Social messages of the ELCA are topical documents adopted by the ELCA Church Council to focus attention and action on timely, pressing matters of social concern to the church and society. They are used to address pressing contemporary concerns in light of the prophetic and compassionate traditions of Scripture and do not establish new teaching or policy. Rather, they build upon previously adopted teaching and policy positions, especially from social statements.

These messages draw attention to specific topics or social concerns that arise from our participation in God’s work in the world, and they encourage moral discernment, thoughtful discussion and action. Each message is reviewed by the Conference of Bishops and adopted by the ELCA Church Council, and expresses the convictions of the leadership of this church.

At this time, there are 13 social messages:

Gender-based Violence / Violencia de género (2015)

The ELCA is committed to the continual work of prayer, learning, reflection, discernment, and action to resist patriarchy and sexism as we live together in community into the promised abundant life God intends for all.

Mental Illness / Las enfermedades mentales (2012)

People Living with Disabilities / Personas discapacidades (2010)

Terrorism / Terrorismo (2004)

Commercial Sexual Exploitation / Explotaćion sexual (2001)

Suicide Prevention / Suicidio (updated 2021)

Immigration / Inmigración (1998)

Thousands of children and families from Central America continue to flee their communities and search for safety in the U.S. As a church, we envision a world in which children and families do not have to leave their communities in order to live a safe and sufficient life. Our faith calls Lutherans to see our neighbors as ourselves. As people flee their communities, the ELCA will continue to celebrate and stand alongside our immigrant neighbors.

Sexuality: Common Convictions / La sexualidad (1996)

Community Violence / Violencia en la comunidad (1994)

End of Life Decisions / Final de la vida (1992)

Homelessness / Gente sin vivienda (1990)

Secure shelter is a critical component of the foundation of the human person, the absence of which can contribute to hunger and challenges in healthcare, education, job prospects and more.

Israeli/Palestinian Conflict (1989)

AIDS / El SIDA (1988)

“This church shall develop social statements … that will guide the life of this church as an institution and inform the conscience of its members in the spirit of Christian liberty.”

– The Church in Society: A Lutheran Perspective

ELCA social statements are teaching and policy documents that provide broad frameworks to assist us in thinking about and discussing social issues in the context of faith and life. They are meant to help communities and individuals with moral formation, discernment and thoughtful engagement with current social issues as we participate in God’s work in the world.

Social statements also set policy for the ELCA and guide its advocacy and work as a publicly engaged church. They result from an extensive process of participation and deliberation and are adopted by a two-thirds vote of an ELCA churchwide assembly.

Thirteen Statements from 1991 to 2019

Faith, Sexism, and Justice (2019)

The experiences of women and girls from a variety of backgrounds, both in the past and in the present moment, reveal that they have often been restricted in realizing abundant life on the basis of sex (biological) or gender. We confess patriarchy and sexism as sin and name the resources of the Lutheran faith to identify what needs to be done both in the church and in society.

The Church and Criminal Justice / La iglesia y la justicia penal (2013)

The ELCA is prompted to speak and to act because so many cries of suffering and despair emerge from the criminal justice system — from victims, the incarcerated, their families, communities, those wrongly convicted, they who work in the system — and have not been heard.

Genetics (2011)

Human Sexuality / La sexualidad humana (2009)

Education / Educación (2007)

Health and Health Care / Salud y asistencia sanitaria (2003)

Health is central to our well-being, vital to relationships, and helps us live out our vocations in family, work and community. Each person bears some responsibility for his or her own health, but health and healthcare also depend upon other people and conditions in society and our communities.

Economic Life / Vida económica (1999)

“For all” in the title of the ELCA social statement on economic life refers to the whole household of God—all people and creation throughout the world. We should assess economic activities in terms of how they affect “all,” especially people living in poverty.

Peace / Por la paz (1995)

Caring for Creation / Medio ambiente (1993)

As stewards of this world, we are called to care for the earth and examine our behaviors toward creation. While we need to take from the land for food and sustainability, we also need to be careful that we maintain good stewardship and do not exploit the wonderful things the earth provides.

Race, Ethnicity and Culture / Raza, etnicidad y cultura (1993)

Abortion / Aborto (1991)

The death penalty / Pena de Muerte (1991)

Church in Society / Iglesia en la sociedad (1991)

The description and procedures for developing and adopting these social teaching and policy documents are established by “Policies and Procedures of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America for Addressing Social Concerns.”

Despite efforts to bring forward concerns, repeal of the Endangerment Finding was announced by the EPA on Feb. 12, 2026. “While this recent move is deeply disappointing,” said the ELCA Program Director for Environment and Energy, monitoring continues for opportunities “to ensure public health protections for current and future generations.” Read an ELCA Statement on the EPA Decision on our blog: https://blogs.elca.org/…/profound-concern-over-epa…/

Join ELCA Sumud for a webinar linking detention and imprisonment from Minneapolis to Palestine—featuring local U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement impacts shared by Bishop Jen Nagel and insights from Rami Khader. 

Participants: Maddi Froiland • Bishop Jen Nagel • Rami Khade

“The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) expresses profound concern and disappointment regarding the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s decision to rescind the endangerment finding on greenhouse gas emissions. This action undermines our collective responsibility to care for God’s creation and protect the well-being of current and future generations.

As people of faith, we recognize the wisdom of science as a God-given gift that illuminates our path forward. The overwhelming scientific consensus on climate change compels us to act with urgency and moral clarity. We have declared this a “Kairos moment”—an ancient Greek term meaning a critical, decisive time when action is essential. The removal of this finding sets us back precisely when moving forward on climate action is imperative.

The ELCA’s social teaching on climate change is grounded in our understanding that creation is a gift from God, entrusted to our care not for exploitation, but for stewardship. We are called to share this gift equitably and preserve it for those who come after us. Removing the endangerment finding eliminates a crucial regulatory framework necessary to fulfill this sacred responsibility.

The ELCA has consistently called for increased regulation of greenhouse gas emissions. We have also clearly rejected approaches that prioritize short-term economic considerations over the long-term social, economic, and ecological well-being of future generations. We oppose any attempts to weaponize or distort scientific research or to misrepresent the intentions of those working to address this crisis.

This EPA decision does both of those things—it distorts scientific research and prioritizes the present over the future. We urge the EPA to reconsider this decision and to restore protections that honor both scientific truth and our sacred obligation to care for creation.”

-Rev. Amy Reumann, Senior Director, Witness in Society, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America