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?
Helicopters crashing onto your hotel roof. Speedboat rides for hours on the open sea. A village welcome party wielding spears. A bridge washed away, leaving no access to the airport. A trip to the very end of 180 miles of rough roads. A last-minute helicopter ride to get out of town. These aren’t what you […]
Editor’s note: This piece originally ran on Jan. 6, 2022. I have a bad habit of looking at my feet when I walk. I don’t often stub my toe or trip on uneven ground, but occasionally I run into something or someone I’m not expecting. Our 2-year-old has the opposite issue. While we walk around […]
Series editor’s note: In 2025, “Deeper understandings” will focus on the ELCA social statements. We hope to reintroduce them to readers as a means of provoking fruitful, enriching conversation between Christians with different understandings and convictions, and as a springboard for active discipleship in the world. Each article will introduce a particular statement and its […]
This year the ELCA has been celebrating how ELCA World Hunger came to be and the thousands of donors who have and continue to make its work possible. Since 1974, hundreds of thousands of people from across the church have contributed more than $650 million to support ELCA World Hunger. The church has made great […]
