Actions Taken by ELCA Leadership at Synod Assemblies

The ELCA online publication (likely the print magazine also) The Lutheran published another article highlighting some of the actions taken by ELCA synods this year at their synod assemblies. (see Exposing the ELCA’s blog containing The Lutheran’s first report here) Below are the most troubling, pertinent, non-Biblical, disappointing and liberal actions taken by the ELCA’s leadership from my point of view:

The Grand Canyon Synod,
- “Concluded that the Arizona SB 1070 Immigration Law is inconsistent with collective Christian beliefs and is harmful to the needs of Arizona, exhorting members to advocate for immigration reform that is ‘comprehensive, fair, humane, compassionate, and which safeguards the unity of families.’"

The Lower Susquehanna Synod,
- “Commended the Peace Not Walls Campaign, an ELCA churchwide strategy focused on contributing to peace with justice in the Middle East. Suggested that congregations study the issues in the Middle East; pray and reach out to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land; and, if pilgrimages are being arranged, to visit biblical sites, meet with both Israelis and Palestinians, and learn from Lutherans living in that land today.”  

The Delaware-Maryland Synod,
- “Encouraged its congregations to study the Civil Marriage Protection Act, which extends legal protection for civil marriage to all couples in Maryland. Asked the synod to offer forums so members can study the issues involved in light of the ELCA social statement ‘Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust.’"
- “Called upon Congress and U.S. President Barack Obama to support the Uniting American Families Act, which would enact ‘inclusive, comprehensive immigration reform legislation that ends the long-standing discrimination against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender immigrant families.’"

The Southwest California Synod,
- “Encouraged its congregations and members to contact their elected officials, urging them to give ‘moral priority to programs that protect the life and dignity of poor and vulnerable people’ and to ‘review and consider tax revenues, military spending and entitlements in the search for reduced deficits but not at the expense of vulnerable poor people.’"

The Metropolitan Chicago Synod,
- “Supported the Illinois Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act; called upon its congregations and members to welcome, care for and support same-gender couples and their families and to advocate for their legal protection.”
- “Recommended that a task force be created to examine the synod's financial dealings with area banking institutions with regard to social justice and corporate social responsibility concerns.”

The East Central Synod of Wisconsin,
- “Sought greater participation in the Peace Not Walls Campaign to help bring peace to the Middle East.”

The Northeastern Ohio Synod,
- “Directed its council to establish a Creation Care Task Force to help congregations deal with issues of climate change.”

The Southeastern Synod,
- “Affirmed the work of the ELCA Washington Office and Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service regarding immigration reform.”
- “Requested that the legislative bodies of Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi and Tennessee place an immediate moratorium on the administration of the death penalty until such time that it can be fully prohibited by law in those states.”

The Southwestern Minnesota Synod,
- “Indefinitely postponed voting on a resolution to express grave concern regarding a proposed Minnesota state constitutional amendment that would define marriage as ‘only a union of one man and one woman.’"

The Virginia Synod,
- “Opposed asking the ELCA Churchwide Assembly to make constitutional changes to allow a ‘new category of congregation membership for those members who disagree by faith or conscience with decisions of the churchwide organization.’"

The Southern Ohio Synod,
- “Voted to ask the ELCA presiding bishop and Church Council to contact President Barack Obama and Congress, urging the U.S. and its allies to work with the leaders of Iran for a peaceful resolution to the conflict over nuclear proliferation.”

The Upper Susquehanna Synod,
- “Voted to create a task force to discuss the justice issues surrounding the natural gas industry and to make available resources to address the complexities of horizontal slickwater hydraulic fracturing; memorialized the 2013 Churchwide Assembly to create its own task force on this subject.”

(see article here)