At the 2019 ELCA Churchwide Assembly, gathered in Milwaukee August 5-10, voting delegates adopted a social statement focused on sexism and gender justice:

“We believe all people are created equally in the image of God. Every individual is dependent upon God, and all share in the God-given vocation to contribute their gifts to help all of creation flourish.”

Why is the ELCA studying the topic of sexism and gender justice?

The 2009 Churchwide Assembly authorized the development of a social statement on this topic because of memorials from several synods requesting it. In accordance with ELCA processes, a task force was created to study the issues, provide resource material, create a draft, and offered a proposed social statement that was adopted by the 2019 Churchwide Assembly.

In addition, Faith, Sexism, and Justice: A Lutheran Call to Action serves as the ELCA’s response to the Lutheran World Federation’s “Gender Justice Policy,” which calls on all 148 member churches within the LWF to do work within their individual churches to foster gender justice. For more information about this initiative, click here.

The document expresses several deep Christian themes. Grounded in God’s intention of abundant life for all, it confesses patriarchy and sexism as sin. It names the resources of the Lutheran faith to address this sin and identifies what needs to be done both in the church and in society. The social statement is entitled a “call to action” because it is precisely this. It urges members to recognize patriarchy and sexism as sinful and invoke systemic changes which fosters abundant, flourishing life for all persons within both church and society.

Find the social statement and user guide here.