Elizabeth Eaton, presiding bishop of the ELCA, has issued a video message for Transgender Day of Visibility. In the video, Eaton speaks out against the inhumane actions by legislatures and executive orders while also speaking directly to the transgender and nonbinary community. “God created you in God’s image and loves and cares for you exactly […]
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 […]
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Series editor’s note: In 2025, “Deeper understandings” is focusing 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 Lutheran theological underpinnings, […]
Sani-Ibrahim Azar, bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land (ELCJHL), Elizabeth A. Eaton, presiding bishop of the ELCA, and Susan C. Johnson, national bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) have released a statement on a visit of solidarity to the Holy Land. “Over the past week we […]
Two spouses living in two places—kept apart by two kinds of government ID. It may sound like Romeo and Juliet, but that was life for Rodny Said, a pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land (ELCJHL). With a Jerusalem ID, Said could cross the checkpoints between his East Jerusalem home […]
