What Does the Lutheran Church Teach About Racial Equality?
As a congregation, we are a part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America – a denomination of approximately 9,000 congregations.
Historical Perspective
The roots of the Lutheran Church are in the Protestant Reformation of the 16th Century, and in particular in the world and culture of Northern Europe. Lutherans in North America often gathered in immigrant communities that were as much defined by ethnicity, national origin, and language as they were by theology and faith.
And so the first Lutheran Denominations in the US were known as things like the Danish Lutheran Church in America, or the Finnish Synod of America. Over time, those national and language barriers became less important. And through about 100 years of mergers, various ethnic Lutheran Churches merged to form the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) in 1988.
Due to our historical roots in ethnically and culturally defined communities, in addition to most of our congregations being in locations where most of the population was of Northern European descent, the Lutheran Church in America has remained a predominantly Caucasian community.
There have been exceptions. The Rev. Jehu Jones was the first Black Lutheran ordained in North America, in 1832 and planted faith communities in Philadephia. The Frankean Synod was one of the many Lutheran denominations (church bodies) in the 19th Century. Based in New York, the Frankeans were set apart from other Lutherans for their fierce commitment to abolitionism. This Frankean Synod ordained the Rev. Daniel Payne in 1835 after he studied at the Lutheran Theological Seminary of Gettysburg. Payne would later join the African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME) and become one of the shapers of this historically Black denomination.
While other notable examples stand out, and there have been Black Lutherans in America for as long as there have been Lutherans in America, the denomination has remained predominately white. As of the most recent assessment, the population of our denomination is 97% non-Hispanic White.
And so the first Lutheran Denominations in the US were known as things like the Danish Lutheran Church in America, or the Finnish Synod of America. Over time, those national and language barriers became less important. And through about 100 years of mergers, various ethnic Lutheran Churches merged to form the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) in 1988.
Due to our historical roots in ethnically and culturally defined communities, in addition to most of our congregations being in locations where most of the population was of Northern European descent, the Lutheran Church in America has remained a predominantly Caucasian community.
There have been exceptions. The Rev. Jehu Jones was the first Black Lutheran ordained in North America, in 1832 and planted faith communities in Philadephia. The Frankean Synod was one of the many Lutheran denominations (church bodies) in the 19th Century. Based in New York, the Frankeans were set apart from other Lutherans for their fierce commitment to abolitionism. This Frankean Synod ordained the Rev. Daniel Payne in 1835 after he studied at the Lutheran Theological Seminary of Gettysburg. Payne would later join the African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME) and become one of the shapers of this historically Black denomination.
While other notable examples stand out, and there have been Black Lutherans in America for as long as there have been Lutherans in America, the denomination has remained predominately white. As of the most recent assessment, the population of our denomination is 97% non-Hispanic White.
Commitments to Racial Equality
One of the first Social Statements adopted by our denomination was called Freed in Christ: Race, Ethnicity, and Culture (1993). Adopted by the highest governing body of our denomination, this document lays out firm commitments of our church to the work of being anti-racist. Among other things, this document:
1. Makes clear that racism – both personal and systemic – is sinful
2. Lays an expectation on all leaders in the church to confront racism in their congregations and communities
3. Names the danger and temptations of white privilege
4. Calls on our churches, leaders, and denomination to advocate for policies that promote racial equity, fair business practices, and just immigration
It is worth noting that these commitments are not new in our church. They have been there from the very foundation of this denomination.
1. Makes clear that racism – both personal and systemic – is sinful
2. Lays an expectation on all leaders in the church to confront racism in their congregations and communities
3. Names the danger and temptations of white privilege
4. Calls on our churches, leaders, and denomination to advocate for policies that promote racial equity, fair business practices, and just immigration
It is worth noting that these commitments are not new in our church. They have been there from the very foundation of this denomination.
Since then, the ELCA has:
