of White Supremacy and Racist Rhetoric,” adopted by the 2019 ELCA Churchwide Assembly, states: “As persons called to love one another as God has loved us, we therefore proclaim our commitment to speak with one voice against racism and white supremacy. We stand with those who are targets of racist ideologies and actions.” As church, together we must work to condemn white supremacy in all forms and recommit ourselves to confront and exorcize the sins of injustice, racism and white supremacy in church and society and within ourselves as individuals and households.

On May 21, the ELCA Southeastern Synod hosted a webinar: “Becoming the Body of Christ – Condemning White Supremacy” in response to the killing of Ahmaud Arbery. This is one of many strategic opportunities happening across this church to address white supremacy and racist rhetoric. On June 17, we will gather again as church to commemorate the Mother Emanuel 9 and to repent of racism and white supremacy. An online ELCA prayer service, including leaders from across the church and Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton as preacher, is being planned for June 17, 2020, marking the fifth anniversary of the martyrdom of the Emanuel 9. We encourage congregations to reaffirm their commitment to repenting of the sins of racism and dismantling white supremacy that continue to plague this church by marking this day of penitence with study and prayer leading to action.  https://www.elca.org/emanuelnine

The Rev. Elizabeth A. Eaton

Presiding Bishop

Deacon Sue Rothmeyer

Secretary

 

The Rev. Tracie L. Bartholomew

Bishop, New Jersey Synod

Chair, Conference of Bishops

 

The Rev. Thomas M. Aitken

Bishop, Northeastern Minnesota Synod

 

The Rev. Abraham D. Allende

Bishop, Northeastern Ohio Synod

 

The Rev. Jon V. Anderson

Bishop, Southwestern Minnesota Synod

 

The Rev. James A. Arends

Bishop, La Crosse Area Synod

 

The Rev. Daniel G. Beaudoin

Bishop, Northwestern Ohio Synod

 

The Rev. Susan J. Briner

Bishop, Southwestern Texas Synod

 

The Rev. Shelley M. Bryan Wee

Bishop, Northwest Washington Synod

 

The Rev. Michael L. Burk

Bishop, Southeastern Iowa Synod

 

The Rev. Susan Candea

Bishop, Central States Synod

 

The Rev. H. Jeffrey Clements

Bishop, Northern Illinois Synod

 

The Rev. Barbara J. Collins

Bishop, Upper Susquehanna Synod

 

The Rev. Yehiel Curry

Bishop, Metropolitan Chicago Synod

 

The Rev. Patricia A. Davenport

Bishop, Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod

 

The Rev. Suzanne D. Dillahunt

Bishop, Southern Ohio Synod

 

The Rev. James S. Dunlop

Bishop, Lower Susquehanna Synod

 

The Rev. Paul T. Egensteiner

Bishop, Metropolitan New York Synod

 

The Rev. Paul D. Erickson

Bishop, Greater Milwaukee Synod

 

The Rev. R. Guy Erwin

Bishop, Southwest California Synod

 

The Rev. Katherine A. Finegan

Bishop, Northern Great Lakes Synod

 

The Rev. William O. Gafkjen

Bishop, Indiana-Kentucky Synod

 

The Rev. Michael K. Girlinghouse

Bishop, Arkansas-Oklahoma Synod

 

The Rev. William J. Gohl

Bishop, Delaware-Maryland Synod

 

The Rev. James W. Gonia

Bishop, Rocky Mountain Synod

 

The Rev. Erik K. Gronberg

Bishop, Northern Texas-Northern Louisiana Synod

 

The Rev. Constanze Hagmaier

Bishop, South Dakota Synod

 

The Rev. Lorna H. Halaas

Bishop, Western Iowa Synod

 

The Rev. Regina M. Hassanally

Bishop, Southeastern Minnesota Synod

 

The Rev. James E. Hazelwood

Bishop, New England Synod

 

The Rev. Mark W. Holmerud

Bishop, Sierra Pacific Synod

 

The Rev. Robert F. Humphrey

Bishop, Virginia Synod

 

The Rev. Deborah K. Hutterer

Bishop, Grand Canyon Synod

 

The Rev. Richard E. Jaech

Bishop, Southwestern Washington Synod

 

The Rev. Laurie A. Jungling

Bishop, Montana Synod

 

The Rev. Donald P. Kreiss

Bishop, Southeast Michigan Synod

 

The Rev. Wilma S. Kucharek

Bishop, Slovak Zion Synod

 

The Rev. Kristen E. Kuempel

Bishop Northwest Intermountain Synod

 

The Rev. Kurt F. Kusserow

Bishop, Southwestern Pennsylvania Synod

 

The Rev. Laurie A. Larson Caesar

Bishop, Oregon Synod

 

The Rev. Michael L. Lozano

Bishop, Northwestern Pennsylvania Synod

 

The Rev. Patricia J. Lull

Bishop, Saint Paul Area Synod

 

The Rev. Brian D. Maas

Bishop, Nebraska Synod

 

The Rev. John S. Macholz

Bishop, Upstate New York Synod

 

The Rev. Gerald L. Mansholt

Bishop, East-Central Synod of Wisconsin

 

The Rev. Idalia Negron-Caamano

Bishop, Caribbean Synod

 

The Rev. Leila M. Ortiz

Bishop, Metropolitan Washington, D.C. Synod

 

The Rev. Michael L. Rhyne

Bishop, Allegheny Synod

 

The Rev. Michael W. Rinehart

Bishop, Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast Synod

 

The Rev. Peter Rogness

Interim Bishop, South-Central Synod of Wisconsin

 

The Rev. S. John Roth

Bishop, Central/Southern Illinois Synod

 

The Rev. Craig A. Satterlee

Bishop, North/West Lower Michigan Synod

 

The Rev. Laurie Skow-Anderson

Bishop, Northwest Synod of Wisconsin

 

The Rev. Timothy M. Smith

Bishop, North Carolina Synod

 

The Rev. Kevin L. Strickland

Bishop, Southeastern Synod

 

The Rev. Pedro M. Suarez

Bishop, Florida-Bahamas Synod

 

The Rev. Ann M. Svennungsen

Bishop, Minneapolis Area Synod

 

The Rev. Andrew A. Taylor

Bishop, Pacifica Synod

 

The Rev. William T. Tesch

Bishop, Northwestern Minnesota Synod

 

The Rev. Steven L. Ullestad

Bishop, Northeastern Iowa Synod

 

The Rev. Shelley R. Wickstrom

Bishop, Alaska Synod

 

The Rev. Lawrence R. Wohlrabe

Interim Bishop, Eastern North Dakota Synod

 

The Rev. Herman R. Yoos

Bishop, South Carolina Synod

 

The Rev. Samuel R. Zeiser

Bishop, Northeastern Pennsylvania Synod

 

The Rev. David Zellmer

Interim Bishop, Western North Dakota Synod