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The 1997 Churchwide Assembly acted in August 1997 to affirm the adoption by the Church Council of this document, as a revision of the former document, "Social Statements in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America: Principles and Procedures," which was adopted by the first Churchwide Assembly on August 28, 1989; and to authorize the Church Council to make appropriate adjustments in these policies and procedures as further experience would indicate. This version contains changes approved by the Church Council at its November 11-13, 2006, meeting.

Faithful participation in society is integral and vital to the mission of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). As individual members and as a corporate body this church lives out the Christian faith in encounter with the concerns that shape life in God’s creation. Social statements, messages, social policy resolutions, and studies of social issues are important means by which this church carries out its participation in society. This document is meant to clarify, order, and strengthen their role in the life and mission of this church. It revises an earlier document with the same name in order to bring these policies and procedures into accord with the changes in the governance structure of the churchwide organization enacted by the 2005 Churchwide Assembly. [1]

This document presents four distinct yet interrelated spheres of activity that seek to form in this church new partnerships, practices, and capacities for discerning and doing God’s will in the world. These four spheres are:

1) Equipping and Nurturing Members;
2) Encouraging Learning and Moral Discourse;
3) Development and Enactment of Social Policy; and
4) Interpreting and Applying Social Policy.

While each sphere of activity contains distinct initiatives, each sphere supports and relates to the others. The following sets forth this church’s bases for addressing social concerns, describes the four spheres of activity, and outlines the procedures for each sphere.

CALLED TO WITNESS IN SOCIETY
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America addresses social concerns in witness to God’s just and loving intention for all of creation. This church participates in society in grateful response to God’s saving grace in Jesus Christ. Through faith in the Gospel the Church is freed to love the neighbor in this world, as it hopes and prays for “a new heaven and a new earth” (Revelation 21:1). While this world is corrupted by sin, it also is created by the Triune God, who promises it fullness and continues to sustain it. In this world the Church is called to live its faith, love, and hope by caring for and transforming the structures of society, working for justice, and preserving the earth. For “what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8).

The constitution of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America makes clear the commitment of this church to listen to, deliberate with, and address its members and the broader society on social concerns:

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America confesses the Gospel to be “the power of God to create and sustain the Church for God’s mission in the world” (ELCA 2.07.).

“To participate in God’s Mission, this church shall:

Serve in response to God’s love to meet human needs, caring for the sick and the aged, advocating dignity and justice for all people, working for peace and reconciliation among the nations, and standing with the poor and powerless and committing itself to their needs. . . (ELCA 4.02.c.).

Nurture its members in the Word of God so as to grow in faith and hope and love, to see daily life as the primary setting for the exercise of their Christian calling, and to use the gifts of the Spirit for their life together and for their calling in the world (ELCA 4.02.e.).

“To fulfill these purposes, this church shall:

Encourage and equip all members to worship, learn, serve, and witness; to fulfill their calling to serve God in the world; and to be stewards of the earth, their lives, and the Gospel (ELCA 4.03.b.).

Lift its voice in concord and work in concert with forces for good, to serve humanity, cooperating with church and other groups participating in activities that promote justice, relieve misery, and reconcile the estranged (ELCA 4.03.g.).

Study social issues and trends, work to discover the causes of oppression and injustice, and develop programs of ministry and advocacy to further human dignity, freedom, justice, and peace in the world (ELCA 4.03.l.).

Work with civil authorities in areas of mutual endeavor, maintaining institutional separation of church and state in a
relation of functional interaction (ELCA 4.03.n.).

Social statements and other resources on social concerns build on the rich legacy of the church bodies that united to form the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. As a confessional church with an historical sense, this church continues to look to the social statements of The American Lutheran Church and the Lutheran Church in America for guidance, while it develops its own social statements and further
deliberates on social concerns. [2]

These historical documents, too, summon this church to a coherent, responsible, and prophetic public witness.

In its first social statement, The Church in Society: A Lutheran Perspective, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America affirmed anew its calling to witness in society and made the following basic commitments:

	“to sustain and support its members in their baptismal vocation to serve God and neighbor in daily life” (page 6);
	“to serve God and neighbor in its life and work as an institution” (page 7); and
	“to foster moral deliberation on social questions” (page 7).

CONSTITUTIONAL DIRECTIVES

The activity of the four spheres described in this document shall be consistent with the Constitution, Bylaws, and Continuing Resolutions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

The constitution assigns primary responsibility for this church’s preparation and coordination of resources on social concerns to the churchwide organization, particularly to its Church in Society unit. The task of the unit is to be carried out in a spirit of interdependence, partnership, and cooperation with congregations and synods as well as with other churchwide units.

The congregations, synods, and churchwide organization of this church are interdependent partners sharing responsibly in God’s mission. In an interdependent relationship primary responsibility for particular functions will vary between the partners (ELCA 5.01.c.).

This church shall seek to function as people of God through congregations, synods, and the churchwide organization, all of which shall be interdependent. Each part . . . lives in a partnership relation ship with others (ELCA 8.11.).

In fulfillment of the purposes of this church, the churchwide organization shall:

Provide resources to equip members to worship, learn, serve, and witness in their ministry in daily life (ELCA 11.21.b.).

Witness to the Word of God in Christ by united efforts in
proclaiming the Gospel, responding to human need, caring for the sick and suffering, working for justice and peace, and providing guidance to members on social matters (ELCA 11.21.d.).

Develop and administer policies for this church’s relationship to social ministry organizations and cooperate with public and private agencies that enhance human dignity and justice (ELCA 11.21.i.).

Determine and implement policy for this church’s relationship to governments (ELCA 11.21.j.).

The Church in Society unit shall assist this church to discern, understand, and respond to the needs of human beings, communities, society, and the whole creation through direct human services and through addressing systems, structures, and policies of society, seeking to promote justice, peace, and the care of the earth. To fulfill these responsibilities, this program unit shall:

As a partner in social concerns, each synod shall:

Plan for the mission of this church in the synod, initiating and developing policy, and implementing programs, consistent with churchwide policy, including: . . .

Respond to human need, work for justice and peace, care for the sick and the suffering, and participate responsibly in society (ELCA 10.21.o.).

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