"The witness of this church in society flows from its identity as a community that lives from and for the Gospel."
"Faith is active in love; love calls for justice in the relationships and structures of society. It is in grateful response to God’s grace in Jesus Christ that this church carries out its responsibility for the well-being of society and the environment.” (The Church in Society: A Lutheran Perspective, 1991)
ELCA Votes
We believe that we have a civic responsibility to vote our conscience as Lutherans and have a Christian responsibility to vote with our neighbor in mind.
"ELCA social teaching, consistent with classical Lutheran thought, recognizes the ambiguity that civil government at all levels can be a force for good or for evil—or, most accurately, both... ELCA social teaching holds that all residents of the United States have a responsibility to make government function well—not to abandon our democracy but to engage it in a spirit of robust civic duty. For Lutherans, this responsibility is lived out as a calling from God, expressed in the discipleship described in our baptismal promises. It is based on our understanding of how God governs human society.”
Government and Civic Engagement in the United States: Discipleship in a Democracy, 2020
Immigration
We believe that we are called to welcome the stranger and that walking alongside immigrants and refugees is a matter of faith.
“Immigration, refugee, and asylum policies express who we are as a nation, influence the nation’s future character, and affect the lives of millions of people. We encourage our members, in light of our history and our ministry with newcomers, to join with other citizens in our democratic society to support just laws that serve the common good.”
A Social Message on Immigration, 1998
The alien who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among you; you shall love the alien as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God. Leviticus 19:34
Affordable Housing and Homelessness
We believe everyone deserves a safe, affordable, and sustainable place to live.
“The Gospel does not provide ready-made solutions to homelessness. God's love in Jesus Christ does, however, move us to care for homeless people as God cares for all. Christians who have shelter are called to care, called to walk with homeless people in their struggle for a more fulfilling life and for adequate, affordable, and sustainable housing.”
Homelessness: A Renewal of Commitment, 1990
Resolution Regarding Access to Abortion in North Carolina
"We are called to be a compassionate community, praying and standing with those who struggle with decisions regarding unintended pregnancies…. Regardless of the decisions, our pastoral response must be a gracious affirmation of the value of women’s lives and assistance in dealing with ongoing implications of their decisions for their own well-being and their relationships."
A Social Statement on Abortion, 1991
You must understand this, my beloved: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger; for your anger does not produce God’s justice. James 1:19-20
At the 2023 NC Synod Assembly in June, Resolution 23.02 “Regarding Access to Abortion in North Carolina” was adopted. The resolution, among other things, calls North Carolina Lutherans to engage in dialogue around this topic.
Resources
Resolution Regarding Access to Abortion in North Carolina
ELCA Social Statement on Abortion
Bishop Eaton's June 24, 2022 message following the U.S. Supreme Court Dobbs decision
Environmental Justice
We believe in God’s intention for the healing and wholeness of creation. We believe we are called to be stewards of and advocates for all of God’s creation.
“Given the power of sin and evil in this world, as well as the complexity of environmental problems, we know we can find no “quick fix”—whether technological, economic, or spiritual. A sustainable environment requires a sustained effort from everyone.The prospect of doing too little too late leads many people to despair. But as people of faith, captives of hope, and vehicles of God’s promise, we face the crisis”
Caring for Creation: Vision, Hope, and Justice, 1993
