The positions of the ELCA, and hence, LPPO, descend from the foundational social documents of the church. More information can be found at the ELCA Social Issues web page.
Social Statements
Social statements are major documents addressing significant social issues. Passed by vote at the national gathering of the ELCA, Churchwide Assembly, they typically provide an analysis and interpretation of an issue, set forth basic theological and ethical perspectives related to it, and offer guidance for the corporate Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and its individual members. Social statements are documents of the highest quality. They vary in scope, length, frequency, and forms of moral discourse, according to the needs of their subject matter. In all cases, social statements are the product of extensive and inclusive deliberation within this church, a process that is an integral part of their educational purpose. Because of the considerable resources and care that this church invests in them, and because of the participatory process used in their development, social statements are the most authoritative form of social policy and are adopted only by the Churchwide Assembly. (Policies and Procedures of the ELCA for Addressing Social Concerns)
- Church in Society: A Lutheran Perspective (1991)
- Abortion (1991)
- Death Penalty (1991)
- Caring for Creation: Vision, Hope, and Justice (1993)
- Freed In Christ: Race, Ethnicity, and Culture (1993)
- Peace in God’s World (1995)
- Sufficient, Sustainable Livelihood for All (1999)
- Caring for Health: Our Shared Endeavor (2003)
- Our Calling in Education (2007)
- Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust (2009)
Messages
Unlike social statements, Messages, the other important social documents of the ELCA, are less foundational and are intended to draw attention to current social issues and encourage action. They are built on the social policy of the church (including social statements) and passed by the Church Council.