I am a transgender woman. I’m also a person of faith—an active member of and leader in my ELCA congregation. I’m sure the Lord guided my journey toward becoming a woman, an activist and an author. My mother named me Mark, and for nine years I acted the role of a boy. Then I discovered […]
Elizabeth A. Eaton, presiding bishop of the ELCA, has issued a statement on anti-LGBTQIA+ bills that have recently been introduced in the United States. “As we approach March 31, many people are preparing to recognize Transgender Day of Visibility, an international day to celebrate the contributions of transgender people and raise awareness about the deadly […]
Katey Zeh thought she knew the stories in Scripture—and she did, but mainly those about men. When she started combing through the Bible looking specifically for women, named or unnamed, everything changed. Her new book Women Rise Up: Sacred Stories of Resistance for Today’s Revolution (FAR Press) is partially the result of that exploration. Not […]
With Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton, the ELCA issued the following statement on gender identity discrimination: In light of recent public events and conversation, it is important to remember the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) rejects all forms of hatred or discrimination. This includes employment discrimination against the transgender community, as stated in “Gender Identity […]
Seek support of the International Violence Against Women Act.
How does our church walk with lesbian, gay, and bisexual people?
As war rages in the Holy Land and Ukraine, Lutheran Disaster Response (LDR) continues to accompany the ELCA’s companions in their humanitarian response. With the humanitarian crisis deepening in the Holy Land, LDR works with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land, Augusta Victoria Hospital and L’Arche Bethlehem. These partners provide shelter, […]
Every day, Living Lutheran offers a prayer from the ELCA resource Prayer ventures, which can be downloaded here. These daily petitions are offered as a guide for your own prayer life as together we pray for the needs of the world and give thanks for the ministries of our church. Tuesday, Nov. 5 Election Day “The right hand […]
Lectionary for Nov. 10, 2024 25th Sunday after Pentecost Ruth 3:1-5, 4:13-17; Psalm 127; Hebrews 9:24-28; Mark 12:38-44 Entering a religious space, especially a new one, can be intimidating and even scary. What do people do here? Is it like what I’m used to? Is it safe to bring my whole self, or will I […]
Arsacius Seehofer was a young student at the University of Ingolstadt in 1523 when he was expelled and put on trial for owning Reformation pamphlets. His greatest defense came from an unlikely source: Bavarian noblewoman Argula von Grumbach, who wrote a public letter defending Seehofer and the Reformation. In this short letter, von Grumbach shows […]
