The 2025 ELCA Churchwide Assembly, held July 28–Aug. 2 at the Phoenix Convention Center, considered several memorials. Resolutions that passed include:
Indian Boarding School Remembrance. Calls for (779-7) the church to observe the National Day of Remembrance for Indian Boarding Schools annually, develop educational programs and materials on the history of and the ELCA’s complicity with the schools, and provide ongoing recognition and support for the continued work to locate all known records regarding the ELCA predecessor churches’ involvement, among other actions.
Consideration of Recommendation 1 of the Commission for a Renewed Lutheran Church. Calls for the church to acknowledge the importance of accountability in addressing racism within all structures of the ELCA, to affirm the work of the Strategy Toward Authentic Diversity Advisory Team, to request that the Church Council continue to work with the team to clarify the nature of mutual accountability, and to direct the council to add a timeline to its actions taken and to provide progress updates to this church with a final report by fall 2027, including possible constitutional changes.
Stand of Palestinian Rights and End to Occupation of Palestine. Calls (742-38) for the ELCA and its members, congregations, synods and churchwide units to advocate for human rights and a just peace for Palestinians and Israelis by supporting policies that end the occupation. To join the World Council of Churches in calling for an immediate end to the mass killing in Gaza. To urge the Office of the Presiding Bishop to petition U.S. leaders to recognize and act to end the genocide against Palestinians, halt military aid to Israel used in Gaza, and support Palestinian statehood and U.N. membership. To reject forced displacement and settler violence. To promote prayerful engagement and solidarity with those working for justice and peace, including ELCA partners in the region. And to amplify the voices of local partners and strengthen the ELCA’s advocacy through the Office of the Presiding Bishop, the Middle East and North Africa Desk, the Sumud initiative, and the Witness in Society team, among other offices.
The memorial was amended (752-22) to include mention of the Arab and Middle Eastern Ministries desk and the Association of Lutherans of Arab and Middle Eastern Heritage. Another amendment to the memorial passed (502-272) in that session, which added “[occupation] of Gaza and the West Bank, while maintaining the right and sovereignty of the State of Israel to exist.”
A final amendment to the memorial was also passed (579-198), inserting language “to recognize the rights of the State of Israel and a sovereign State of Palestine to exist side by side, as per the ELCA’s historic stated position, and per existing UN Security Council Resolutions 242, 338, 1397, 1515, 2334.”
Amendments
The assembly also considered several proposed constitutional amendments recommended by the Church Council (for a complete list of actions, see our daily assembly coverage).
- Motion D (passed 530-236): Amends bylaw 5.01.E19. to increase the percentage goal of youth and young adult voting membership of the Churchwide Assembly, Church Council, and churchwide boards and committees from 10% to 20%. The Church Council was asked to develop and present a plan for implementation continuing resolution, which also addresses barriers to youth and young adult participation, at its April 2026 meeting.
- Motion F (failed 102-540): The bylaw (13.22.03) would have limited a presiding bishop to serving two terms, or 12 years. A motion to create a bylaw (13.42.03) limiting a secretary to two terms, or 12 years, was withdrawn.
- Motion J (passed 584-15): Refers to the Office of the Presiding Bishop, Theological Discernment, Service and Justice and ELCA Advocacy, in consultation with the Office of the Treasurer and Information Technology, consideration of the ethics and morality surrounding artificial intelligence (AI), including creating safeguards in both privacy and usage, as well as developing a “faith and AI” study guide, among other steps, to try to keep up with the rapidly evolving technology.
The Reference and Counsel Committee’s proposed amendment to bylaw 7.31.02.a.8 was also considered. The committee recommended replacing the language “[embracing and welcoming] racially and ethnically diverse populations” with “[embracing and welcoming] members of historically underrepresented groups.”
A substitution motion to amend the language by striking the phrase in question and replacing it with “unifying and reconciling the diverse body of Christ into which we are baptized, giving special honor to members of historically underrepresented groups” was voted to become the main motion (390-312). The amendment of that proposed language was defeated (703-52), meaning that the language in question will remain as it was prior to the Reference and Counsel Committee’s proposed amendment.
The remaining motions and resolutions left unfinished were referred to the Church Council.
